Page 88 of Deadly Cry

‘Sorry to disagree, folks, but the officer concerned seems to be showing compassion and understanding. Who is to say that these crimes are about hate, and why should she meet violence with aggression? How do you know that her measured and objective response didn’t just save that little boy’s life?’

Her heart skipped another beat as she read that the post was from someone called Noah.

Seventy-One

Penn parked outside his house just a minute before ten and paused. The lights were on, but some small part of him didn’t want to go in. Never had he thought that such a distance would open up between the two of them following their mother’s death.

The time she spent in the hospice should have prepared them, but it hadn’t. They were both in unchartered territory, and he had no road map. All he knew was that he had to stay strong for his brother: try and keep the routine and the continuity, no matter how much he wanted to break down. Especially after a day like today. He had no choice but to keep it together.

As he opened the front door, the first thing he heard was laughter. A woman’s laughter.

‘Lynne?’ he questioned, reaching the kitchen.

His brother and his old colleague were comparing two trays of chocolate muffins.

‘Jasper called me. He wanted to cook,’ she said, shifting uncomfortably. Reading the surprise on his face, she reddened. ‘I’m sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have…’

‘No, no, it’s fine,’ Penn said, getting over the shock. Jasper knew he wasn’t allowed to cook in the house alone. The two of them had struck up a friendship over the course of police social events where Jasper had been his plus one.

‘Hey, bud,’ Penn said, reaching over to ruffle his hair. Jasper ducked out of the way as his face hardened.

Lynne caught his look and planted a big smile on her face.

‘Hey, matey, you wanna finish up your computer game while these cool?’

‘Okey dokey,’ he said, leaving the kitchen in his apron.

‘He’s angry cos I’m late again,’ Penn observed, sighing deeply.

‘That’s not why he’s angry,’ Lynne said, removing her own apron. ‘He’s pissed at you for being strong.’

‘What?’ he asked, dropping down into a seat at the dining table. The exhaustion of the day suddenly caught up with him.

Lynne joined him. ‘Bloody hell, Penn, you’re an intelligent man but you often don’t see stuff that’s right in front of you.’

‘Like what?’ he asked.

‘Never mind,’ she said, shaking her head.

‘Lynne, I don’t…’

‘What qualities does Jasper possess?’ she asked, using the tone he knew she reserved for young children and difficult witnesses. ‘Describe him to me.’

‘He’s kind, sweet, thoughtful.’

‘Indeed, he is, and where did he learn those qualities?’

He shrugged.

Her head rolled back, and she groaned.

‘From you, you bloody idiot. He’s been watching and copying you his whole life.’

‘But I…’

‘Do you remember that pile-up we went to years back?’

Penn nodded. He didn’t need to ask which one. Two families including three children had been wiped out that day.