Chapter 1Family Dynamics
Chapter One : Family Dynamics
Laughter broke out across the quaint café.
Local ranger Caroline Raymond tossed her curly blonde hair over one shoulder and straightened in her chair.
“Oh no,” she scoffed. “You absolutely could not.”
Across from her, Senior Sergeant Sidney Western peered over the top of his wire-rimmed glasses with unbearable arrogance.
“I most certainly could,” he replied smoothly. “Come on, Caroline. Policing is far harder than being a ranger.”
Caroline’s face immediately reddened.
Sidney grinned with obvious satisfaction.
Her nephew, Detective Sergeant John Raymond, chuckled into his coffee.
“You’ve done it now, Sarge,” he warned. “You’ve wandered straight into the no-go zone.”
Sidney leaned back lazily in his chair.
“As intended, Jono,” he drawled. “I enjoy it when she gets mad.”
Caroline sighed heavily.
“You’re such a brat, Western.”
Leaning forward slightly, Sidney smirked.
“A brat you love.”
John burst out laughing.
“So,” he said innocently, turning toward Caroline, “the Sergeant here believes he can handle your job as well as his own. What do you reckon?”
Sidney adjusted his glasses calmly.
“It can’t be any harder than profiling murderers.”
Caroline narrowed her blue eyes.
Sidney knew exactly how to get under her skin.
Taking a slow sip of coffee, she composed herself while both men watched her expectantly.
“All right then, Western,” she said finally. “You think you can handle my job?”
Sidney puffed out his chest slightly.
“I can handle anything that walks, crawls or flies.”
John snorted into his drink.
Caroline leaned toward Sidney just enough to distract him completely.
His eyes flicked downward automatically before returning to hers.
Hooked.
“Fine,” she replied smoothly. “You’ve got leave next week. Why don’t you prove it?”
Sidney’s grin widened instantly.
“All right, woman. You’ve got yourself a deal.”
He held out his hand.
Caroline gripped it firmly as they shook.
John struggled unsuccessfully not to laugh.
“Good luck, Western.”
Sidney raised an eyebrow.
“Luck?” He scoffed arrogantly. “Too easy.”
Caroline released his hand and sat back slowly.
Sidney still looked unbearably smug.
Caroline exchanged a look with John.
Both of them smirked.
“This,” John announced, lifting his coffee, “should be interesting.”
The following week at precisely nine o’clock, Sidney Western strolled into the ranger station like he owned the building.
“Morning, ladies,” he boomed cheerfully as he signed himself into the visitor log.
“Morning,” Caroline and Jessica Raynor replied in unison.
Brenda Heywood merely nodded stiffly, mouth set in a thin line.
The moment Sidney became distracted chatting easily with Jessica, Brenda jerked her head toward the kitchenette.
Caroline followed her inside.
“I cannot believe you actually let Sergeant Bastard do this,” Brenda hissed. “Especially after he authorised David’s arrest. This has to violate policy.”
Caroline fought back a smile.
“Relax,” she said calmly. “He won’t be doing any real work.”
Brenda folded her arms.
“Oh really?”
Caroline smirked.
“The moment he sees a snake or a spider, he’ll sprint straight back to his office."
Brenda snorted.
“Fair enough.”
“Come on,” Caroline whispered with a grin. “Watch this.”
The women returned to the main office.
Sidney was leaning casually against Jessica’s desk, smiling while she laughed at something he’d said.
Typical Western.
Caroline clapped her hands together sharply.
“Right,” she announced brightly. “Everyone has jobs to do.”
Sidney turned toward her confidently.
“Brenda,” Caroline continued smoothly, “could you supervise Sidney this morning, please?”
Brenda’s expression immediately became suspiciously innocent.
“Of course.”
Caroline pointed toward a stack of envelopes piled high on the desk.
“He can help you lick stamps.”
Sidney blinked.
“…What?”
“Lick stamps,” Caroline repeated pleasantly. “We’ve got very important letters that require sending.”
Jessica immediately choked trying not to laugh.
Brenda’s smirk widened into something openly dangerous.
Sidney looked horrified.
Caroline folded her arms smugly.
“Right then,” she said. “Off you go.”
Still visibly stunned, Sidney followed Brenda toward the office while the women struggled unsuccessfully not to laugh behind him.
Sidney stormed into the kitchenette just as Caroline was making coffee.
He stopped beside her, lowering his voice.
“What the hell was that about, Caro?” he hissed. “You intentionally paired me with a woman who hates me.”
Caroline kept stirring the coffee calmly.
“It’s just work,” she replied innocently. “You said you could handle my job.”
Sidney narrowed his eyes dangerously.
“Don’t toy with me, woman.”
Caroline merely raised an eyebrow.
“Would you like a coffee, Sidney?”
He glowered at her.
“Yeah. Black.” He folded his arms. “Like your soul.”
Caroline shook her head slowly, fighting back a smile.
“Right,” she murmured. “Not so easy now, is it, dear?”
Sidney watched her suspiciously as she prepared the coffee.
“I know exactly what you’re doing,” he informed her. “You’re trying to psyche me out.”
Caroline handed him the mug sweetly.
“What I’m doing,” she corrected, “is making you a coffee.”
Sidney continued glaring.
“Say thank you.”
His jaw tightened.
“…Thank you.”
“There we go.” Caroline smiled smugly. “Good boy.”
Sidney stared at her in utter disbelief.
“Oh, you are absolutely sleeping on the couch tonight.”
Caroline burst into laughter as Sidney stalked out of the kitchenette clutching his coffee like a deeply offended aristocrat.
John doubled over laughing as Caroline retold the day’s events around the ranch’s long wooden dinner table.
Sidney sat rigidly beside her, arms folded across his chest, glaring at everyone in silence.
Caroline pretended not to notice.
“Oh man,” John wheezed. “That is priceless. How’s your tongue after this morning, Sid?”
Sidney’s scowl darkened.
“Thanks to the she-devil ranger,” he growled, “everything I eat tastes like stamp glue.”
Sophie immediately spat out her drink laughing.
“Oh God—sorry,” she gasped between laughs. “Caro, can you pass me a washer?”
Still glaring, Sidney watched Caroline toss her a dishcloth.
“Of course.”
Sophie cleaned up the mess while trying unsuccessfully to stop laughing.
Caroline calmly sipped her coffee before turning toward Sidney with suspicious innocence.
“Tomorrow,” she announced, “we go on a bush walk.”
Sidney narrowed his eyes.
“You’ll have observer status only.”
John leaned forward slowly, dark eyes sparkling with pure evil.
“This is too easy, Aunty,” he declared. “There needs to be a payoff.”
Caroline raised an eyebrow.
“Oh?”
Sidney turned his glare toward John immediately.
“Careful, Detective Sergeant,” he warned smoothly. “Or I’ll put you on menial duties when I return to the station.”
John chuckled.
“Worth it.”
He steepled his fingers dramatically and looked back toward Caroline.
“There should be higher stakes involved. For example…” He paused for effect. “If Sidney freaks out over a snake, he buys us beer for the next six months.”
The table erupted again.
Sidney looked genuinely offended.
“I am living with a group of cretins.”
John grinned.
“I think you’re getting off lightly, Western.” He leaned forward. “Are you man enough to rise to the challenge?”
Sophie lost composure completely, shoulders shaking with laughter.
Sidney straightened indignantly.
“Of course I am,” he snapped. “My manliness should not be a subject for debate.”
Caroline burst into giggles.
“That sounds fair to me,” she said sweetly. “Now we’re competing, Sid.”
Sidney glowered at her again.
Then his mobile rang.
The name Watson flashed across the screen.
Sidney’s expression changed instantly.
“Saved,” he muttered under his breath as he answered the phone.
“Western. What’s going on, Dave?”
He pushed back his chair and stood without excusing himself.
The shift in atmosphere was immediate.
Caroline’s smile disappeared.
John straightened slightly, watching him closely.
Sidney turned away from the table, one hand pressed against his hip as he listened.
“…Right.”
Silence.
“Yes. I can be available to testify then.”
His voice had gone stiff and hollow.
Caroline moved beside him instinctively, resting a gentle hand against his arm.
Sidney glanced at her briefly, gratitude flickering in his blue eyes.
John watched the exchange carefully, concern settling heavily across his face.
“Okay,” Sidney said quietly into the phone. “Thanks, Dave. We’ll be in touch.”
He ended the call and slowly lowered the phone.
Then he turned back toward them.
“The O’Malley trial date’s been set,” he said flatly. “I testify in a month.”
Nobody spoke.
Sidney switched off the phone mechanically and slid it into his pocket.
Then he turned and walked out of the room.
A moment later, the master bedroom door slammed hard enough to rattle the walls.
The family jumped.
Then came the muffled sound of Sidney screaming in rage somewhere behind the closed door.
John closed his eyes briefly.
“…Fuck.”
He looked toward Caroline.
“Here we go.”
