Question M

[Jonetta]

Jasper is abducted and Penn is at his wit’s end trying to figure out who’d taken him. When he gets the summary text from Mitch (crime scene investigator), Austen immediately knows not only who has him but where he will be. How did he figure out Doug would take Jasper to the go-Kart track? Was it clear how he deduced it was Doug? What did you feel when Penn figured out how to get Jasper to save himself?

[Robin]

I wasn't clear on how Penn figured this out. I think I missed something.

I loved that Penn used his earlier conversation with Jasper to help him save himself.

[Sharon]

I knew that the go-Kart track was a team building exercise with the West Mercia team, but I didn't put together how Penn knew to go there. I also didn't see how the report pointed to Doug.

He knew Jasper wouldn't get in a car with a stranger so Penn needed to eliminate the people who Jasper would get in a car with.

I love how Jasper saved himself. I yelled a mental "Way to go Jasper" when he took Doug down. I'm sure that will be another memory that Jasper will bring up to Penn often.

[~Teresa]

I have no idea how Penn figured out where Jasper was! Like Robin I must have missed something.

I was happy that Jasper was involved in the take down.

[Jonetta]

Oh, Sharon! I missed that team building exercise location. Good catch.

The summary Mitch sent him of all the discrepancies in the evidence painted a clear picture that it was all that Penn had found…at Doug’s direction. Every piece or person was discovered because Doug gave him the lead. I figured that part out but couldn’t determine how he knew to go to that go-Kart track.

[Jonetta]

Here’s the passage in the book:

‘Hey, how’s Jasper?’ Lynne asked, interrupting his thoughts.

‘Doing good,’ he said, smiling. ‘Still talks about beating you on the go-karts.’

Lynne threw back her head and laughed. The two of them had met when Travis had arranged a team-building day at the go-karting course for all of them following a particularly harrowing child murder case, and he had taken Jasper along. The final race had been between his brother and Lynne who had recently completed her advanced police driver training course. He knew she had let him win and he had appreciated the gesture. He met her gaze, realising how much he missed her. It was Lynne he’d been looking forward to seeing again.

‘Yeah, well, thanks for letting him take the…’

‘I did no such thing. The kid beat me fair and square.’

[Jonetta]

Now it all makes sense.

I was so proud of Jasper when he saved himself. It was a great moment.

[Sharon]

Ahh! now I see the clues from Mitch's report.

One of my favorite aspects of Penn's character is how much he loves his brother. I've known people who can't wait to get away from a mentally handicapped sibling.

[Jonetta]

Oh, his relationship with Jasper makes me adore Penn even more. He’s an interesting, complex character.

[Lisa - (Aussie Girl)]

Good pick up with the go karting!

I admit, I wasn't paying close attention to this part of the book. On reflection I can see how Penn worked out that it was Doug by process of elimination and adding up the discrepancies in the case. There were a few other hints such as the disconnection between the team members that something wasn't right.

[Lauren]

This was an intense scene. I was so worried for Jasper and was ecstatic when he helped save himself. Penn would never have recovered if something had happened to Jasper. He has dedicated his life to his brother.

I knew it was someone Jasper would go with willingly. I actually thought it was Lynne and not Doug because of that passage.

[Jonetta]

It never occurred to me that it would be someone he worked with.

[Lauren]

Jonetta wrote: "It never occurred to me that it would be someone he worked with."

Penn's team are the only ones other than Penn, his mother or someone at the school that Jasper would trust. The school had nothing to do with the case; therefore, it had to be a team member. I ruled out Travis because he encouraged Penn to look into the case.

[Lynn]

I think I missed something here too. The only thing that I picked up on was it was someone that Jasper knew, but I never made the connection of his colleague. I might have if I had thought more about it.

[Sharon]

Lynn wrote: "I think I missed something here too. The only think that I picked up on was it was someone that Jasper knew, but I never made the connection of his colleague. I might have if I had thought more abo..."

I think it was thrown in so casually, that it got by us.

[Lynn]

Sharon wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I think I missed something here too. The only think that I picked up on was it was someone that Jasper knew, but I never made the connection of his colleague. I might have if I had tho..."

Agreed.