Blind truths

Witch's hunt

Lucas stood instantly, setting a hand on his son's shoulder rather than yelling at him to pay attention. I had to give him that; if he wasn't a fighter, his patience certainly rivalled a saint. It was little wonder the children in kindergarden missed him so much, a shame he had only one son to look after.

- "Marcus, what's wrong?"

- "I was kicked out of the supermarket."

I stood so fast that my feet caught themselves in the chair. A hand suddenly shot up to grasp my arm, and I sent a grateful smile to Lucas for stabilising me.

- "What happened?", I asked, bristling.

- "The owner came to me. He said he didn't want our kind in his shop."

Hot red anger suddenly took hold of my nerves, and I caught my hand bag with a swift move.

- "This is illegal. I'm going there immediately."

Marcus nodded.

- "OK, I'm in."

- "No!" his father shouted.

Jaw agape, I watched the teenage boy accuse his own father.

- "If you won't stand up for yourself, I'll do it for you. You coming, Elena?"

The use of my first name seemed to shake Lucas, for he turned to me.

- "Do you know each other?"

- "I dropped him at your place three days ago after I interrogated Kirsten."

At once, Fanny started barking again and I kicked myself ! Damn. Many emotions flickered across Lucas's face, one of them being gratitude, and the other would have been undefinable if not for my gift. But I knew; he didn't want me to drag his son into this, but he was intelligent enough to realise harm was done already. So I made my point with all the calm I could muster, as a police agent.

- "Mr Jensen. The director and his employees need to understand that no prejudice can bypass the law. And I'll be the one enforcing it, just like I did in Marcus' school."

- "Oh thanks, by the way. It was so cool, they're all afraid of you now" Marcus chimed in.

I smiled at the teen, relieved to hear that my little fit had not worsened the issue, and ignoring Lucas' shocked look.

- "You're welcome."

- "As grateful as I am for your intervention, Mrs Torsø, high school teens are not the same as grown men. Perhaps we should just lay low until the case is closed, Marcus."

Marcus scoffed.

- "No way, Dad! Didn't you hear Elena, it is illegal! Do you know how it feels to be kicked out of the place because they don't want your kind? What fucking kind am I, uh?"

The wave of anguish that oozed out of the teen struck both of us, and I watched Lucas' features morph into desolation. He was beating himself up for the situation, but something was missing. A major piece of information that escaped my grasp; the need for acceptance. The teen saw himself as different ? That was weird.

Anyway, Marcus needed support, and this event had only pushed the right buttons. My ignorance of his history left me hanging, but I could literally feel what he needed from me. So I turned to Lucas, and braced myself.

- "Your son is being bullied, Mr Jensen. I will not stand by and let the matter rest. This is my job. Since you have authority over Marcus, I'll give you five minutes to sort it out."