Dead Wrong

Joa

“Your name isn’t on the approved notification list.” Dr. Waller’s reply was crisp. “Privacy rules preclude me from giving you any information concerning her condition. Once I realized that we were dealing with an impostor, I would have thrown the woman out altogether, but it happened that Jea

Dr. Waller was pissed, and he was calling to do his own bitching-out. If he expected Joa

“I’m sorry for all the confusion,” Joa

“No, you’re not,” Waller returned and slammed the phone down in her ear. Joa

Frank had been standing there hanging on every word of the conversation. “She was raped?” he asked when Joa

Joa

“If they did a rape kit, we’ll have DNA evidence,” Frank said.

Joa

“But is she going to make it?” Frank continued.

“No word on that,” Joa

In the course of the next hour or so, she tried to reach Millicent Ross several times but never got through. Joa

In the bedroom, Butch was asleep with the light on and with a book plastered to his nose. Once she was undressed, she removed the book, put it on the nightstand, and doused the light. When she got into bed, Butch stirred.

“You’re home,” he said. “Are things okay?”

“Not really,” she said. “We still don’t know if Jea

“I’m sorry,” Butch mumbled sleepily. “What about you? Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said, although she didn’t feel fine. “All I need is a decent night’s sleep.”

But a good night’s sleep wasn’t in the cards. She had to get up three different times overnight, and each time she came back to bed she lay awake for an hour or so agonizing over what was going on at work. When she finally awoke the next morning, she could tell it was late by the way the sun was shining into the bedroom. When she looked at the clock, she was astonished to see it was already after eight.

After showering and dressing, she went looking for Butch and found him in the kitchen at his computer. “Why did you let me oversleep?” she demanded.

“Because you obviously needed it,” he returned. “You were snoring up a storm when I got out of bed. I called Frank and told him you’d be late. He said not to rush, so sit down and have your tea. I can have your breakfast ready in five.”

Glad for the temporary respite, Joa

“I asked Je

Joa

The question made Joa

“I am a short-order cook,” he returned. “Eggs, bacon, toast?”

“Sounds wonderful,” Joa

“In spades,” Butch said. “Especially after Jim Bob called.”

“What did he have to say?”

“He wanted me to tell you that he and Eva Lou would be back at the pound today and for as long as you need them. He also said you shouldn’t worry, that Eva Lou and the python are getting along just fine.” Butch paused long enough to crack a pair of eggs into a skillet. “Which causes me to ask,” he added, “what python? I don’t remember anyone mentioning that Animal Control had picked up a stray python. I thought they mostly did dogs and cats.”

“They mostly do,” Joa

“Well,” said Butch, “apparently the python is trying to become the next Houdini. He had made it out of his ke

“I so do not need a python right now,” Joa

Butch gri

“No deal,” Joa

Joa

“How’s she doing?” Joa

“It was a rough night,” Millicent replied. “But they finally upped her pain meds. She’s sleeping now. The phone didn’t even wake her.”

“And how are you?” Joa

“Tired but okay,” Millicent said, although she didn’t sound okay.

“I know about the rape,” Joa

“The lousy bastards!” Millicent breathed. “I always thought Jea

“The guy who chased them away said there were at least six of them. She didn’t stand a chance.”

“Did the O’Dwyers do it?” Millicent asked. “Are they the ones responsible?”

“We don’t know one way or the other,” Joa

“I’m not surprised. I thought Waller was going to have a heart attack when he realized I wasn’t Jea

“Gone?” Joa

“She’ll be totally blind in that eye.”