Paladin

I fear that when I was younger there were mornings when I looked luteous.

They certainly do. Fr Dave died in 2020, depriving a group of his victims from some compensation. He wasn't alone in that particular diocese. There was also a Fr John, currently in prison. @Summerabbacat I totally, totally agree with you.

I'm not sure when this story is set. From memory mandatory notification of child abuse (including sexual) by schools was implemented in NSW around 1988. For a decade after that there were exemptions for clergy working in schools so not all cases in private schools were reported. The current legislation makes everyone working in all schools mandatory notifiers. @Mark Ponyboy Peters I think I know that Father Dave.

Yes she is self centred, but will learning more about the charges change her attitude to Josh?

Maybe @CincyKris, but maybe not.

All very true @pvtguy

You're right @Summerabbacat about them turning on each other. Thick as thieves is a myth.

I gather @Summerabbacat that you don't warm to Madison. 😺 I doubt that you are alone.

You could be right @Mark Ponyboy Peters but you'll just have to wait to find out 😄

Madison will get the money in her trust fund. There's always a chance she'll just take the money and run (back to Ireland).

Thank you @Daddydavek for sharing this. I can understand that section can generate strong, very strong emotional responses like you experienced. I hope that this won't stop you reading the rest of the story. I would suggest skipping the flashback and start again after the next break (beginning After calling Daniel, Joshua called Cameron’s parents) From there the family embraces and supports Daniel.

Jordan knew better than to try and reason with her while she was intent on having her say and throwing everything she thought she knew at him. He knew she would eventually run out of things to say. Meanwhile he would listen and take notes. She ran out of steam after about five minutes when she vehemently finished with, "I know Uncle Phil and he wouldn't do anything like Josh's saying. Uncle Phil's a respectable businessman and a kind man. He helped Sean and me when we got married and he wa

I can't see it as a coincidence that the murders are happening almost immediately after Rick takes on this detective role. It's not his first appointment as a police officer, and there weren't any similar murders while he was in those other roles. The Commissioner hand picks him for this detective role and the murders start. Hmmm.

I agree @centexhairysub. I had the same thought about who saw Rick and Jimmy Tan together. Even though Rick hasn't committed the murders, it looks like he is being set up as the murderer. Only young gay guys that he has met have been murdered. No one he hasn't met. If he is being set up, then why? And why the long time between Martin's murder and Alexis' murder. No murders or murders with a different modus operandi. The year book photo that Martin revealed is interesting. Joshua Bell and Mr Corcoran with Martin and both looking at him rather than the sculpture. Could Joshua Bell be involved? He was in one of the cars that passed Rick and he was sexually suggestive. He is about the same age as Rick. Older than in the photo. Could he be the slightly familiar person in the crowd? In the dream, the red bike was locked to a railing in the schoolyard before the murder. It's not mentioned in Rick's memory of looking for Martin on the day of the murder. I wonder what happened to it? I'm looking forward to more being revealed.

I can accept a lover who died tragically later communicating significantly with their still living lover. Martin can provide clues to his murderer. Leaving aside The Interpretation of Dreams by Freud, we know little about dreams. One theory that I like is that dreams are our brain's method of sorting through all our recent thoughts and experiences to make sense of and save the relevant. I can see the nightmare as Rick's brain putting all he knows about Martin's murder together. Hopefully it will provide Rick with leads to follow up.

I like that Rick is going back over the circumstances of Martin's murder. This time he isn't seeing it as a teenager, shocked and grieving for his lover but as a detective looking for clues. I think that Adam will provide more than emotional and loving support. It's possible that the boys know more about Alexis (and Martin's) murderer than they realise. It might just need the right question or situation for them to reveal what they know.

I understand. I also have a cat that likes to spread herself out over whatever I'm reading or writing and especially my laptop keyboard. Her typing is atrocious!

I have noticed that traditional media outlets are almost overusing 'allegation' and alleged when reporting on someone's criminal behaviour, all the way up to a guilty verdict in court. Obviously this is to avoid possibly being sued if the court verdict is 'not guilty'.

Joshua called Madison and it's had to forgive her for not believing what he was telling her. Maybe solicitors need some relief from the formality of court and all that dreadful legalese they keep speaking and writing. 😆 I can understand your need for 'colourful language'.

@Davide you are right about some aspects of Madison and I agree she should have spent more time listening to Joshua.

Oh I see. Kevin still has to sit his exams, but when they are finished I think he'll want to be in Sydney.

Thank you @Davide ❤️ Like other readers @Davide you're picking up on some of Madison's background. Don't forget that Joshua did manage to contact her and tried to tell her.

You could be onto something @chris191070. If she doesn't know about Daniel, what else doesn't she know?