BLOG TOUR: Crown Court Killer by Dahlia Donovan (Excerpt & Giveaway)

Since they’d both retired from emergency services, they’d focused on building their podcast and cosplay fabrication business. Osian hadn’t imagined a career other than as a paramedic. And yet, they were thriving.

Thriving.

Such a millennial word.

Yet, here we are, thriving.

Aside from the occasional murderer.

He did wonder if it might be easier and simpler to live in a quieter place. They’d have more time for building their businesses—maybe. Dannel might find life less stressful without the crowds and chaos of London. 

“Ready?”

Osian was jerked out of his thoughts. He turned to find Dannel fighting with the knot on his trainer laces. “Do you ever wish we moved away from London? Live somewhere in the country, maybe?”

“No.” Dannel’s response was immediate and emphatic. “Leave London? I love it here. Why?”

“No reason.”

He gave his shoelaces one last frustrated yank. “Weird question to ask out of the blue. Is this a neurotypical thing?”

Osian went over to take the trainer out of Dannel’s hand. “How do you bungle up a knot this badly?”

“Just cut the laces. I’ve got a spare set somewhere,” Dannel grumbled impatiently. “Inside voice?”

“Close enough.” 

Over the years since Dannel’s official autism diagnosis, he’d learned to rely on others to help him not shout or whisper. He struggled to modulate his voice. Osian knew it greatly frustrated him.

Osian struggled with the knot before tossing the trainer back to Dannel. “Buggered those up, didn’t you? Have you superglued your laces?”

“Tired of the sodding things coming undone while I’m in the gym. I’ve only narrowly avoided tripping. These laces hate me. Grab the scissors, will you?”

After a bit of creative cursing and a quick snip, Dannel freed his trainers. He put in the new laces. Osian chuckled when he beamed the old ones into the bin with enough force to almost knock it over.

“You showed them.”

Dannel stood by the door and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for several seconds. “Okay. Let’s get fuel for the rest of the day.”

“Is cake fuel?”

“It’s usually enough of a fuel to get us motivated, if only to find more.” He made an excellent point. “Are you coming?”