First To Fall

‘Well, best of luck with your first case, Mr. Connelly. Not that you’ll need it.’

‘Thank you, Betty.’

Aiden was satisfied with his first day at work. He had a decent case; he was leaving at a very reasonable hour. He couldn’t wait to get home and spend the evening with his wife and daughter.

‘Well, I could certainly get used to this!’ Isla exclaimed as her husband entered the kitchen at 2.30pm. ‘On work days I’m not used to seeing you during daylight hours!’

‘I know, great isn’t it?’ Aiden beamed as he kissed his wife on the cheek. ‘And how is Daddy’s favourite girl?’ Meegan was sat in her high chair and squealed with excitement when she saw Aiden.

‘She’s been helping Mommy wash up.’

‘Good girl.’ He ruffled her fine hair and placed his briefcase down on the table.

‘So, good day?’

‘Yeah, really good. The place is small but I expected that. I really like the guy, Edmond Cope, seems really genuine.’

‘You should invite him round for dinner. I take it he is married?’

‘Woah, get you Suzie Homemaker! Since when do we invite people round for dinner? Four days in Avalon and you are a changed woman!’

‘Give over.’ Isla dried her hands on the tea towel and playfully flicked him with it. ‘We are in a new town and it will be good for us to make friends with people. Besides, with you working I’m going to get lonely and be in need of adult companionship, there is only so much baby talk I can handle.’

‘Well, I’ll ask him then, although I don’t want to blur the lines between work and home.’

‘This isn’t Chicago, Aid. People here aren’t ruthless and spineless, they are kind.’

‘What makes you so sure?’

‘Well, since being here I’ve been to the grocery store and today the salon and everyone is always super nice, although they keep inviting me to church…’

‘See?’

‘What?’

‘They are already trying to ram their belief system down our throats.’

‘Don’t be so silly. They are just trying to make us feel part of the community. We are going on Sunday and that’s final End of discussion.’

‘What?’ Aiden made a mock face of disgust at Meegan who burst into fits of giggles.

‘It will be good for us. Besides, Meegan has never even been christened.’

‘Since when were you interested in all that religious stuff?’

‘Jeez, Aid, I’m just trying to make a good impression. Whilst you are at work I’ve got to be here holding down the fort and I don’t want us to be the heathen family who don’t attend church. If we plan on settling here we are going to need friends.’ Isla’s hands were now placed firmly on her hips as she stared him down.

‘I’m just jossling you, honey. Of course I’ll go to church Sunday. I need to start making contacts of my own. Edmond was saying how he’d introduce me to the local sheriff soon.’

‘Sounds good. So was it all cattle ownership suits and someone erecting a fence on another’s lawn?’

‘Actually, I got a murder case.’ Isla’s eyes widened.

‘What, here? I thought this was a safe place!’

‘It is, it is. I haven’t established much yet, but it seems a simple domestic case. Wife stabs husband in a frenzy.’

‘I can relate to that,’ Isla teased.

‘It is nothing I haven’t dealt with before. I’m going to meet the suspect tomorrow.’

‘Where?’

‘Local Women’s Prison. I’ll let you know what it’s like, for when they take you in for losing it with me.’

‘Cheek!’ Isla threw the tea towel from beside her at Aiden but he caught it mid-air.

‘Nice try,’ he laughed, and Meegan joined in.

‘Well, I am busy tomorrow, too.’

‘Oh yeah?’

‘Meegan and I are going to get beautified at the local salon. They were more than happy for me to take her there whilst I got my hair done. I could never have done that in Chicago.’

‘See, we are already reaping the benefits. I’m home; you are now a God-fearing housewife…’

‘And since you are home, you can prepare tea tonight with me for a change.’

‘What is on the menu for chez Connelly?’

‘Spaghetti bolognaise.’

‘Ah, bellisimo!’

That evening was one of the most pleasant Aiden had experienced in a long time. He cooked dinner with his wife, played with his daughter, and as the sun set he didn’t feel exhausted and drained, he felt alive. He sprawled across the couch, glass of wine in hand, surrounded by cardboard boxes in various stages of unpacking. The house was slowly starting to come together and feel like home. Isla had already started to paint some of the walls which made a huge difference. A little time and a little love and it would be amazing. He looked out into the garden wistfully, imagining summer barbeques with friends, Meegan playing happily with Edmond’s grandson, Grant. The men enjoying ice-cold beers, the women nattering over some wine. Isla seemed to be settling in which was good news. This was all such a culture shock for her but she was taking it really well. Aiden assumed that finding the beauty salon had made a big impact on her mood. His wife loved to pamper and shop. Since shopping was confined to the few stores Avalon had to offer she would have to make do with pampering for now, not that he was complaining.

‘You coming to bed, baby?’ Isla asked from the doorway.

Aiden craned his neck to see her and noticed a familiar, knowing glint in her eyes. He sprang up from the couch and bounded upstairs like an excited schoolboy. Oh yes, he most certainly could get used to this life.

Chapter Two: First Encounters (#ulink_ef8a520e-9850-5a01-a536-d83ea7d316c1)

From the little research that Aiden had done, he knew that Eastham Ladies Penitentiary was a maximum security prison for the most serious offenders. This didn’t unnerve him too much as he had expected as much. In his ignorance he felt mildly relieved that it was a female prison, knowing how much more intimidated he would feel about his impending visit if it were a men’s institution. He had seen one too many prison movies and avoided male prisons as much as he could.

The previous night he had enjoyed a deep, dreamless sleep and had awoken so refreshed he truly felt that he could take on the world. Full of optimism he kissed his wife and daughter goodbye and, with Betty’s directions, headed out to Eastham.

The prison was not hard to find, it was well signposted for pretty much the entire journey. Aiden had been driving along empty roads that seemed to lead to nowhere for a good forty minutes when a huge, grey castle appeared on the horizon. Instead of a moat there were rolling fields with various layers of electrical fencing. The gate was dozens of barriers and enforced metal doors which grudgingly slid open when he stated his name and purpose to the hard-faced security man. From a distance Eastham seemed strangely beautiful. A huge blot on the endless expanse of rolling prairies, it looked like something from another world. Aiden half expected to be greeted by Spock as he parked up and headed towards yet another guarded entrance.