”What about her?” John asked.

”I’m… It’s just… I’ve gotten to know her, these last long months. And the more I have, the more doubts have crept in. I know I shouldn’t be thinking these things, but it’s become harder and harder not to… and after today, well… I’m even more conflicted.” Robyn found herself confessing.

”Conflicted? What do you mean, Robyn? The way Jason was talking, it sounded like he was lucky to get out of there alive… You can’t be talking about the same woman.” He responded very doubtfully.

Robyn shook her head. ”That’s just it, I wonder if I might be. I wonder if… if maybe it’s all been a lie. What if we’re the ones who’ve been persecuting her without good cause? What if we’re in the wrong on all of this, and she’s simply justifiably angry with our family because of it? Wouldn’t you be in her position if that were true?”

John’s eyes had widened as she’d spoken, like he’d just told her that the sky wasn’t blue. ”Why are you saying these things?” He asked. ”What’s she done that’s made you think like this?”

”Oh, John… She’s fallen in love, that’s what… With a woman, a human woman. A police officer to boot.” Robyn told him quietly. ”You should see the way she looks at her, like she walks on air… She buys her roses, asked my advice about where to take her for a bloody date yet. You should see them together… You’d doubt all of this too, I think.”

John was stunned into quiet for a very long moment, first looking at her then looking down at his hands and then back to her. ”It must be a trick.” John finally said in a subdued voice. ”She’s using this police officer for something, to get something…” He shook his head. ”And a woman yet?” He asked, not quite believing it.

”Ach, don’t be such a prude. I know you dabbled with that pretty boy in college, remember? What was his name? Steven?” She teased him.

His face flushed a little. ”I forgot you knew about that…” He admitted. ”…Fine. I’m sorry, I know I’ve no right to judge. But… you don’t really think…?”

”I’m not sure… but I damn well want to be, one way or the other, before we do something we might regret. Don’t you?” Robyn questioned.

John sighed. ”Yes.” He admitted. ”But you know Jason…”

”He’ll need proof, I know. We can’t tell him about this, not until we know.” Robyn agreed.

”So… what do we do?” John asked.

”It’s providence you should ask. Because I’ve just had an idea on that very subject in fact.” Robyn told him. ”How would you feel about taking a turn at police work, brother dear?” She asked with a speculative look, trying and failing to imagine what her brother would look like in uniform.

—————–

to be continued