‘What’s her name again?’Ripley asked.
'Rose Murphy.Lived with Julia for seven years, according to her records.'
Ella raised her hand to knock, then stopped.This part never got easier.She'd done it a hundred times by now, but it still felt like swallowing glass.She was about to walk into someone's terrible Monday morning and make it a million times worse.With a heavy breath, she finally let her knuckles rap gently against the door.
Ella stopped and listened for signs of life from beyond the door, and her mind briefly wandered to Julia, the victim who should have walked along this broken pathway last night but never did.Who was she beyond the case file?Who were the people she left behind?Ella pondered the questions before the red door creaked open and a face appeared in the crack.Latina features, early forties, dark hair pulled back.Her eyes were red-rimmed.She'd been crying already.
‘Police?’the woman asked.
Ella's throat felt dry, but her training kicked in.'Sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but are you Rose Murphy?Julia Dawson's roommate?'
'Yes, I am.'
‘We apologize for the abrupt meeting, but I'm Agent Dark, and this is Agent Ripley.We need to talk about Julia.May we come in?’
The woman at the door nodded, her eyes brimming with tears that hadn't yet fallen.It was as if she already knew, as if the mere mention of Julia's name had been enough to confirm her worst fears.She stepped back and opened the door wider to let them in.Her movements were robotic, as if she were detached from her own body.Ella stepped forward, but Rose cut her off.
‘Please tell me.Is Julia okay?’
Ella had learned over the years that there were no magic words to make it hurt less.You could be gentle or you could be direct, but the result was the same.Someone's world ended either way.
'I'm sorry,' Ella said.'Julia was found this morning.She didn't survive.'
The sound Rose made wasn't quite a scream, but like all the air leaving her body at once.She stumbled backward.Ella moved forward, caught her before she fell.Rose collapsed against her, sobbing, her fingers clutching at Ella's jacket like she was drowning.
Ella held her and let her cry.This was part of the job too; holding a stranger while their grief poured out.She let her keep going until her tears ran dry, all while Ripley stood respectfully in the doorway.Rose pulled away and wiped her face with her hands.Her eyes were swollen, nose running.Ripley handed her a tissue from her pocket.
‘I’m sorry,’ Rose began as she dabbed her eyes, ‘it’s just… she was doing so well.’
‘I know it’s difficult, but we could talk to you about Julia?Anything you can tell us will help.’
Rose nodded and made a fragile attempt at composure.‘Okay.I’ll try.Come on through.’
The roommate led Ella and Ripley into the kitchen; a small but neat space bathed in the warm light of the morning sun.The room, like the rest of the house, was modest, and the countertops were cluttered with the everyday artifacts of shared living.Coffee maker, a stack of dishes drying beside the sink, a magnetic board covered in notes and grocery lists.It was a snapshot of normal life, now fractured by tragedy.
As they sat down at the kitchen table, a pervasive aroma of garlic lingered in the air.Ripley seemed to notice it too.‘Did we interrupt you cooking?’Ella asked.
Rose glanced toward the window.‘Oh, no, it's not that.Julia had this...quirk.She used to put peppermint and garlic near the front door and windows.Said it helped keep the vermin away.They would crawl in from the lake.’
Ella found herself momentarily distracted by this peculiar detail.Such idiosyncrasies often painted a more vivid picture of a person than any formal interview could.‘Did she have many quirks like that?’
‘Not really.Just that one.She was a pretty normal woman, all things considered.’
‘Can you tell us about her?’asked Ella.‘Her life, routines, friends, partners, hobbies.That kind of thing.’
Rose's gaze drifted to the refrigerator.A photo was stuck there with a magnet: Julia and Rose, younger, smiling, arms around each other at what looked like a concert or festival.‘We met in college.Became roommates after graduation.She's...she was my best friend.’
Ella noted the subtle shift in tense.It was Rose’s painful adjustment to a new reality without Julia.‘What did Julia do day to day?’
‘She worked at a production plant, in the offices.Nothing extravagant.She’d get home about six o’clock and stay here most nights.’
‘What about her social life?’
‘Never had much of one.She had a boyfriend until recently.Real piece of work…’ Rose trailed off.
Ella shot Ripley a knowing look.When a dead body showed up, partners were first on the suspect list.
‘Name?’asked Ripley.
