Finally a few of the plot threads are poking their heads above the water in this one. Thanks for being so patient, folks! I think I'm enjoying this one

Family Tragedies and Secrets
Part 03
by Edeyn Hannah Blackeney

 

Detective Warner was not having a good week. 'Standard Procedure' was causing him nine types of headache. It seemed that not a single case he picked up this week was going in a good direction. The bank robbery was looking like the manager. The two arsonists had hired Jimmy 'The Lockpick' Forsythe as a lawyer. The guy he'd drawn down on was going to sue the department. The dead lady's DNA in that burglary gone sour matched an unsolved crime in Florida. He needed to get his re-certification for firearms before Monday. Oh, yes, and his best friend was dating his baby sister.
So the growl at Janice when she called for him to wait a moment when he was on his way out was completely justified. At least, to him it was.
“Grumpy much?” she asked, looking actually concerned. The brunette was the best case records researcher he'd ever seen. She was good at her job, too.
“What is it this time?” his weariness with pretty much the world-at-large showing through his normally only slightly-rude exterior.
“Sorry, Kerry, but I think you need to see this. And I know you're not gonna like it, but, hey, you're supercop, you can handle anything, right?” and she turned, obviously expecting him to follow her back to her office.

* * * * * * *
Jeff looked at the room. It was going to be his when the 'rents got married anyway, but somehow, now it seemed kind of alien. He had already unpacked his belongings, what little there were. He sat on the bed and just stared out the window. A bird was sitting on a branch just outside, happily chirruping along, not a care in the world.
A knock at the door presented Matt's head sticking inside.
“Feel like hitting the park obstacle course with me?” he asked.
Jeff nodded his assent and stepped into his running shoes. It was something to do and keep his mind off of... things.
They passed Emily getting home as they were heading out the door, “Heya, Shortround, Dad... where ya going?”
“Guy thing, Em, go ahead and get dinner started, we'll be back soon,” Matt replied as they got into the car.
She went inside and threw her backpack against the kitchen cabinets. She was just as good — if not better than — any boy at that stuff, and yet her dad never let her do it. It's not like she enjoyed girly stuff. She could handle being a 'tomboy' in the eyes of everyone else, but she often wondered what it would be like to actually be a boy.
* * * * * * *
Kerry Warner stared at the report in front of him, then scowled at Janice. She shrugged and smiled. “This can't be happening,” he complained, “she's the only suspect in this?” She nodded again. About halfway down the fax was the major charge against Jeff's mother:
ABDUCTION OF A MINOR (2 YRS)