Sometimes, Ned, Pat and Jackie are philosophers. As my friend Jane once said, good friends are doctors and scientists and, well, I’m not quoting her correctly, but most of all, friends are there for each other. So, these three have their own thoughts about what causes a person to go bad. This is from Moonstruck and Murderous. There are actually times when they try to figure out why the culprits act as they do.
I held my coffee cup out of the way as Penney jumped onto my lap. “A caring adult can make a world of difference in a child’s life,” I said.
“Do you ever wonder about the background of criminals?” I asked nobody in particular. “I do. I mean the hardened, serial type. Where did they go wrong? Did they have nobody to love them or does it take more than love to keep a young person from getting off to a bad start?”
“I think Cade’s daughter Marianne is a prime example of the importance of a caring father. Marianne was still a child when Lena left her and Cade. But, under Cade’s supervision, Marianne grew to be a wonderful young lady,” Pat said.
“Cade and I have talked some about her and about Lena too,” I told them. “I know he misses Marianne. I’ve never met her.”
“You’ll love her,” Jackie assured me. “She’s been on the mission field for so long, she has probably changed since I last saw her, but I’m sure she’s still a sweet girl.”
I was curious about Cade’s marriage but I would never question him. He would tell me what he wanted to tell me and I determined not to push him.
We sipped our coffee, listening to rain pounding and an occasional clap of thunder. A stick in the fireplace burned in two, sending a shower of sparks up the chimney.
“I don’t think any one particular reason causes a person to get in trouble,” Pat said. “It may be a bunch of things or wrong decisions or a faulty view of life. I think everyone has a choice and, basically, knows when he chooses to do wrong. Each person is responsible for his own actions, and blaming society or circumstances is just an excuse.”
A particularly hard clap of thunder caused us to jump.
“Did you ever see such a stormy month?” Pat asked. “I wonder if it has to do with the two full moons this month.”
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