Welcome to my perfumed garden

In this new novel I'm writing - I was convinced the story should be told through the cynical, jaded eyes of the ex-cop. The other main character, the one who's central to it all; the one who sees all, knows all - I thought he had to be in this guy's peripheral vision at first, someone barely noticed who's slowly drawn into the centre of things to reveal his secrets. But...

I just realised that, knowing all that's happening is the very reason why the other guy needs to be the narrator; the story has to be told through his frightened eyes - and the poor lamb is so scared, so damaged - believe me, fanon Blair has nothing on this guy. *G*

Because he's the singularity; the still calm centre around whom everything revolves, but his fear of what he knows keeps him from sharing anything until he forms a relationship with ex-cop guy in the second half of the story. At first, though, he's the outside voice, the observer - watching everything, taking it all in, commenting; having an opinion based on what he knows, but saying little or nothing to the cops, of whom he's scared, or the victims, for fear of making it worse for them.

And this works! Now I've got that right, the whole thing is so much easier. Things are starting to happen.  God, I feel so much better, it's like having a splinter removed.