5th Pentagram: The sequel to the #1 Hard Boiled Mystery, 9th Circle (Book 3 of the Darc Murders Trilogy) (Book 3 of the Darc Murder Series) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Ben Hopkin
Tags: General Fiction
didn’t help that Darc fed into Janey’s perception that he needed her at every moment. Especially on the cases that seemed to bear any relationship to her own. He pushed and prodded for any detail, any insight, that the little girl could give.
And give she did. With relish.
Left to her own devices, Mala might have just given in and let the girl have her gory fun. Her one-time belief that the patient always knew best had been tried and tested, but there was still a part of her that felt the only ones that truly knew how to deal with any kind of pain were the ones actually experiencing it.
But it wasn’t just up to her.
She had to answer to the Department of Social and Health Services, or her guardianship of Janey could be revoked. That was the club that kept Mala pushing forward with all of the “normal” poor Janey could take. Otherwise, she’d just let the girl’s freak flag fly.
They were on their way into that very building now. Mala had pulled Janey out of school early, but not before being forced into a conversation with the kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Kingston. Janey was showing signs of difficulty in her class. The principal, Mr. Killarney, had wanted Janey in with special ed, but Mala had insisted they give mainstreaming a try. Mrs. Kingston had been cautiously optimistic, but that view seemed to be changing by the day.
Mala let out a sigh. It was never easy.
DSHS was housed in a brick monstrosity that was proof of the lack of creativity surrounding government contracts. Whoever had been commissioned to build this building had clearly never had an original thought in his or her life.
Mala looked again. His. Had to be a man. No woman would build this crime against nature. She felt her artistic sensibilities quail as she entered through the front door. Just one more thing she was going to have to swallow today.
Her appointment was with Richard Templeton, a man who appeared to have it in for her ever since she had gone over his head with some concerns about how he had run his PRIDE parenting course back when Mala was taking it. He and one of his coworkers, a Ms. Joan Bladworth, had raised concerns about her parenting abilities. Mala had been able to talk Joan out of pursuing things further, but Richard was another story.
“Ah, Ms. Charan,” Richard said as she neared his desk.
“Actually, it’s Dr. Charan, Mr. Templeton. As I’ve mentioned before.”
“Right. Sorry about that. I talk to so many people.” He closed the file he was reading and gave her a smile that seemed to have too many teeth to it. “Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and meet with me.”
Her instinct was to rebut that she hadn’t any choice, but Mala restrained herself. “No trouble at all.”
Richard’s gaze went down to Janey. “Oh.” He pursed his lips. “I see you brought Caitlyn.” Caitlyn Walker was Janey’s legal name, but Mala and the two detectives had taken to calling her Janey during the case before they knew her identity. She had let them know since then that she preferred Janey, so it had stuck.
“Was I not supposed to? You didn’t specify the nature of our meeting, and since it involves Ja… Caitlyn…”
“Well, I would think it should be obvious. The meeting being about her is precisely the reason not to bring her,” he replied, his tone acerbic.
Mala took a breath. It was possible that Mr. Templeton was not trying to bait her. There was a strong likelihood that he was, in fact, just a prick. And dealing with pricks was a small price to pay for keeping the little girl holding fast to her hand.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t pick up on that,” she replied, keeping her voice steady. “What shall we do about it now?”
Richard Templeton was balding, with hair that was swirled around in an apparent attempt to hide that fact. Not only was it unsuccessful, but the product he must be using to try to control that hair made it look stringy and oily. It was not a pleasant
And give she did. With relish.
Left to her own devices, Mala might have just given in and let the girl have her gory fun. Her one-time belief that the patient always knew best had been tried and tested, but there was still a part of her that felt the only ones that truly knew how to deal with any kind of pain were the ones actually experiencing it.
But it wasn’t just up to her.
She had to answer to the Department of Social and Health Services, or her guardianship of Janey could be revoked. That was the club that kept Mala pushing forward with all of the “normal” poor Janey could take. Otherwise, she’d just let the girl’s freak flag fly.
They were on their way into that very building now. Mala had pulled Janey out of school early, but not before being forced into a conversation with the kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Kingston. Janey was showing signs of difficulty in her class. The principal, Mr. Killarney, had wanted Janey in with special ed, but Mala had insisted they give mainstreaming a try. Mrs. Kingston had been cautiously optimistic, but that view seemed to be changing by the day.
Mala let out a sigh. It was never easy.
DSHS was housed in a brick monstrosity that was proof of the lack of creativity surrounding government contracts. Whoever had been commissioned to build this building had clearly never had an original thought in his or her life.
Mala looked again. His. Had to be a man. No woman would build this crime against nature. She felt her artistic sensibilities quail as she entered through the front door. Just one more thing she was going to have to swallow today.
Her appointment was with Richard Templeton, a man who appeared to have it in for her ever since she had gone over his head with some concerns about how he had run his PRIDE parenting course back when Mala was taking it. He and one of his coworkers, a Ms. Joan Bladworth, had raised concerns about her parenting abilities. Mala had been able to talk Joan out of pursuing things further, but Richard was another story.
“Ah, Ms. Charan,” Richard said as she neared his desk.
“Actually, it’s Dr. Charan, Mr. Templeton. As I’ve mentioned before.”
“Right. Sorry about that. I talk to so many people.” He closed the file he was reading and gave her a smile that seemed to have too many teeth to it. “Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come and meet with me.”
Her instinct was to rebut that she hadn’t any choice, but Mala restrained herself. “No trouble at all.”
Richard’s gaze went down to Janey. “Oh.” He pursed his lips. “I see you brought Caitlyn.” Caitlyn Walker was Janey’s legal name, but Mala and the two detectives had taken to calling her Janey during the case before they knew her identity. She had let them know since then that she preferred Janey, so it had stuck.
“Was I not supposed to? You didn’t specify the nature of our meeting, and since it involves Ja… Caitlyn…”
“Well, I would think it should be obvious. The meeting being about her is precisely the reason not to bring her,” he replied, his tone acerbic.
Mala took a breath. It was possible that Mr. Templeton was not trying to bait her. There was a strong likelihood that he was, in fact, just a prick. And dealing with pricks was a small price to pay for keeping the little girl holding fast to her hand.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t pick up on that,” she replied, keeping her voice steady. “What shall we do about it now?”
Richard Templeton was balding, with hair that was swirled around in an apparent attempt to hide that fact. Not only was it unsuccessful, but the product he must be using to try to control that hair made it look stringy and oily. It was not a pleasant
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