The scene was similar to the night prior. Lake and Greene sat with their coffee, the world of caffeine addiction swirling around them. Neither seemed to really notice. It was Greene who broke the silence.
"Thanks for finding my recorder. Life blood, and all that…" she said, knocking the electronic against the table as she regarded it fondly.
"'Course," said Lake. It was hard to look at Greene now, Lake realized; she was no longer just a reporter, she was a victim. He struggled to hold her gaze without looking somewhat sorry, so he sufficed by staring into the dark depths of his coffee. Greene shifted a bit, a bit put off by his behavior.
"Um, we can do this some other time, Detective. You seem… tired."
"I am, actually."
Greene awaited a further response, and when none came, she nodded. "Right. Well, you have my number. Just- well- just give me a ring when-"
"I know."
The male's remark was met with a blank look, combined with mild confusion on the female's part. "Sorry?"
Lake cleared his throat, fingers completing a magnificent drum solo across the top of the table. "I… I know."
Greene's brow quirked. "That we've established, Detective. Though, being a reporter I find I enjoy detail. What do you know, exactly?"
"Olivia told me."
Silence fell over the couple, Greene's face slowly loosing its ruddy coloring. Jaw slackening, her arms came to cross over her chest before she blinked rapidly at Lake. "S-she did… what?" Disbelief laced ever syllable.
"I'm so sorry."
Anger seeped its way onto Greene's face. "Yeah, well, that's dandy. I'm glad you and Olivia had a chance to talk. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go. I really have to go." She stood unsteadily, chair pushed back with a scrape reminiscent of nails on a chalkboard. Greene wasn't prepared for this… she couldn't deal with this all over again. Pushing her way past jittery customers, she exited the store onto the busy sidewalk with Lake close in tow.
Falling instep with the woman, Lake spoke. "I'm sorry… it just came out. I knew something was wrong last night, so-"
"-you what?" countered Greene angrily. "You used your spiffy deducing skills to find out about me?" She scoffed. "That's my job, bub."
Lake raised a hand, brows furrowing. "Look, it's not… it's not your fault…"
Coming to a complete stop, Greene rounded on Lake. The look in her eyes caused the detective to take a step backwards. "It's not my fault?! Peachy. Thanks. I definitely haven't heard that one before. Now I can go on living like nothing ever happened, right? Well guess what?" Greene brusquely prodded Lake in the chest, emphasizing each syllable as she spoke: "That. Is. Bullshit. Now get lost." And she was off down the sidewalk again.
Lake stared after her, hands shoved in his pockets. "So I guess the interview's out?" he called rhetorically. To his surprise, Greene stopped, turned, and approached him once more. Not wanting to push his luck, Lake remained silent.
Greene ground her jaw. "Since you seem to have the tact of a rabid dog, I'll spell this out for you. One: you are my job, and I intend to finish it. Two: I never allow my private life to interrupt said job. Three: the past is the past. And finally, we arrive at what?..." A pause.
Lake frowned. "Four?"
"Good, you're listening. Yes. Four: This stays between you, me, and Olivia. As much as I would love for you to blab this to those incompetent donut-munching cops at the precinct… Oh, wait. I wouldn't. I really, really wouldn't."
Lake sighed. It was obvious there was something unresolved in Greene. She was stubborn. Strong, even. But she was angry, extremely so, and Lake knew first hand that anger slowly ate away at one's self. What could he do, though? The woman was firm. He nodded. "Sure. Though I think you should really-"
"-don't care, Detective." Checking her watch, Greene nodded, seeming to slowly revert back to her old self. "I have a meeting with my editor in twenty minutes. Mind if I stop by your place of work to finish our interview?"
"I wasn't aware we started."
"Hah. The cop has wit. Anyways, I take that for a yes. See you at four?"
"Well-"
"-lovely. See you then!" And Greene was off down the street.
Lake frowned, even more disturbed then he was before. The woman was obviously not alright. But what could he do? Head down, he turned back in the direction of the precinct, really only one thing he could do.
He needed to know what happened.