Murfey's Law

Chapter Four

Several minutes passed before anyone spoke.

Actually, it was more like several seconds, though to Lori, it could have been hours and it still wouldn't have been long enough. The ground didn't open up and swallow her whole no matter how hard she wished it to.

She didn't know what to say, should she apologise? Or should she stand her ground and point out the obvious? That he of all people should never have behaved the way he had done this morning. The Sergeant also said nothing. A look of loathing played between his eyes making Lori shudder. The only one to make any noise was the recently graduated officer, who appeared to be choking on his own tongue in an effort to maintain his composure.

"I'm sorry," Lori blurted. She couldn't stand the silence.

"Sorry for what?" The Sergeant frowned.

"For just acc..." Lori looked at Turner who had managed to get a grip of himself and was now inconspicuously shaking his head at her.

"For just... acting so bizarrely this morning of course." She shot a grateful glance at Turner.

"Ok, well, it's understandable I guess. You've just arrived after all," he paused and smiled, sympathetically Lori thought, before carrying on, "and as yet, you don't have a clue."

How dare he! Lori fumed.

Thankfully, before she did anything else she may have regretted Jenny walked in the back door.

"Lorikeet, darling? I'm back. I just popped home to check on my Salmon, Oh! I see you've met the Turner boys, how wonderful!" Jenny breezed into the shop bringing wafts of Lavender Oil with her. Her grin spread ear to ear.

"Lori, please," Lori implored before realising what Jenny had said, in plural. "Turner boys?"

"Yes, yes! Oh I've known these two since they were young lads, covered in pimples and raging with hormones."

"That's plenty of history thank you Jenny," the Sergeant interrupted.

"Zebediah," she flapped her hands at him, "don't be so stiff. Why can't you be more like your little brother? You're always so serious. No wonder you've not settled down yet. You scare all the girls away!"

Younger Turner quickly stepped in. "Come on Jenny let's go outside and howl at the moon or whatever it is you like to do."

The pair disappeared outside giggling like teenagers.

"Zebediah? Wow, that's a hell of a name. Haha, umm..." Lori tried to break the tension that hung in the air around them.  Brilliant. Could she come across any more infantile?

He didn't answer.

Lori didn't know where to look. He was staring at her, probably checking for signs of another snotty meltdown.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to bawl hysterically," she briefly glanced up at his face, "again."

He caught her gaze and held it momentarily. Her skin instantly contracted causing the hairs on her arms to stand up on goose bumps. Still he didn't speak.

"Soooo... you two are brothers. That's amazing. I mean, it's not amazing that you are brothers, haha, obviously! It's just that you are both brothers that are Police Officers. That's got to be pretty weird surely?"

"Do you ever stop talking long enough to breathe, or maybe even think first?" he asked with a smug grin.

Lori screwed her face up. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It's a question. But don't challenge yourself too hard on it, you've already answered it for me." He stepped forward causing Lori to take a step back, thumping into the wall behind her. She rubbed her arms hoping he couldn't see her skin prickling.