Red stomped past the "No criminals beyond this point" sign and stormed into Caputo's office. He glanced up at her over his glasses.
"Where's Healy?" She growled.
"Wow, grapevine must be slow today." Caputo squinted at her for a moment, then took the glasses off and gestured to the chair in front of him. "Have a seat."
She narrowed her eyes and thrust out her chin. "Why?"
He paused, then sighed and tossed the spectacles down on the desk. "Fine." He shrugged. "Heart attack. Healy had a heart attack last night, so whatever it is you're hoping to wheedle out of him you're going to have to run it by me instead. Good luck with that by the way. I don't know what you have over the poor guy but…Red?"
Red's knees gave out and she sank into the chair. "Heart…" her voice came out fractured and she swallowed around the knot in her throat and tried again, managing a hoarse whisper. "Heart attack?"
"Yeah," Caputo's face softened. "I mean, yeah, but it didn't sound like it was too bad, I don't think. I mean he's not doing great, obviously, but it didn't sound like he was, ya know, going to, kick the bucket or anything. He's going into surgery tonight."
"Tonight," she repeated. There was a strange whooshing sound in her ears.
"Yeah. I don't know much more than that. His wife called but her accent's even thicker than yours, so I didn't really catch everything."
"His...wife."
"Hey you okay? Your face is the color of your shirt—you're not gonna pass out on me or anything are you?"
"I'm fine." she mumbled because it seemed like that was what she was expected to say. She felt scrambled, confused- suddenly overwhelmed with the memory of the gut-punched look in Healy's eyes just days before when she had told him it was too late for them to be together.
Caputo rubbed his hands over his face and sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, I'm having a shit day, and the truth is I'm sorta worried about the guy. But I guess I should have broken the news a little gentler. I mean, I know you and Healy have known each other a long time and you two have got that weird…I don't know. Whatever that thing is you got."
Red's head snapped up and she felt her face flood with color. She straightened her spine and slid her mask into place, covering the panic that had started clawing at her as soon as she'd heard the words, "heart attack".
"No, I'm fine. It's just that…my father dropped dead from a bad heart and for some reason, the way you said it or something, it just...took me back. The mind is strange like that—the way it slips back to an old groove without warning." She took a deep breath and set her jaw in a way she knew made her look as hard and cold and immoveable as an iceberg. She could feel the sting behind her eyelids so she stood and rolled up her sleeves, avoiding eye contact. "I mean, I'm sorry about Healy of course, but you know. These things happen. He's always eaten too many eggs." She pursed her lips and shook her head in a show of disapproval. "Cholesterol must be through the roof."
She had to look him in the eye before she left, just to ensure that she'd covered her tracks. She crossed her arms and squinted at him. "Well. Keep me posted on how he's doing. I mean, the man is a piece of work, but you're right. We have known each other a long time." She raised her hand in a crisp wave and turned to leave as Caputo called after her.
"I'll let you know when I hear something."
"Thanks Caputo," she tossed over her shoulder.
As she made her way down the hall she took deep, heaving breaths. She wouldn't be able to hold back the tears much longer. She needed a cover, so she bent over and put her hand to her back and winced. Hopefully if anyone noticed the state she was in they would blame it on her notoriously bad back.
By the time she shut the bathroom door the tears were streaming down her face.