sillage {joshler}

ii

The next day saw Josh being dumped onto his family's porch, a brisk knock on the front door rousing Mr. Dun from his breakfast.

"Josh." He gasped, pulling his son into his chest in relief, his son immediately burst into tears. He looked exhausted not just on the outside, but as though the events had taken a toll on his soul as well, it made his father grip him tighter and his jaw tighten. Before he could make a comment to the officer who handed him over a piece of paper was thrust into his face, reluctantly he took it so he could read it.

"Oh for God's sake don't you people have real leads you could be chasing this is ridiculous." He protested before signalling for his son to get himself inside and to bed.

"Failure to co-operate could be seen as justice perversion Sir, you're inclined to co-operate with us or we will arrest you, that is a judge provided warrant." The officer said, pursing his lips in displeasure.

"Fine. Take the damn car in, but you won't find anything, my son is innocent." Mr. Dun seethed as he slammed the door shut in the officer's face.

A few hours later there was a disturbance on the Dun's front drive as Josh's car was placed onto the back of a tow truck and taken in to be swiped for evidence. All four Dun kids hovered in the window to watch, neither one saying a word, all staring like zombies out through the glass at the scene.

"Come away from there." Mr. Dun warned, aware of the photographers who had pitched up the day before when Josh had been arrested.

"Josh?" The youngest Dun looked up at her brother.

"Yeah Abs?" He smiled wrapping an arm around her as they walked to the kitchen, where they ate, for lunch.

"They're not gonna find any evidence, right? Because you're innocent? You wouldn't hurt Tyler?" She seemed afraid to ask but the twelve-year-old needed reassurance. Josh stopped walking, turning to look at his sister.

"I loved Tyler. So much." His eyes stung with emotions that threatened to spill over but he didn't let them. "I could never hurt him, and if someone has hurt him then I'll spend my life hunting them down, I promise okay?"

"Okay." She smiled weakly and let her brother kiss her forehead before they went to eat.