Did Not Survive Read Free Page B

ever helpful. “They can tell when internal injuries and broken bones occurred.”
    â€œStop it,” Linda said. “Iris got the job done.”
    Dr. Reynolds lost interest and walked away, Kayla at heel.
    Linda said, “The question is, now what? What if he…doesn’t come back as foreman? I mean, it could be months.”
    â€œOr never,” Denny said. “Crandall can’t run the entire zoo. He’ll have to hire someone. Maybe get one of the senior keepers to take over temporarily. Who knows—it could end up better.”
    â€œShit, Denny,” I said. “You battled with him, and now you’re glad he’s dying or crippled? And Damrey may have to be euthanized. Congratulations on making lemonade out of
that
.”
    â€œI was just saying! I don’t want anybody to
die
.” Denny looked misunderstood and aggrieved.
    Linda curled her lip at him. She grabbed my arm and tugged me away. “Really, are you okay? You need to be careful.”
    â€œI’m fine,” I said reflexively, then caught her meaning. “I won’t tune out like I did…before. I’m good.” For weeks after my husband’s death six months ago, I’d stumbled through my life and my job. I had been lucky to survive. Elephants aren’t the only danger in a zoo.
    â€œCall me and I’ll come to Birds whenever you want to talk. Everything’s good there?” Linda glanced at my belly.
    â€œRunning was not so good, but it feels fine now.” I massaged it lightly to be sure.
    She gave my arm a little shake. “I’ve got to get to work.”
    â€œAnd I’ve got to talk to Jackie,” I said, and abandoned Denny while he was still explaining what he’d really meant.
    Jackie would be afire with curiosity about the meeting. We kept a balanced information flow: I told her the happenings on the animal side and she leaked as much as she dared about the administration side. I’d have to keep it short today.
    In the office, Mr. Crandall’s door was closed, as was Wallace’s. Jackie was on the phone saying that all she could do was take a message. She hung up and made a face. “I’ve got to get out of here before I kill someone.” She did something complicated to the phone system, rummaged for her smokes, yelled “I’m on break” toward the closed doors, and charged outside. I followed, and we ducked around the corner of the Administration building to a spot under an overhang and out of most lines of sight.
    Jackie reminded me of crows—black hair, bold features, and thin bones. She was somewhere beyond forty and had been Mr. Crandall’s secretary and the office manager for years. Bored by her job and a solitary home life, she had cultivated a talent for infusing drama into any event, and she loved to share the results. Today she looked like she’d already overdosed.
    The cigarette wobbled between her lips. “How crazy can this place get? The press is all over us like stink on…well, you know. What did Our Glorious Leader say?” she mumbled as she activated her lighter.
    â€œWhat
could
he say? Apparently Damrey really flipped out. Wallace is down and out, we don’t know how bad. Mr. Crandall’s acting foreman. From now on, no keepers going in with elephants.”
    â€œWallace loved those elephants. Half the time he had that smell on his clothes from hanging out there. Ironic, right?” She took a deep drag and blew noxious vapors toward me.
    â€œKind of like cigarettes,” I said. “Reeks and can be fatal.”
    After the required dirty look, she said, “Junior’s okay?”
    â€œNo problem.” I automatically wrapped a hand around my bulge.
    â€œI guess you must have been the worst person to find him, right?”
    Smoke curled up and around her face as she glanced at me with a delicate intensity, and I recalled the price of being her friend. Never