2020-05-11 - Housecalls Day - Sajani, Chris, Patrick, Fred

Sajani Singh walked swiftly from the clinic to her first home visit of the day. It was sunny out, sunny and pleasantly warm. It was her second week back working as an OT again and working full time was feeling fantastic. Today she knew the patient from high school no less as well as just from the town. It was Chris Peterson. When she read the file she had just about spit out her latte. Chris was injured from almost beating a man to death, Jack Rose to be exact. Although considering Jack Rose was attacking a woman she didn’t completely sympathize with the victim either. It did seem an extreme reaction from Chris. Did he moonlight as  some kind of vigilante? Why didn’t he just arrest the man? Sajani didn’t know Chris as well as his brother, Patrick, but then again she and Patrick had been an almost. An almost date at the end of high school as her mother was dying. He had asked her and she said yes but then the day they planned to go out her mother died and she just pushed the whole thing aside. They had been polite to each other in the years that passed but awkward and had never talked about it. The Chris case was strange enough. She kind of hoped Patrick wasn’t home so she could just do the assessment, make her suggestions and necessary follow ups and move on to the next patient. She had a big flowered colourful purse over her shoulder and was wearing her lucky dress today, the pink one with the red hearts and yellow swatch belt at the waist.. She double checked the address as it was a cluster of many buildings that were of the same design and then walked up the stairs and knocked.

Chris was dressed already in his standard easy tshirt and sweats or shorts. Today he had on a faded black tshirt with the original ghostbusters logo on it. And a pair of old black sweat shorts. His feet were bare and his hair, while washed, wasn’t styled like he normally did it. It was as close as he could one handed and left handed. He also hadn’t shaved in a few days so he was stubbly. He knew he had an appointment with Sajani so he was at the kitchen table as she knocked at the door and got up to answer it as usual reaching with his right hand instinctively and then wincing and changing hands. “Hi Sajani, come on in.”

She stepped in and out of her little red ballet style shoes, looking down at them as she did so “Thank you Chris.”

Patrick had happily slept in.  More than usual as he had been up quite late playing one of his video games.  But he had a day off and wasn’t expected anywhere.  He knew that Chris had an appointment with a therapist, but didn’t know who, exactly.  Once he woke, he hopped in his shower, glad that they had decided when they moved in together to take a two bedroom and two bathroom.  They’d shared a bedroom and bathroom all of their lives.  Now they didn’t have to anymore.  He showered quickly and, wrapping a towel around his waist, he used the door connecting to his bedroom to dress.  One leg in his sweat shorts, he heard a knocking at the door.  The therapist!  Fuck!  How did he manage to be late in his own place?  He got in the sweat shorts, finger combed his hair and grabbed a tank top, keeping it in his hand as he slid the accordian door of his bedroom open to greet the therapist.  He froze in his tracks.  Sajani.

Sajani looked up at Chris with a warm smile as she did all her patients  “First assessment  question, what hand did you reach for the door with?” She was pulling out her little notebook to write and Chirs was smiling sheepishly. As she got hold of one of her gel pens the accordian door on what she assumed was a bedroom slid open and out popped Patrick. Shirtless Patrick. God he was fit. And of course he was home. She had invoked him by wishing he wouldn’t be. She stared at him stupidly while clicking the pen repeatedly and then she finally said a resigned “Hi Patrick.”

Chris smiled sheepishly at Sajani’s question and held up his right hand in the cast. He heard Pat’s door behind him and turned to see his brother coming out of his room while still dressing. “Oh look who’s finally awake…” He teased.

Patrick stared at Sajani, his mouth slack.  I wasn’t like he hadn’t seen her in years.  He had.  And every time he did, he wound up ducking into the nearest store, to avoid confrontation with her.  Or she did.  But they hadn’t been in the same room together since before graduation.  He blinked and nodded.  “Hey … Sajani…”  he realized he was still holding the tank and, in the awkward moment tried to put it on.  Arm through the head hole .. no .. try again.  He got it on the second try while mumbling to his twin.  “I told you to wake me ….”  he got the shirt on and pulled it straight.  “Didn’t I?”

Sajani pursed her lips and looked down at her notebook as Patrick struggled with his tank top. Which brother was she here to OT for? She fought a nervous giggle and coughed and then got to business “Ok so Chris, can we sit and talk a bit before I run you through some tasks to see how you do them?”

Chris shrugged at Pat.  “Oh relax. You got your beauty sleep. Dad dropped off like 6 kinds of cereal so breakfast was no biggie. Yeah come sit at the table here. I guess you can’t break me when I’m already broken?” He joked to Sajani with a grin.

She stole the fastest glance in the west at Patrick and then slid into a chair at the table, smoothing her skirt and crossing her legs as she set the notebook down and poised to write, summarizing the info she’d been given from the file at work. “So we have a break at the middle knuckle on the right.”  she held up her own manicured hands and pointed to the spot. “Fractures in the left lower ribs..” She moved her hands apart, dropping one and crossing the other over her body to touch her left ribs “And the back of the head?” How are all of those feeling...today?”

Patrick shrugged and sat at the table with them.  He was here to help his brother, especially considering the reason he got the injuries.  As Sajani sits, he gets a flash of leg and tightens his jaw.  Then she goes through the injuries and Patrick feels his mouth opening.  “What happened to the other guy?”  he realizes that might not have been the most polite phrasing, so he tries to cover.  “I mean ..  I thought it would be him…”

Chris is slow to answer as he thinks about how he’s feeling. He hears Pat blurt out an awkward question and gives his brother a bit of a raised eyebrow “The other guy? You mean the physio? He’s coming on Friday…” He looks between Pat and Sajani and feels sympathy for his brother. He knew he had really wanted to go out with her back in the day and because of her life, it just never happened. Pat’s fumbling was revealing to him. Nothing he didn’t already suspect of course.

Sajani looks at Patrick a little tiredly. He was taxing her brain both emotionally and mentally. Why was he here? Why was he still so damned cute? She had to maintain her poise. “People mix up what I do with physio all the time and vice versa for Darryl. But I can say hi for you Patrick…” She’s joking now but it’s a little cheeky. It’s either playful or annoyed but hard to tell. Sajani feels self conscious after because she realizes it could come off more harshly than she intended. She refocuses back on Chris “Chris?”

Chris feels tha back of his head “The bumps’s pretty much gone...I just have to sleep on my right side. Everything else is just sore, more if I lean on it or try to use the hand. I’m still on pain killers so it’s hard to tell because I know they mask it.”

Patrick sighs at both Chris’s words and Sajani’s.  He is hoping Sajani isn’t mad at him and he smiles at her.  “Would you?  I’d like that.”  his own voice seems a bit sarcastic as well, although he doesn’t mean it that way.  He can almost taste his toes as he puts his foot in his mouth.  Leaning back, he folds his arms.  “Sorry.  Go on.  Please.”  but he might look sulky to anyone who didn't know him like the back of their own hand.

Chris rubs at the bridge of his nose with the index finger extending from his cast. If he had two working hands he might consider duct taping Pat’s mouth shut for him right now as an act of mercy.

Sajani chuckles a bit and feels like she’s being baited. She takes the bait and then retreats quickly before it becomes a confrontation because Pat looks a bit sulky now “Well just to let you know...pretty sure Darryl’s single at least if you like the Smiths.” she smiles innocently “And he’s got that whole devil may care thing going on with the eyebrows….Anyhow…..yes Chris they do block the pain but for you to move and let the muscles heal, that’s good. Can we talk about daily tasks?” She looks at his stubble “Shaving for instance? Not that I’m judging you if you’re growing a beard.” She smiles now feeling a little bad for teasing Pat.

Chris has to laugh about the Smith comment “No I’m not growing a  beard. I cut myself with my left too much. I could use my electric but then it’s not smooth, and I like it smooth so I’m kinda like fuck it..right now…”

Patrick’s eyes widen at the Smith snipe.  Then he blushes crimson and closes his eyes.  Ouch .. that one definitely stung.  Did Dana Smith tell her brother about his epic, embarrassing failed attempt to ask out his sister?  And then clearly Darryl told his co-worker, Sajani.  Normally Patrick didn’t put men on his list of people to avoid like the Plague, but Darryl now made that list.  A lesser man might have sniped back.  Started an argument.  But Patrick hated confrontation.  His jaw tightens and he stands from the table, moving to the fridge, opening it and staring inside.  Play it cool, Patrick … he takes out a head of lettuce, then returns it.  Then he reaches for the milk, then returns it.  Maybe an apple?  No.  Then he moves to the last of the bread that Noelle had baked and brought over and rips into it with his teeth.  That’ll teach Chris to laugh!

Sajani looks a little humbley at Patrick. That was  a bit low of her. She watches him go to the fridge and rifle through and then just rips into a loaf of bread with his teeth like an angry ogre. She hoped she hadn’t pushed it too far. She nods at Chris “Well you might just have to settle for not smooth. You appear to have gotten dressed so that’s good. Elastic waistbands for awhile over buttons and flies is a good choice. Thankfully it’s gotten warmer too so no winter gear to navigate. Let me see you do something in the kitchen so I can observe please. You could just do a simple task...brew a pot of coffee or tea, heat up a can of soup? Um...cut up an apple?” she had seen apples in their fridge when Patrick was ogreing.

Chris stands up looking for something to take on and then sees Patrick eating Noelle’s bread “Hey asshat...leave some for me!” He chides and then laughs and wanders around “Um...ok soup….” He takes out a can of black bean soup and then the can opener and looks at the can opener “Oh….I’m not sure I can do this with my left…”

Patrick seethes until Chris chides him.  He wasn’t mad at Chris.  He wasn’t even mad at Sajani.  He was mad at Darryl, he decided.  Moving to the counter, he gets a knife and saws a good chunk of uneaten bread.  “Sorry…”  he mumbles.  When Chris tries to open a can with the can opener, he visibly starts, having reached out to help his twin, then checked the motion.  “Leave it to you to pick the most challenging thing possible.”  he quips and then steps back, finally closing the refrigerator.  Moving back to the dining table, he sits, looking at Sajani a moment.  Shouldn’t she be wearing baggy doctors scrubs instead of a pretty dress?  Then he averts his eyes and goes back to gobbling his bread.

Sajani actually smiles approvingly at Patrick now for stopping himself “Good catch. I know the instinct is to do it for him. You can do this Chris...and then you get black bean soup for lunch if you want….with that bread.” She encourages. “It does look like nice bread.”

Chris concentrates and makes it all work with his left hand “I like a challenge...I’ll do push ups for you all on my elbows after.” He jokes and then the can is open and he does a wirthy little touchdown dance before stepping back and nodding “It is good bread. Part of my problem is that I do have lots of help...I mean Pat….of course he’s awesome and my girlfriend Noelle made the bread and she’s been cooking like crazy for me. I actually feel kind of guilty about how much. She's vegan so it’s all stuff I love to eat….” He looks at Sajani and casually asks a typical question “Your family’s vegetarian too right?”

Sajani starts laughing “Sorry. It’s a common question. Lots of Hindus are but we’re Sikh. I won’t bore you with the breakdown of all the religions of India and how it affects diet. I am glad you have support. That makes my job way easier as well as your recovery. Ok now put it in a pot and cook it…” She motions to the open can.

Patrick finishes the bread and Nods, followed by a shrug.  “He’s my twin.”  he knows he doesn’t have to explain it.  He looks at Chris and snorts.  “One handed with a toddler on your back.”  he adds to the challenge.  Then he looks at Sajani.  “So .. you’re … Amritdhari?”  he asks, curious.  It was one of the things he had researched before he’d asked her out back before graduation and the information about her religion had stuck.  “But ..you cut your hair.”  he looks at her.  “I mean it looks fantastic but …”  he decides to drop the shovel before he gets in more trouble or puts his foot in his mouth again.

Sajani watches Chris succeed with his task and makes a note. She smiles about the toddler challenge but doesn’t totally understand the joke. Then she almost drops her pen when Pat asks his question and looks at him with surprise “Yes...yes we are. You even pronounced it right.” She shakes her head around a bit and then looks touched by the compliment “Modern day interpretations have grown some with the world….my father doesn’t cut his hair though or shave. But I rebelled in university. I shave my legs and armpits now too..” She sticks out a leg briefly and then feels suddenly self conscious and lets it drop. They hardly wanted to know all this about her and now she felt like she was just being vain. She laughs nervously after “Chris you’re doing really well. I don’t think there’s much I can suggest. I did forget to ask you about your back I noticed. How’s that healing?”

Chris is now stirring the soup and gave his brother an impressed grin, knowing full well he probably looked it up when he and Sajani were about to go out a long time ago. Pat was a good researcher that way. He gives a few twists “I think my back’s pretty good now. I could even do those toddler push ups. Blaze would love it I’m sure.” He qualifies it to Sajani “Noelle has a two year old...he’s freakin awesome.”

Sajani lets out a little “Aww…” and then goes quiet looking at her notebook.

Patrick smiles at her compliment, even as he blushes a bit.  When she goes on about shaving, Pat’s eyes move to the leg and, again, he starts … he’d almost reached out to touch it, then thought better of it.  But wouldn’t it be great to also be handicapped when she stabbed him in the offending hand with her pen?  He looks at Chris and then between him and Sajani.  “He is a good kid.”  He agrees.  “Doesn’t demand I climb trees for cats that got scared into treeing themselves like the McLeod girls tend to.  That or he knows cops never get cats out of trees … so that leaves me.”  he shrugs and lowers his eyes … to her leg … then quickly looks at his brother.

Sajani notices Pat looking at her leg and swallows, inwardly chastising herself for putting her body on display that way. Another part of her enjoys his look and she chastises that even more. She tunes into the kid talk and the cat talk and then delights at the idea of Patrick collecting cats up on a ladder truck and carrying them around on his shoulders. “Do you have a running kitty total? Because I think that should be a thing. And now I'm tempted to herd a few into trees just to see that.” Was she ...flirting? Stop that now. She clears her throat. “Chris did you have any questions?”

Chris has picked up on the back and forth between Pat and Sajani and now just leans against the stove causally letting the soup simmer and watching like it’s a great game on TV. He grins and makes obvious eyes between them “Uh...uh….do you Pat?” He has to dig. He just has to.

Patrick gives Sajani all of his attention as she speaks.  So, they were flirting now…  “I don’t.”  he replies, then pauses a heartbeat.  “But for you, I’m willing to start.”  His voice is a little low.  Flirtatious.  Yet, he is aware enough to lift his right hand and flip Chris the middle finger.

Sajani clicks her pen repeatedly at Chris eyes between them and question. It’s a bit of a nervous tick she has sometimes. She smiles at Pat at his words. Seh can’t help herself but then clears her throat. This is a work call after all. She sees Pat give his brother the finger and walks her notebook back to her purse that she had left on the table “Ok, I think you’re good Chris. Like you said, you’ll get Daryl on Friday for some fun torture training and then hopefully you won’t be in the cast too long.” She quickly moves to her shoes “Enjoy your soup…” And then despite her efforts not to she finds herself saying “Say hi to the kitties Patrick. See you around.” And she reaches for the door to open it and heads out and down the stairs so fat her feet barely touch every second one.

Chris is completely cracking up now, not even trying to hide it and waves at Sajani “Thank you Sajani. See you.” And then when she rapidly flees he swats at Pat with his good hand and impersonates him, lowering his voice even more dramatically and putting his cast hand over his heart “But for you I’m willing to start….”

Patrick watches Sajani flee and smiles at her farewell.  But it was so fast, he couldn't retort.  But then he is being slapped and teased by Chris.  “Oh, fuck you.”  he snaps, but he is a little flustered. 

Sajani exits the building but walks around the corner of it and leans her back against it catching her breath and pulling out her phone. She pulls up Pixie's text thread and types in: SOS! I need some fairy dust. I think i just flirted with a Fireman...news at 11! And then she drops the phone in her purse and dashes towards her next home call passing Fred Sewid in the street but strangely as she just popped out at him from the side of the building. “Mr. Sewid…” She greets politely as she keeps on.

Fred Sewid is on his way to this appointment with a hot shot cop.  Part of him understood, but .. restraint.  He is counting the buildings in his head and remembers that the Peterson boy lives in #5 1st street.  Approaching the building, he is ready to enter when he is startled by a young girl in a pink dress.  He blinks and looks after her.  “Kids.”  he growls, which he would say to anyone under the age of 65.  Entering the building he climbs up three flights and knocks.

Chris hears the knock,  pats his brother on the shoulder and walks past “That’ll be the lawyer….” He says back to Pat and then opens the door “Mr. Sewid. Come on in please.” He steps back to give the man room. Fred Sewid had always been a fascination for Chris when he was mayor. He had an interesting approach to governance. Chris had ignored all the rumours about him and focussed on the man’s real love of the town.

Patrick nods, almost grateful that the former mayor had interrupted what could be an interesting moment after Sajani’s departure. He walks past the door as Fred enters and waits, ready to sit beside his brother in solidarity.

Fred walks in, back in his black suit, tie and white shirt… plus loafers, of course.  He nods to the set of couches.  “Alright.”  he sits himself in one, and sets his briefcase on the coffee table.  He looks at Chris, easily identifiable by his cast, although Fred can tell them apart from this distance.  He knows everyone on the island by sight, at the very least.  Opening his briefcase, he pulls out a file.  Then he glances up.  “How are your injuries, son?”  is the first thing he asks.

Chris sits down with Patrick and observes the man’s set up and dress. He eyes the file with some concern but then answers the question “I’m healing ok. Had a visit from the OT, physio on Friday. Thanks for asking. Would you like something to drink?” He realizes he hadn’t offered the same to Sajani but she had started in before they even sat down. He also wasn't as intimidated by that appointment.

Patrick sits,but is ready to get up and get Fred anything if he wants it.

Fred shakes his head.  “No, thank you.”  he replies to the offer of refreshments.  The boys had manners … or Chris did.  He nods.  “Good.  Heal up, so you can go back to work once all this nonsense is done with.”  He speaks as if the case is a nuisance.  It’s not, but Fred wants this man to have confidence.  “Alright…”  he opens his file and looks at it.  “Currently you are on suspension with pay pending an investigation into the use of excessive force.”  he turns a page … then another … and yet another.  “No charges have yet been filed, although …”  he pauses and looks up at Chris.  “Mr Rose was discharged from the clinic two days ago.” he watches Chris’s reaction.  “He is currently under house arrest at his home.”  which he knows full well is almost next door to the Peterson parents house.

Chris listens with appreciation at Fred’s dismissive tone about his situation. He feels like this man might be on his side. He nods and looks knowing about the suspension. No charges. Let Rose fucking try it. Chris blinks when Fred says Rose was discharged two days ago and at home right beside the house where his parents still live. Their house had been for sale for a few months now but they still lived in it. He slumps forward and slides his hand over his face “Why the fuck did they send him home...and not to holding?” His breath quickens a bit. House arrest in that house? “This is bullshit..” He hisses, trying to keep his temper. It’s a visceral struggle everyone can see.

Patrick’s eyes grow wide at learning Rose is home and not in jail.  “What the actual fuck?”  he demands, protesting with Chris.

Fred cants his head,  “Alexandra is too small.”  he announces.  “The judge in White Rock, who is overseeing this case, decided that he didn’t want to chance poor Mr Rose having any ‘accidents’...”  the word is clearly quoted, but Fred’s voice drips true sarcasm. “In the Alexandra’s tiny lockup.  “So they gave him a cute little ankle bracelet and have him back home with his parents.”  he snorts, then looks between the twins.  “And because of the proximity of your parent’s house, neither one of you will be visiting your parents until this has been decided one way or another.”  his voice has the weight of an order that will be obeyed.  “I know your sister is living at The Farm now .. perhaps your parents can stay there as well.  I don’t have the authority to order them away but … if I did I would.”  he glances back down at the papers in his hand.

Chris looks completely overwhelmed and can’t speak for a good 2 minutes. He keeps looking like he might and then sighing and shaking his head and finally he replies “Mom’s already there but Dad’s been running the business. I mean if no one dies he could go...but he can also stay here. We’ll figure out where to put him. They have a rollaway cot he could probably get into a pickup truck….” He snaps up again looking anguished “Other people live there...on that street, families, friends of ours…..he could hurt any of them…..was there any kind of warning to the neighbourhood? Fuck one of Jack’s other victims is just around the block...this is not fucking ok….” He grips the edge of the couch with his good hand.

Patrick clenches his jaw hard enough for it to snap.  But Chris is saying it all.  He leans towards Chris and puts a hopefully calming, hand on his back.  “Is this like a restraining order?”  he asks, tightly.  “I mean, if the house next door catches fire and I’m on duty….”

Fred nods while Chris explains the situation and observes Patrick’s move to soothe.  “I know about all of Rose’s victims that the police know about.”  his voice suggests he, at least, believes there may be more.  “The way this ankle bracelet is set up, if Rose steps on the sidewalk, the police will be immediately notified.  I’d also like to point out that the Rose brownstone is between the homes of both Ryan Yamada and Michael Reinhardt.  They can’t watch the place around the clock, but I’m sure that they will watch it more than ever now.”  he looks at Patrick.  “You just do your job then, son..  Again.  It’s a small town.”  he straightens his glasses, looks at some more sheets, then pulls them to the tip of his nose and reads over them.  “I’ve read the report, as well as Rose’s police history.”  he tells Chris.  “I want you to tell me exactly why you acted the way you acted with Rose.  Not the pretty words that go on a police report, either.  I want the honest, naked truth.  What was going through your mind … if anything.”  His tone is mild.  Unaccusatory, but firm.

Chris nods at Pat, feeling his brother’s hand on his back, and then tunes back into Fred talking and then sighs “Is this confidential? Will it come up in court? Because there is another victim who would not like to be named. And Rose was about to try to rape my girlfriend that night. I’m not sure she wants to come forward either…”Chris swallows “That was the attack I was stopping and I really wanted to fuckin kill him. That was the only thing going through my mind.”

Patrick bites his lip as Chris speaks, but does not move or speak.

Fred looks evenly at Chris.  “This is confidential between a lawyer and their client.”  he assures him, even as he holds up a finger.  “But … if this victim I apparently don’t know about or your girlfriend can keep you out of prison … I highly urge you to name them and I will speak to her if I have to.”  he blows out a breath.  “Chris, you're under suspension for using excessive force.”  he reminds him.  “If it is found that you did, you could lose your job … and you could face additional charges, up to and including attempted murder.  This is your LIFE, son.  Not two weeks or a month and then you get to work at Thrifty’s while people talk behind their hands at you.”  he stops and nods as Chris continues.  “Are you sure?  Did you think ‘I’m going to kill him’? Or did you just attack him because you believed your girlfriend as in imminent danger of being raped.”  he holds up his hands.  “Because you’re a cop.  You had a perfectly good firearm on your hip, yet you never pulled it out.  One shot and Rose would be dead.  Instead you started wailing on him with your bare hands.  And I’d like to know why.”

Chris looks conflicted. He can’t name Avery. He won’t. And he won’t name Noelle without her express permission. He leans forward on his elbows and puts his face in his hands, unable to give any reasonable answer.

Patrick bites his lip.  He can’t name his sister either.  Yet … he doesn’t want his brother in prison.  But weighing one against the other … he doesn’t need to ask to know … better Chris in prison than Avery in even more trauma.

Fred watches both men and inhales deeply.  Exhaling slowly, he looks intently at Chris.  “See … Cops are trained to go for their weapons.   You, on the other hand, reacted like … a man protecting his woman.”  he strokes his chin.  “A very noble thing, but he had not raped her.  He was TRYING.  He would have if you had not pulled him off of her.”  he glances at the report.  “Noelle Snow reports that you screamed at her to run … and she did .. right into the arms of Frank Sharp.”  he looks up again.  “Lieutenant Sharp said that she had to restrain your girlfriend.  She was hysterical, but in her custody.  Yet you kept on hitting Rose.  Ryan Yamada reported that he tried to get you off of Rose and you turned and punched him.”  he tightens his jaw.  “Michael Reinhardt says you looked insane to him.  And Chief Green told me that he heard Rose’s name on the radio and came running, expecting he may have to disable you to get you off of Rose.”  he leans forward.  “I was also informed that you are taken off of the case when it was discovered that Jack Rose was using Ursula Norris’s house to squat.”  his blue eyes narrow.  “None of it adds up.  I know Noelle Snow.  She is a lovely girl as far as I know.  I also know that you aren’t her son’s father, although that would provide you with a better alibi than you have now.  I ALSO know that you two didn’t start dating until very recently.  Knowing the kind of life Noelle’s had with that family or hers, she may have just been protecting herself from more heartache.  I’m not a shrink.  But none of this makes sense to me … and I don't like that, son.”  he pauses and actually softens.  “I can guess why you did what you did.  And if my guess is right … I can present a much stronger case than the flimsy shit I’m working with now.”

Chris just lifts his head and looks Fred square in the face and says “I can’t name the other victim. I’m sorry I just can’t. They can lock me the fuck up for it, but I can’t.”

Patrick nods, looking at his twin and then Fred.

Fred sighs in resignation.  “Alright then.”  he seems prepared to move on.  Then he looks at the door, as if he is considering cutting the meeting short.  “You know, a lot of people think I am insane.  They’ve thought it for YEARS.  Maybe I’m just old.  I remember when you boys were born.  Remember when your parents were born, even.  I have a good memory, boys.”  He speaks to both of them.  “Since I retired, I shop at the Thrifty.  A lot.  My grandaughter thinks I should use that app thing, but I like seeing the people of this town.”  he shrugs.  “As a matter of fact … I remember when your sister started working at Thrifty’s.  I know she was homeschooled.  That may have been the best for her.  So it was good to see her interating in public.  She was a very good employee.  Always very kind to me, even though I think she may have been afraid of me like so many.”  he strokes his chin again.  “Let me think … you know something .. I believe she and Jack Rose worked there at the same time …”  he drops his hand.  “And then … she wasn’t there anymore.  Just .. quit.  And then she was working on the Farm like some errant hippy chick and living in March’s old trailer.”  he strokes his chin again.  “Yes … that .. that was very peculiar…”  he muses.  “Your sister and Jack Rose working together … she suddenly becomes a recluse … Jack Rose is fired … and then…”  he again looks directly at Chris.  “You run into him and try to kill him ….  You know .. that might bear investigating all on its own ….”

Chris watched Fred’s gaze go to the door and looked relieved for a minute and then the man started talking. Chris had been uncomfortable before, more than that sick over the idea of dragging his sister into any of this. As Fred starts talking about Thrifty’s and Avery he started visibly shaking. He knew. He fucking knew. His teeth gritted together as his eyes began to fill up and he glared at the man “You knew...you just want me to fucking say it….” His tears spilled over “I’m not going to make her face him in court. I can’t do that….”

Patrick closes his eyes as Fred speaks.  He drops his head on the hand not on Chris and swallows audibly.

Fred sighs.  “I’m old, son.  Not senile.”  he tells them both.  “And I know this town, it’s people.  I was born here 84 years ago.  And between being a lawyer and being mayor, I know how the cops in this town operate.  They can’t press charges if the victim doesn’t cooperate.  And they still can’t.  However,”  and he softens.  “I don’t need her to cooperate in order to save you.  The court may well understand. I don’t know the extent of her injuries, although I can find that out also .. but that might just be enough … if it was bad enough to drive her out of polite society to the North Woods.”  he licks his lips.  “And I will use it and find a way to keep your sister out of a courtroom .. if it even comes to that.  In the meantime ….”  his eyes move between your brothers.  “Get your sister to see … oh what is her name.  She isn’t on the island.  She helped Singh ..  another shrink.  A woman may help her far more than a man would.  Because all she has in the North Woods to help her are chickens, goats, Morgan Wright and Jude Murphy.  Both are men .. one is a rather gruff looking man, although he may be more helpful than Wright.  Anyway … your sister isn’t getting help in the North Woods.  So do that much for her and I will keep her out of a witness box.”

Chris nods “Yeah, I know she needs some help. She’s not taking it from us right now….bit better with mom than dad and us….and mom’s there. So a woman shrink would be good if she’s ever willing to talk.” He then confirms “I love my sister, our sister…” He looks at Patrick “And yes that coupled with the fact that he was about to hurt Noelle made me want to kill him...with my hands, not my gun.” Chris sniffs a bit but his tears have stopped. Now he just feels the hollow of it all in his chest. Jack was out. He was being out through the wringer and they still didn’t have their sister back from what the bastard did to her.

Patrick listens and, as Fred speaks, feels a little more hope than he had before.  He nods when Chris talks about their sister.  He doesn’t feel the need to speak.  Chris can speak for both of them .. and is, he feels.

Fred nods.  “And I can’t imagine a jury in North America that wouldn’t want to throw you a parade.”  he states.  “A man destroys your sister, then tries to rape your girlfriend … that’s justifiable.  And I’ll make a judge see that.”  he promises.  He puts the file back in his briefcase and closes it.  “That’s all I came here for today.”  he tells them, snapping the fasteners on his case.  “To make two more young citizens hate me for being an insufferable ass.”  his eyes twinkle.  Then he stands.  “The investigation is almost over, and I’ll get you back in the shop.”  he considers.  “Unfortunately, I don’t think a case against Rose for attempted rape will go anywhere .... he doesn’t actually have much of a record.”  he sighs again and nods to them both.  “You boys take care … “