At Home ~ Part III

'No man has power over the wind to contain it;

no one has power over the day of his death.'

~Ecclesiastes 8:8a~

          “This sure is taking you a long time.” The message read, the voice deep and altered. “No prints, no witnesses, no security feeds…” a laugh. “Tell me, what does the department do in these helpless situations? Maybe get the cast of Criminal Minds to come in…”

            Declan listened to the message, his insides crawling. Their ‘Blank Burglar’ had thrown a new play with his latest burglary. Showing his true narcissistic colors, from the sound of it.

            “This guys knocks cocky out of the park.” Officer Perrin Mikhail shook his head, seated across the aisle from Declan.

            “Need to step up your game, officers.” The message was wrapping up. “It’s our game, after all. But then, who knows when another noisy little brat might get in the way.”

            Declan kept his eyes shut for that part. Chief Wray had warned him beforehand, out of personal courtesy. So he wouldn’t flip out.

            “He’s sticking to his schedule.” Chief Wray stated, his professional tone masking anything personal. “Obviously, because it makes it easier for the media to follow him. We know that’s what he thrives on, but… this is the first time he’s left a message.”

            He stretched out that line, but didn’t elaborate. Every uniform in here shared the same sentiment. The chief swallowed. “I know our blood’s boiling, but we need to consider this a good thing. It’s finally telling us something about this Blank Burglar.’

            ‘After the break-in at the Kings’, there was a lot of sympathy and several evening news reports covering the incident. The community’s been phenomenal in sending their thoughts and their prayers. This message makes it obvious that our guy doesn’t like that.’

            Chief Wray huffed. “We've pegged him as a narcissist, desperate for our attention and whatever recognition that he feels he deserves. And I’m not having my town live in fear because someone didn’t win enough trophies as a kid.”

            Murmurs of agreement slunk through the room.

            “So, here we go,” the chief pounded the table. “He’s Caucasian and in his late twenties. He’s displayed enough sophistication and organization to likely be employed, but it’s a job flexible enough for him to commit robberies during the day. Everything he does is to prove that we can’t catch him. Taking the pictures off of the walls and nothing of excessive value is taken. This isn’t about profit for him, it’s about the power. Every ‘job’ that he pulls off only fools our community farther into thinking he has it.”

            Declan waited until he was out of the bullpen and lost the battle and shot a text to Brittany. Sure she’d be in school, but this pushed past that. Four agonizing minutes passed before he got an answer.

            It’s a good day, Dad. Thanx. Luv U!

            Short and sweet, and those stupid abbreviations. She was fine. It didn’t relieve the burn in Declan’s chest though. Lord, Brittany’s finally back in her room. Don’t let this guy scare her out again.

`&`&`&`&`&`

            “He robbed the Ottens!” Patty exclaimed before Declan got in the door. She was pacing from the foyer and into the kitchen. “That’s just…” she came back in. “I can’t… the nerve of that guy!”

            “My thoughts exactly.” Declan sighed, following her back into the kitchen. “You just voice them better.”

            “I don’t see how this guy is managing to rip off half of the town.” Patty blew out her breath.

            “Being one guy is the whole point.” Declan moved in to help her with the groceries. “And hitting in the same neighborhood twice is upping his game.”

            Patty snorted, slamming the spice cupboard closed. “Some game.”

            “Why’s he so intent on it?”

            They both looked back to see Brittany standing there, journal tucked in her hands. It was the striped one she used to try and compose her own flute solos. “All the kids at school complain how they can’t stay home alone or ride their bikes anywhere because their parents are afraid.” She eyed Declan then. “What’s the point, Dad? Why does he want everybody to be so afraid? You’ve already said he doesn’t want to get rich.”

            “And that info doesn’t leave this house.” Declan reminded her. He closed the door to the fridge on their new cartoon of orange juice. “Think about it like show-n-tell, Brittany. You were always excited when it was your turn, right? All eyes on you, listening to whatever you had to say.”

            Brittany studied him with a furrowed brow. “Yeah, I guess.”

            “This guy wants to always be the one doing show-n-tell.” Declan told her. “He wants all eyes on him all the time. He’s power-hungry for attention.”

            Brittany’s face didn’t quite get it. But she smiled all the same. “Well, he’ll feel pretty dumb when you all catch him.”

            Declan spotted Patty’s eyes over Brittany’s head, still holding their fear. Of catching a burglar or of living up to their daughter’s faith? It was a real toss-up.

`&`&`&`&`&`
'Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his.'
~Daniel 2:20~            

           Power.

            Brittany settled her Bible back onto her bed. The word from Dad’s explanation kept playing over through Brittany’s mind in a short, yet powerful loop- pun intended. She’d already looked it up in Mom’s thesaurus, but the definition wasn’t satisfying her. She remembered the force that the ‘Blank Burglar’ had put on her neck. The fear that kept her on the edge of her bed. It had had the power to hold her there and she wasn’t proud of it.

            What does Bible Compass have to say? Brittany got up and walked to her desk. She brought the website onto her laptop screen, finding the search engine and typed in power. Verses racked up quickly, numbering over three hundred. Brittany chewed at her lip and shifted her eyes over the topical index. Ability… Almighty… Justice, Knowledge, Law…

            They went on and on, ending in ‘wisdom’ and ‘worth’. Her brain was beginning to tingle, like Spiderman and his spider sense. And, if it was going where she thought it was, then she had a lot of work to do. Good thing it wasn’t a school night.

`&`&`&`&`&`

            “She’s drooling on her notebook.” Patty tried to keep the giggling light at Brittany sprawled over her comforter.

            “She has her index cards out.” Declan noted, picking up a few. They were a florescent green. “She’s serious.”

            Patty carefully removed Brittany’s notebook from under her head. Declan put the index cards on the nightstand and draped Brittany’s flamingo throw blanket over her. Brittany had such a quiet, determined personality, but made up for it with the blinding colors of her room and personal items. He was grateful she had that expression. He followed Patty out of Brittany’s bedroom, lingering a look until he turned the light off and shut the door.

            Then turned to get a deep, unrelenting kiss from Patty. “That… what?”

            “That’s for doing such a good job.” Patty snagged his waist with her arms. “I shouldn’t have jumped down your throat at the beginning.”

            “And I shouldn’t have tried to tiptoe around you…”

            “No, let me finish.” Patty stopped him. “We’re both parents. We share the same hopes and nightmares where Brittany’s concerned. And it was wrong of me to think less of you, as a parent.”

            Declan returned her embrace. “And I’m sorry I kept certain information from you.”

            “Yeah you are.” Patty cocked her brow. Declan laughed, squeezing her close. Man, she felt good.

            “Now,” Patty started pulled him across the hall. “Come show me how sorry you are.”

            Declan’s eyebrows shot up. Lord, I find myself more grateful every minute.

`&`&`&`&`&`
#NoPower - 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; 
and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth ~ Acts 1:8

            “Why is Gina Perkins coming this way?” Patty glanced at Declan wearily.

             Declan heard the click of the stiletto heels that Gina wore to church every week. It was part of the woman's denial to her five foot one inch height. Though Gina should’ve figured by now that her mouth was more then big enough to make up for it.

            “Be nice.” Declan ironically whispered to his wife, sharing a look with Brittany. “It’s Sunday, after all.”

            Brittany snickered, stealing a donut hole off of Declan’s plate from the spread in the fellowship hall. He prepared to reprimand her- teasingly- but suddenly Gina was shoving him back and taking Brittany by the elbow. “Young lady, I wanted to be the first one to tell you, what you’re doing is marvelous!”

            Declan looked over at Patty, who gave a bewildered shrug. Brittany, donut hole hanging out of her mouth, looked just as confused. Gina flashed her best you-know-you-can’t-say-no smile at Patty. “Patty, Declan, you’ve got to let me bag this little treasure for an interview at the Courier. It’d be a nice change of pace; I’ve already mentioned it to my editor and he likes it."

            People were glancing their way now, she was gushing that loudly.

            “Gina.’ Patty held up a hand to stop her- or at least slow her down. “What’re you talking about?”

            Gina looked back at Brittany, who gave a hard swallow to her donut hole. “She’s, um… she’s talking about my tweets.”

            “What tweets?” Declan looked down at his daughter with growing unease. Anything to do with social media gave him acid reflux.

            “I started up a Twitter account on Friday night.” Brittany stated slowly; then her speed picked up. “I know you don’t want me having one, but I needed something to do. With you talking about power and stuff, and there’re over eight hundred verses in the Bible to choose from. I thought I could give them to people so they wouldn’t be so scared…”

            Declan put his plate down beside his Bible so he could put both hands on his hips. “You made a Twitter account!?”

            “When we said you couldn’t.” Patty joined him in his stormy parental front.

            A light went off in Gina’s head then and she backed up. “I guess there’s still some things to talk about, Patty. I’ll call you later this week. I am serious about that interview though.”

            Patty nodded Gina off into the chatting crowd of their church. Then she and Declan herded Brittany off to the side, near the coat closet.

            “I’m giving you ten seconds.” Declan told her.

            Brittany fired away. “I know the rules and I didn’t think. I got excited, I’m sorry. I just… I needed to get something out there.”

            “Something.” Patty repeated. “Like what?”

            “Like how God’s more powerful then the burglar.” Brittany squirmed, scratching at the back of her left ear. She had done that since she was five, any time she was cornered. “I was going to tell you, honest.”

            “Ok, well honesty aside.” Patty glanced at Declan. “You know you’re not to talk about your father’s job, let alone tweet about it.”
            “I’m not.” Brittany insisted. “I’m tweeting Bible verses. They all involve the word ‘power’ right now, but there are others. I put a new one up every day. It… it’s my answer to Satan for trying to scare me. The Bible’s what we’re supposed to fight him with, right?”

            “Of course.” Declan agreed. “But where’s the sense in starting spiritual warfare on a broken trust.”

            Her eyes fell. Declan looked back, watching the congregation begin to float into the second service. “Let’s talk more about this at home.”

            “And you’re grounded.” Patty finished for him.

            “But can I still do the tweets?” Brittany asked, grabbing Declan’s arm. “Dad, they’re important. I’m only on my second one, but I’ve gotten almost fifty followers. What if it’s helping them?”

            Patty squeezed her shoulder. “Brittany, if you need to talk to someone…”

            “I don’t.” Brittany cried. “But if my tweets are helping people… please don’t make me stop.”

            Declan and Patty looked at each other. They were both standing on the cavernous edge of parenting. Who wanted to step out first?

~To Be Continued~