The Night Killer

several-generations Georgia girl, and one of Diane’s criminalists, told Diane she had never been out of the country. So she’d given Neva time off to go with Mike, who was Neva’s boyfriend. Diane hoped they were all having a good time.
    Diane’s office suite was connected to Andie’s office. She went through the adjoining door and sat down at her desk. After attending to a few letters, she ordered lunch from the museum restaurant and asked that it be sent to her office. Turkey sandwiches and fruit salads arrived at the same time as Laura.
    Laura wore a pale blue pantsuit that looked good on her slim frame. Her blond hair was in its usual smooth French twist. Diane always admired Laura’s grace. Diane had a hard time with grace.
    “You look great,” said Diane.
    “Thanks. I appreciate lunch. This is nice.” They sat down at the large table and ate, talking only small talk. When they finished, Diane got up and set the dishes on the counter next to the sink.
    “So,” said Laura, going to the couch, sitting down, and folding her arms. “What is it you want to talk about?”
    Diane sighed and sat down in the chair she was in earlier that morning. “First, I need to tell you about my experience last evening,” she said.
    Diane related the story in much the same way she had to her crime lab crew and to Frank—complete and detailed. Normally, Laura listened with an interested but unemotional expression on her face. But this was not a story that lent itself to nonexpression. Laura looked much like the others had—jaw dropping, eyes wide.
    “Diane, for heaven’s sake, are you all right?” she said, when Diane’s lengthy narrative was over.
    “I asked you here to discuss just that.” Diane took a deep breath. “Laura, I was terrified to the point of nausea the whole time.”
    Laura frowned. “Diane, only you would find that abnormal. If it were me the guy had grabbed, I’d be in his basement chained to the wall, or whatever he had planned. Or if I managed to get away and make it to the woods, I’d be lost in some thicket, whimpering like a child. And if I’d managed to make it out of the woods and through some miracle located the Barres’ house and found them with their throats slashed, you would have found me on the floor in a fetal position babbling nonsense, and I’d be committed to an institution for the next year. You don’t have a problem.”
    “Seriously, Laura. I’ve been in bad situations many times. I’ve never before experienced that level of fright. I was almost immobilized at times.”
    “But you got away. Even gave the son of a bitch a black eye. You got through the woods. You made a friend along the way. And you kept your presence of mind at the Barres’. I reiterate: You don’t have a problem.” She held up a hand when Diane started to speak again. “But if you want my opinion, I’ll tell you what I think.”
    “Please.”
    “I think you are happy,” she said.
    “What?” Diane expected more.
    “After Ariel was killed, your psyche felt that nothing worse could happen, and it responded with this fearlessness that you’ve possessed. But now, with this job you’ve become comfortable in, your friends, Frank, Star, you have become happy, and it scares you. Now you have something to lose again. You responded by being afraid. It’s normal. And in addition, you think you don’t deserve to be happy, because of what happened in South America.”
    “I don’t deserve to be happy? That’s a little Psych 101, isn’t it?”
    “It’s called 101 because it’s basic. That’s what you are feeling,” said Laura.
    “Okay, say I buy that. What can I do about it? I don’t want to ever feel afraid like that again,” said Diane.
    Laura took a deep breath, changed her position on the couch, and looked back at Diane. “First, you can acknowledge that just because you lost Ariel, it in no way implies that you will lose what you have now.”
    “Is there a ‘second’? I need something more concrete. I can’t acknowledge feelings that I didn’t know I have,” said Diane.
    “You can find out who the skeleton belongs to and who killed the Barres. Slaying dragons is always a good way to get your mojo back,” said Laura.
    Diane thought for a moment. “Okay, that’s more practical.”
    Laura rolled her eyes. “Diane, you are really the limit sometimes.”
    Laura was about to say more when Andie knocked on the door and slipped in.
    “I’m sorry, Dr. Fallon, but there’s