6
500words
"Where's Nora?! Did you drive her away?!"
David looked stubbornly at her.
"She nearly killed you. I can't forgive her."
Mrs. Rhodes trembled, throwing a vase at him. "You idiot! What did you swear when you became a doctor?!"
"Nora did nothing wrong! If she hadn't risked her miscarriage to reach me, I'd be dead! How dare you blame her?!"
"Call her now! Find her! Or I'll never forgive you!"
David finally saw his mistake.
Hands shaking, he dialed the familiar number.
But only a robotic voice answered.
"The number you have dialed is currently switched off..."
Panic seized him. He turned to my husband.
"Michael, Nora's phone's dead. Ask Anna. They were closest. She'll know where Nora is."
My husband hesitated, then dialed.
The call connected quickly.
"Anna, where's Nora?"
"Your little games are bad enough. Now you're dragging her into it? Want everyone worried sick?"
When he uttered those words,
The voice that answered belonged to a Homicide colleague.
"Captain... is that you?"
My husband froze. His face darkened.
"Why do you have Anna's phone? Where is she?"
There was a pause on the other end.
"Captain... you need to come to the station. We have something to tell you."
My husband hung up, glancing irritably at his watch.
His usual sign of impatience.
"Anna's caused trouble again. Dragged it to Homicide this time. I'll handle it. Stay with Mom."
Watching the tension in his jaw, the frown lines...
Was he sensing something?
I laughed bitterly to myself.
He was the Homicide Captain.
He had to sense something. He was just in denial.
...
At the station, everyone was silent.
Until my husband arrived. They stood frozen.
Unsure how to begin.
My husband loosened his tie, heading automatically towards interrogation.
"What's she done this time?"
He scoffed. "Thought she had some limits. Used to just cause scenes at home. Now dragging it to Homicide? Thinks we've got nothing better to do?"
"What is this place? Her personal playground?"
He pushed the door open. The room was empty.
His face darkened. "You said she was here. Where is she?"
A colleague handed him a body identification form.
Finally blurted out, "Captain... Anna... she's dead. The body on the table... it's her. How... how could you not recognize her?"
My colleague, a friend, broke down sobbing.
Female colleagues sniffled.
My husband exploded, tearing the form in half.
"Did Anna put you up to this?! Now she's got you lying for her?!"
"Get her out here! Now!"
My spirit passed through his reaching hand.
I tried to touch him, a ghostly smile forming.
"But... I am dead."
"Honey, didn't you want me dead? Now I am. Shouldn't you be happy?"
The colleague handed him the DNA report.
"This is the victim's report, Captain. You should... say goodbye to Anna yourself."
"You might not get another chance."
Colleagues quietly filed out, leaving him alone with the truth.
