LAW OFFICES OF BURNELL, CARPENTER, & THOMPSON
Claire blazes a quick trail across
the parking lot to her car. Damn Diane. Damn her for being so selfish
...
"Claire, wait!"
The call stops Claire in her tracks,
but she is hesitant to turn around. She isn't sure that she has the energy
to deal with Diane one-on-one right now.
"Claire!" Diane calls again. The
sounds of a rapid pattern of footsteps tell Claire that Diane is hurrying
to catch up with her. She remains facing in the other direction, although
she does not try to get away.
"There's something I wanted to ask
you," Diane says, her voice missing a layer of the usual confidence.
Claire turns around slowly. "What
is it?"
"There are some things I need you
to tell me. Things I just ... need to know."
Claire urges her on with a roll of
the hand.
Diane draws in a deep breath and
then releases it with her words: "It's about Tim."
Even the mention of his name jars
Claire, and it is a moment before she responds. "What?"
"The night he died," Diane says.
"What happened? I mean, I know what you had your lawyer tell me--" She
doesn't miss the opportunity to slip in a look reprimanding Claire for
not passing on the information herself. "--but I don't know what ... really
happened."
"He was on the pier. He was shot
-- his body must have fallen into the bay." Claire's sentences are clipped,
as though she is offering the minimum amount of information necessary.
"I know that." Diane sighs and it
is apparent that she is trying to curb her frustration and the urge to
demand more information. "But how did it happen? Why in the world was he
out on the pier alone on New Year's Eve?"
Claire contemplates the inquiry and
then says, "It's a long story, Diane. Dredging it up one more time isn't
going to do any good." She makes a move to go, but Diane stops her with
a touch on the arm.
"I do deserve to know how he died,
Claire! I'm the mother of his child, for God's sake!"
The blow clearly hits Claire hard.
The effect is not lost on Diane. She adds, in a softer tone, "I loved him.
Tim was important to me. Now I know that maybe I didn't go about showing
it in the best way and that you don't really appreciate the fact that I
felt so strongly about him, but I did. And I need to know what happened
to him, for my own peace of mind."
Claire's eyes drop to the pavement.
"He was trying to help me out. There was--there was something going on
at the pier that night, something I needed to see. But Tim wouldn't let
me go. He insisted on doing it himself." She glances up at Diane ever so
briefly and then lowers her gaze again. "He was a hero right to the end."
"Of course. He never would have let
you be in danger. But what was so important that you had to send him out
there on New Year's Eve?"
"It was personal."
"Personal how? I don't know too many
women who have personal business out on a pier at midnight. What'd you
get into this time?"
Claire grits her teeth, as if a response
is lurking behind them, but then she tosses up a hand and flips around.
"I'm not going to have this conversation with you, Diane." She moves quickly
to the car without so much as a glance backward.
Diane stands where Claire left her,
in the middle of the parking lot, with her arms crossed in front of her.
"You did this," she mutters in disgusted amazement. "You did this to Tim."
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