Dana, You're Going Home!

October 2016:

       Dana woke up in a cold sweat. Heart still racing. She was relieved to see her TV still on. At 25, she was still afraid to be alone in the dark. The clock said it was 4am. But there was no going back to sleep now. She got up, like she always did after a night like this, and threw cold water on her face. She threw on some sweats and made her way to the kitchen to make some coffee.

There she was greeted by Bette. Bette Davis to be specific. Dana’s cat. Bette Davis was her favorite actress. Dana thought it was like fate when she found Ms. Davis. She was a rescue. She had big buggy blue green eyes and a standoffish personality. Not unlike Dana herself. They got along. And although she wasn't one for affection, Bette kept her from being alone in the dark. That was all Dana wanted.

    

Dana sat at her kitchen table. Drinking coffee and catching up on emails. She had been working as a reporter for the Lajolla Cove Times for three years now. The weekly local paper of her San Diego home. She had always wanted to be a journalist. She had an internship there in college and had been working there ever since. Her boss Robert was a good guy. He was a character. Somewhat insensitive, and he needed to work on his delivery, but he was a good guy. Lately he had been pretty stressed though. The paper wasn't doing too well. It just wasn't. That's not really how people got their news anymore. Dana was covering local musical events. She liked it. It was fun to see all the different acts and events. She would I rearview the bands and ask the usual questions. Where did you get your start? Who was your inspiration? How did you come up with your name? Robert recently asked her to do some human interest pieces too. He wanted things to intrigue his readers and get people talking. Dana suggested maybe bringing up cold cases. People were always interested in unsolved mysteries, right? Robert loved the idea. Dana knew it might be hard for her sometimes, given what she had happened in her past. But, Robert knew nothing about that. No one knew anything about that here. Here, she was just Dana.

Just as she was about to shut her laptop and take a shower, an email came through. From Robert. “Great…” Dana said out loud. Early morning emails from him were never good.

Robert would vent to her about everyone else and how they did their jobs. Dana didn't know why he picked her. He said it was because she was the only other hard worker like him. He was born and raised in Boston. He said they both shared a Northeasterners work ethic. Whatever that means. But Dana knew she was a hard worker, and if her boss felt like he could vent to her, she figured she must be doing something right. Or he could just want donuts and coffee for breakfast again. One or the other.

   

“Dana,

  When you get in today, stop by my office. I want to talk to you about a big story you have a connection to. I think this will be the boost our paper needs. And bring me a coffee and donut from that place across the street. The one with the powdery stuff on  the outside.

Thanks kid,

Robert”

Oh, so it was both. What could he possibly mean by that. What could she have a special connection to. Dana sat at her kitchen pondering the possibilities when she looked at the clock and realized it was already 6. She shut her laptop and hurried into the shower. She had to get out fast if she was going to bring coffee and donuts. That place got insanely busy in the morning. People were seriously addicted. Dana was beginning to think the powdered sugar was actually crack.

   

Dana put her necessities into her favorite emerald green tote bag, threw her long red hair up in a messy bun, and swiped on some red lipstick. “Good enough.” She said as she looked at her reflection on the way out the door. “See you tonight Bette, don't wait up.” She said as she shut the door behind her. It briefly crossed her mind that her life was dangerously close to becoming sad.

   

Dana was just about to walk into her office when she was tapped on the shoulder.

“Jesus, Robert. I told you not to seek up on me like that.” Dana jumped.

“ Sorry, I forgot you were so jumpy. Donut?”

“ Here.” Dana put the coffee and donut on her desk as she sat down and let out a sigh. “Okay, what did you want to talk to me about? What is this big story I have a connection to?”

“Mmm, hold on. One second.” With a mouth full of donut Robert went to his office and came back with his laptop.

“Rob, I said you can just send me a link from now on when you want to show me a news story.”

“No, I don't do that.”

Dana just shook that one off. It was a losing battle. Robert was resistant to technology.

“OK, so you're from Massachusetts right, Bolton?”

“Yes.”

“Well, there was just a murder there, which is unique to start with in those parts right?”

“Yes...what does that have to do with me?” Dana didn't see where he was going with this.

“I'm getting to it. The woman, that was murdered. Her son and his friend were found murdered 15 years ago this year. I guess they thought..." 

Dana's ears starting ringing again. Roberts voice trailed off to a faint noise. Panic set in. Where was he going with this. Who told him? How did he find out? Now she's going to be that sad "murder witness girl" again. What, now she has to move again and start over and…

“Dana, are you listening?”

“Yeah, yeah sorry. You were saying?”

“Well, I wanted to talk to you to ask you if you knew the kids? I mean you are pretty much the same age as they would be right? Did you go to school with them, did you know this woman?”

Dana  hesitated, apparently he didn't know exactly what happened. She calmed down. Hopefully he didn't notice the breakout of hives on her chest.

“Well, yes I, I did go to school with them. I did know the woman. It was a small town... Wait, she was murdered? When? How?”

It just hit Dana. Chris's mom was murdered. She had been through so much, her only son murdered, alcohol addictio. And now she's dead? Who would kill her?

“Apparently just last week. She was stabbed over 40 times…”

“40 times!?!”

“Yeah, I know it's terrible. Someone must have really hated her.”

“Wait, how did you come across this?”

“Well, I told you how I wanted to get more interest in the paper. I started looking at home towns of some of our writers. I figured we could do pieces on everyone. We look for interesting stories in the home towns of our wonderful writers such as yourself, and then they go home and do interviews or investigate journalism depending on the stories. So I started searching and, Bingo! Right in your hometown. See in this case, you would go back home to Bolton, and make some connections and draw some conclusions.”

Dana sat there with her mouth a bit open staring at Robert.

“What do you think.” He asked, still enthusiastically smiling.

“You want me to go home and dig around to find a connection between this poor woman and something that happened 15 years ago?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Dana!”

“What!? I'm not doing it Robert pick someone else.”

“I don't want to pick anyone else, I'm picking you!”

“I can't. Robert, please, I can't.” She was practically begging at this point. She looked at him with her best sad eyes, hoping he would see this her way. He looked like his face softened a bit. He smiled.

Robert sighed and leaned in. “You are my best reporter. There are a lot of people here who would love me to say that to them.”

“I know, but…”

“Shhhh.” Robert cut her off. Dana had worked for him long enough to recognize his no nonsense look.

“And I would love to keep you here so…” Dana braced herself.

“Dana, you're going home.” His mind was made up. And, if Dana wanted to keep her job, she was going home.

“Fine.” Dana said, she sighed, collected her things, and stood up.

“Email the details later.” She needed time to get her mind around going home.

“Hahaha, that's my girl!” Robert clapped his hands in enthusiasm.

Dana just looked at him, dreading her new assignment. She grabbed the donut off the desk and took a big bite. Great, now she was addicted too.

 

Author's Note

I wanted to get the base out for this where I wanted to introduce Dana in present day and layout how she is going back to sort of relive this event. The next chapter I want to go back to that night in 2001 where I will explain what happens next. I would appreciate any suggestions or inputs: Need anything else? too much of anything? etc...