Act of Charity

“Wait,” she said, standing and touching him on the shoulder. Her touch set his body on fire, drove out the tiredness and utterly wrecked him. She took two small glasses from a cupboard, each movement overwhelmingly graceful. She poured a little whisky into each. “Here,” she said, and as she gave it to him she touched his hand. He knew what she was trying to do, little touch after little touch, arouse him, don't push, just be patient. He understood, but he was too needy to fight it. “Early morning pick-me-up,” she whispered. She sipped her drink and watched as he sipped his. “Poor boy,” she said. “You must be in a state to come here at this time.”

Faraday desperately wanted Reed to be guilty, but he even more desperately wanted the truth. He’d hoped for a quick resolution but he had a feeling that it might be protracted. Quite unprofessionally, but totally understandably, he felt immensely sad at the two lives lost during the night, a sister and her brother, good people who had hurt no one, just victims of life’s unconcern. He’d seen good people hurt before, that wasn’t unusual, but these two were different.

Faraday couldn’t take the chance that whoever had done this would not kill again; it was his responsibility to close this case as soon as possible and he needed to follow every lead, no matter how bizarre. He wasn’t a religious man, but he believed in order, and unpunished crimes broke that order. Even the smallest injustices niggled him, an obsession traceable to the endless bullying he’d witnessed at school. Now, it was who he was. He needed to repair the fabric of moral order when it was torn apart by greed, anger and hatred.

It made perfect sense and he could see no other option. The idea of him going about his life on this busy, busy planet without his darling sister there was anathema. He could never make love to Naila again, never share what he’d shared just a few hours earlier. That was another self in another existence. These hours had changed him. They had sucked hope from him in a ruthless asphyxiation. He felt as if he no longer belonged here, as if he were already part of some other realm where Kathryn waited and all would be healed.

You can do it, said an inner voice. You must! It’s the only way to peace!

Set in the London Borough of Hackney with all its cross cultural riches and problems, Act of Charity is a compelling and moving crime drama.