The Woman They Thought Was Dead

touching down in San D

light attendant, but a viol

chest, the fabric of my worn fi

slicked m

as so real,

ter of the bay f

the anchor tie

ance, looking down from the deck of the bo

as

was al

ercom, welcoming us to San Diego International Airport. The

t my ribs, a frantic dru

y fingers clumsy. A singl

passenger pickup. S

o

rd was

past the other passengers, my d

t and warm, a stark contrast to the d

cars and town cars, heading

ith a kind, weather

to, m

mall," I said,

view mirror, taking in my dusty

hoppin

I said, my eyes fixed

ing about my flight, about the w

ought I was ru

a ghost, and I was on my w

n't abou

about

ss and Coronado socialites, my PhD in seismology meant no

the only curren

d arrived as Dr. Evely

s someone they had to respe