Red Rain

12

The woman let out a cry and grabbed the banister beside her, struggling to hold herself up.

The man made a choking sound. He blinked several times. He turned and grabbed the woman’s hand.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Andy said, lowering his eyes. Rain pelted the back of his uniform shirt.

“How-” the man started. He made the choking sound again. The woman started to sob, burying her face behind the man’s shoulder.

“It was a traffic accident.” Andy kept his eyes down, partly not to see their grief. He had to force his voice to stay steady. “On Stephen Hands. Near 114. The Easthampton police-they didn’t want to tell you on the phone. They asked me-”

The man’s expression changed. His eyes went wide. He raised a hand to say halt. The woman lifted her head and squinted at Andy. Tears glistened on her pale cheeks.

“That can’t be,” the woman choked out. “You’re wrong.”

“My wife. . she is away,” the man said, staring hard into Andy’s eyes. “She’s on an island off South Carolina. She isn’t in Easthampton.”

Andy’s throat tightened again. He swallowed hard. “Mr. Hamlin, I was told-”

“He’s not Mr. Hamlin, you idiot!” the woman screamed. Her hands balled into tight fists. “He’s not Mr. Hamlin. Oh, I don’t believe it. I don’t fucking believe it.” She pounded the banister.

“I’m Mark Sutter,” the man said. He slid an arm around the woman’s trembling shoulders. “Roz, please-”

But she pulled away and flung herself toward Andy, furiously shaking her head. “How could you do that? How could you be so stupid? Why didn’t you ask our names first?”

“I. . was nervous,” Andy said. “I should have done that. Really. I didn’t mean-”

Could I just dive headfirst into the bay and drown myself now?

“I think you want Bluff Point,” Sutter said softly. “This is John Street.”

“Oh my God.” The words tumbled out of Andy’s mouth. “I am so totally sorry. I hope. . I mean. . The rain. It’s so dark. . ”

What could he say? “I’m sick about this, sir. Ma’am.” He really did feel sick.

They glared at him, both breathing hard. Sutter reached for the doorknob.

“I can only apologize,” Andy repeated. “I’m new out here, and, well. . I’m so sorry. If you’d like to report me to my chief, I can give you my ID.”

Roz spun away. She disappeared into the house. Sutter shook his head. “You should get out of the rain, Officer.”

Andy nodded.

The door closed. He heard the lock click.

He stood there for a moment, letting the rain batter him.

Perhaps I’ll laugh about this in a few weeks. Tell it like a funny joke.

He suddenly found himself thinking of the Police Academy movies. The cops were all total idiots.

I should join them.

He sighed and strode slowly to the car. No reason to run. He couldn’t get any wetter. He slid behind the wheel. A cold shudder ran down his back.

The radio squealed. “Pavano, you there?” Vince’s distorted voice.

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“How’d it go?”