The Puppet Master Chapter 5

Detective Peppers toughest case

Chapter 5

Wednesday June 11th

The house was dark when Penny pulled into the driveway, the glow of the porch light barely cutting through the night. She shut off the engine, gripping the steering wheel for a second longer than necessary. Her mind was a storm of thoughts, each one circling back to Lisa’s words from earlier that day.

“Do you think it’s possible to hold two truths at once?”

Penny had brushed it off at the time, but now, sitting alone in her car, the question gnawed at her.

Jackie loves me.

Jackie left me alone when I needed her.

Both things were true. And for the first time, Penny wasn’t sure which one mattered more.

She exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair before finally stepping out of the car.

Inside, the house smelled like takeout, something rich, maybe Thai. Jackie’s way of softening the edges after a long day. Penny wanted to appreciate it, but the moment she stepped inside, she could feel Jackie’s eyes on her.

“There you are.” Jackie’s voice was light, but Penny caught the undercurrent of tension beneath it. “I was starting to think you were avoiding me.”

Penny forced a smirk, kicking off her shoes. “Long day.”

Jackie leaned against the counter, watching her carefully. She was dressed in an oversized sweater, her dark green eyes warm yet searching.

“Therapy?”

Penny nodded, shrugging off her coat. “Yeah.”

Jackie studied her for a second before turning toward the table. “I got your favorite,” she said, motioning to the neatly arranged containers of spicy basil chicken and spring rolls. “Figured we could sit down, eat, maybe talk.”

The word “talk” felt heavier than it should.

Penny hesitated before finally sitting across from her. She grabbed a spring roll but barely took a bite before setting it back down, the taste lost on her.

Jackie’s eyes flickered. “What’s on your mind?”

Penny glanced up. “What do you mean?”

Jackie gave a small smile, but Penny could tell it was forced. “Come on, Penny. I know you. You’re somewhere else right now.”

Penny let out a dry laugh, leaning back in her chair. “Maybe I just had a rough day?”

Jackie tilted her head, not buying it. “Or maybe this is about last week.”

Penny stiffened, her grip tightening on the edge of the table.

Jackie sighed, pushing her food aside. “Look, I know the timing sucked. And I hate that you had to deal with the surveillance sweep alone. But I didn’t have a choice. You know that.”

Penny scoffed. “Right. You had a conference. A keynote speech. Couldn’t be helped.”

Jackie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Are you mad at me for going? Or are you mad that I didn’t somehow read your mind and stay? The state police are the ones who had to reschedule; how was I to know?”

Penny shook her head, standing abruptly. “Forget it.”

Jackie pushed back her chair, standing too. “No, Penny. I don’t want to forget it. If you’re upset, just say it.”

Penny exhaled sharply, running out of room to bury her frustration. “Fine. You want to know what’s wrong? I feel like I was sitting here, watching our life get torn apart while you were off giving speeches and drinking cocktails at some fancy event. Some psycho from your past knows every detail of our life, including the most intimate parts!”

Jackie flinched like she’d been slapped. “That’s not fair. I had no idea, Penny.”

“Isn’t it?” Penny challenged. “Because I was here, Jackie. Alone. Listening to strangers tell me that someone had been watching us for months, maybe a year. And you know what the worst part was? You weren’t here.”

Jackie’s jaw tightened. “I know it hurt you, Penny. But I didn’t abandon you.”

Penny crossed her arms, feeling the weight of her words. “It sure as hell felt like it.”

Silence enveloped them, thick and suffocating.

Jackie sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Penny exhaled, shaking her head. “Neither do I.”

The air between them felt fragile, like one wrong move would shatter it completely. The tension was palpable, a storm brewing just beneath the surface of their shared silence.

Jackie finally broke the silence, her voice softer now. “So what now?”

Penny swallowed the lump in her throat. “I don’t know.”

Jackie studied her for a long moment before nodding. “Okay.”

The conversation was over, but nothing about it felt resolved. They were two ships passing in the night, both anchored by unspoken words and unresolved feelings. Penny felt the weight of Jackie’s gaze, a mixture of concern and frustration, and it made her heart ache.

- - -

Later That Night

Penny lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Jackie had fallen asleep beside her, but Penny couldn’t switch her mind off. The quiet of the night was a stark contrast to the chaos in her head, where thoughts raced like an unrelenting tide.

Her phone vibrated on the nightstand, breaking through the silence. She frowned, reaching for it, curious yet apprehensive.

Lisa Dunleavy. If you ever need to talk, even outside of our sessions, I’m here.

Penny’s thumb hovered over the reply button. The mere sight of Lisa's name sent an unexpected thrill through her, a tingle that ignited something deep within. Lisa was stunning, and the connection they shared felt electric.
She shouldn’t. This was exactly what Lisa had warned her about, avoiding conflict instead of dealing with it.

And yet…

Penny locked her phone without responding, setting it face down on the nightstand. The fact she’d even considered reaching out? That was enough to unnerve her. What would it mean if I did?

Penny’s mind spiraled, wrestling with thoughts of boundaries and appropriateness. Lisa had been nothing but supportive, but was it crossing a line to reach out? She shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts, but they lingered like shadows in the corners of her mind.