Matthew
June 5 and 6
He was in an absolutely foul mood, likely due to not sleeping. He couldn’t shut his brain off at night and then had to work all day and act natural on the air, plus pretend he was the grieving coworker. It was all too much. He was living off caffeine, having downed three Diet Cokes that day already.
After dinner he came back to the office and felt like he was going to explode. He paced the office, tried a few push-ups and jumping jacks, and when that didn’t help, finally called Tara. He still had a wiretapping situation in the back of his mind, but the police hadn’t bothered them since they were interviewed Sunday, so he figured that wasn’t likely, plus he was so pent-up with emotions he just had to talk to her, and she was the only one who knew what was bothering him or could commiserate.
“I’m going crazy here,” he told her. “I’m filled with… I don’t know, regret? Guilt? Worry? Every time I look at her desk I think about what we did. We were stupid. We could jeopardize everything we’ve worked for.”
“I’m a mess too,” she said. “I was so lost in thought during ameeting at work today that coworkers made fun of me for being a space cadet. I had to laugh it off and say I’m just thinking about the wedding. But honey, I’m keeping my eye on the prize: You have made it to Jack’s spot as the main met. I would think Perry would offer you a new contract soon to stay there.”
“Yeah, hopefully a new contract and much more money will make this all worth it. Maybe someday you and I can move on and forget—as long as we don’t get caught, of course. People will eventually turn their attention to other things, right?”
“Of course they will. Hang in there, honey. No one knows anything. It’s going to be OK.”
“OK, I’m trying to act normal. I love you.”
“I love you too. We’ll be married in a few months and you’ll be working Monday through Friday like we always wanted and we can buy a new condo, maybe down at the river with a view of Canada. Remember, this too shall pass.”
“I’ll try to keep my eye on the wedding and a new condo we can finally afford. I’ll try to stop thinking about what happened and about Faith’s death. We lied to the police once and they seemed to buy it. They haven’t been back around so I think we’re in the clear.”
When he hung up he turned his attention to work and getting his forecast ready. He knew tons of fans were writing to the weather email or leaving messages begging for someone to pick up the earring forecast or to do something similar, but he wasn’t going to stoop to some gimmick. He was a hardcore meteorologist with science to back him. Viewers would just have to adjust to his style.
That night after he got home from work following the show, he fell asleep faster than any previous night since Faith had died. When he woke up Wednesday, Tara had already left forwork and there was a text on his phone from an unfamiliar number.
Hey Matthew, it’s Tom. I need to talk to you about something confidential. Can you meet me at Ford Park? I’ll ping you the exact spot. There’s a quiet parking place down by the lagoon where no one goes where I like to take walks. 12:15 before work?
Matthew sat up in bed. He and Tom were not super close, but they had been coworkers for many years and had gone out socially a few times. Curiosity poked at Matthew. What was so confidential that they had to meet at a secluded park? But if one of the main anchors wants to see you, you do it, especially if you’re trying to get in good with the Monday-through-Friday team. He texted back right away that he would be there. Then he texted Tara about it, went on the treadmill for twenty minutes, took a shower, ate a big breakfast, and put on some casual clothing for the meeting. He would pick up a bunch of suits from the dry cleaner after his Tom meeting and wear one of those later on the air.
Tara texted back that she thought this was a good sign. Tom wanting to confide in him, Tom wanting to get closer to him. It likely meant Tom would put in a good word with Perry.
Matthew drove over to Ford Park feeling optimistic and starting to relax just a touch. Maybe everything was really going to be OK.
The spot that Tom had pinged him about was set way back from the main parking lot. Matthew saw just one car on theroad, going the other way. Other than that there was nothing but nature.
Unrolling the windows, he listened to the wind and the birds as he went along. It felt so refreshing to be somewhat calm for a change. He would chat up Tom, see what he wanted to talk about and have plenty of time to grab lunch before getting to work for the afternoon editorial meeting.
At the lagoon he saw Tom’s Lexus parked in the corner of the small lot, facing the water. Matthew pulled up next to it and glanced over to wave. He didn’t see Tom. Maybe Tom had stepped out to use the bathroom. Matthew looked around for a porta-potty but none were nearby. Would Tom be the kind of guy to take a piss in the woods? It was hard to imagine the buttoned-up main anchor doing that, but certainly anything was possible. Matthew turned off his ignition and unbuckled his seat belt. A few ducks were swimming in the lagoon, and he watched them circle and quack at each other for a moment. A bird sang from a tree somewhere above his head. Matthew reached for his phone to see if he had any new messages. Scrolling, he saw nothing of major importance.
Yawning, he looked around again. If Tom had gone off to pee in the woods he certainly was taking a long time to return. Matthew stepped out of the car. Walking toward Tom’s vehicle, his sneakers crunching the gravel of the parking lot, he thought he might just glance in the driver’s-side window to see if Tom’s phone or wallet was in there, a sure sign Tom had just stepped away for a moment.
The peace of Mother Nature was suddenly punctuated by a wail of sirens in the distance. Matthew noticed the bird who had been singing turn its head. Even the ducks seemed to cock theirbeaks a tiny bit. The sirens were getting closer. That was weird. Something must be going on in another part of the park.
Matthew reached the driver’s side of the Lexus and looked into the window to ascertain what Tom might have left behind.
That was when he saw Tom, slumped to his side so that his shoulder and head were in the passenger seat. He was wearing a polo shirt and gray shorts like one might don at a golf course.
“Tom! Oh my God, no!” Matthew cried out, and he grabbed the handle on the driver’s door. Thankfully, it was unlocked. He reached for Tom, trying to tell what was happening—it must be a heart attack or a stroke. Tom was in a very unnatural position so Matthew knew immediately it was a medical emergency and not a nap. The sirens got louder.
“Tom!” He tried to turn Tom’s body so that he could see his face but it was too hard at that angle and too far to reach across. Running to the passenger side, he pulled that door open, also unlocked. Using all of his strength, he pushed Tom’s shoulder back and twisted Tom’s body as best he could. Tom’s eyes were wide open and vacant. A thick line of a very foamy saliva was coming out of his mouth. There were no other obvious signs of trauma, but Matthew knew immediately and unequivocally: Tom was dead.
“Tom, nooooo, Tom!” he cried as the sirens became so loud he realized they were headed right to that small parking lot. Tom must have called 911 before he keeled over.
Matthew thought about attempting CPR, but a police car and an ambulance pulled to a stop and he was grateful to defer to the professionals. Plus, he knew deep in his soul that Tom was gone and that no amount of CPR would bring him back.
As the EMS workers and an officer jumped out of theirvehicles, Matthew glanced at the floor of Tom’s car and noticed two Channel 9 water bottles.
One had a sticker from the Detroit Pistons on its side.
