Author's note: I intended this to feel like a hard-boiled detective story with Emma as the lead. The lines in italics represent Emma's inner-monologue. The story is primarily 3rd person, but the inner-monologue is 1st person. I hope the switch is not too jarring. I wanted to play around with styles. I also wanted to play around with tropes - both exploiting and subverting, which is why I picked this particular genre. Another warning: characters may die, so sorry (not sorry). Also, this is my first fanfic story. Enjoy and let me know what you think! :-*
Emma moved the newspaper to make room for her highball glass. She eyed the headline as she opened her desk drawer, "Evil Queen Questioned in Dark One Slaying." Her eyes linger on the image accompanying the article. The normally fierce and striking mayor looked a like hell warmed over with deep purple circles under her dark eyes. She halfheartedly perused the article as she retrieved the bottle of bourbon from the drawer without moving her eyes from the article. Her movement had a grace to it that only comes from practice. She glimpsed a few phrases here and there, "primary suspect" and "not sufficient evidence to charge." Her eyes only ventured from the article in order to pour some of the amber liquid into the glass. With a shrug she made the drink a double. "Why the hell not? Business has been slower than a sloth pouring molasses," she sighs as she returned to the article.
Shortly after arriving in the sleepy, Maine town of Storybrooke Emma Swan was offered a position as a deputy in the Sheriff's department. Her methods were deemed too unconventional for the Sheriff's department, given that she was used to operating outside the law as a bounty hunter. Her knack for investigation led to a mildly successful private investigation business. While Storybrooke had its fair share of magical disasters and diabolical villains, little did the fairy-tale citizens know that there were enough cheating lovers, civil disputes, and missing persons to keep Emma busy. However, today there was a distinct lack of seedy dealings to investigate. In fact business had been quite slow ever since Mr. Gold's disappearance a week ago. His lifeless reappearance two days ago had ground what little business Emma had received to a halt.
With a ding the bell above the front door rang. Without looking Emma assumed her forgetful assistant had returned, "Ruby, you forget your phone again?"
"Sorry to disappoint, Miss Swan, but I am not your plucky little assistant."
Her words poured over me like warm maple syrup as she sauntered over to my desk. She didn't need magic with the ever-swaying pendulum of her hips entrancing me. She wore a tighter dress than she normally wears – one that hugs her body in the entirely right places and reveals the perfect amount of olive skin leaving just enough to the imagination. She was tigress, and I had a feeling that I was about to be her willing prey.
"Miss Swan, do pay attention." Regina Mills', mayor of Storybrooke and former Evil Queen of the Enchanted Forest, eyes glared at Emma's audacity for her lecherous staring.
"Er, sorry Reg—Madame Mayor." Emma fumbled as she met the mayor's eyes. Regina gave Emma her best put-upon hair toss but did not completely hide the slight upturn of pride on her lips at having the desired effect on the PI. Guess it's time for the next round of cat v. mouse – clearly I'm the mouse.
"Here, have a seat." Emma said as she moved the precarious mountain of papers aside in her futile attempt to tidy her workspace. Emma then pulled out the chair on the opposite side of her desk. She re-appropriated the old 70's style roller-chair from a garbage bin. When she found the chair it had more than a few mysterious stains and taters. She was able to re-upholster the chair and salvage the wreckage. The entire office furniture and décor was a hodgepodge of salvaged items from dumpsters and alleys.
Regina eyed the meager surroundings before providing a curt nod and taking the seat. She noticed the newspaper and drink still on the desk. "As I was saying, Miss Swan, my attorney has advised me to hire you. Clearly you are aware – although given your choice of evening activities I may be making an assumption and giving you too much credit – that the Sheriff thinks I had something to do with Gold's untimely demise. My attorney believes that while there is only circumstantial evidence against me, we should build our case around presenting a more compelling suspect. That's where you come in. I need you to investigate Gold's murder."
As Regina is talking Emma situated herself on the edge of the desk, listening carefully for any indication of deception from the mayor. Her superpower pinged – it's soft, which means that Regina was not overtly lying, but she was certainly not presenting the full story. Emma reached behind her and grabbed the glass. She took a small sip, and the liquid provided a pleasurable burn all the way down her throat. Emma slowly blinked collecting her thoughts on how to best proceed. Due to prior experience conversing with the mayor Emma knew that calm talking may lead to face punching in no time. Still, Emma needed to know the information the mayor was withholding. Emma swirled the liquid in her glass, "What if all the evidence I find points to you?" The question was not hostile, but a genuine inquiry.
Regina rose from her seat to stand directly in front of Emma. She looked deep into Emma's seafoam green eyes and subtlety leaned closer to Emma. What was only a momentary pause seemed to last an eternity. Emma involuntarily bit her bottom lip, and Regina's brown eyes dropped at the motion. Regina replied, "Then turn the evidence over to the Sheriff," her voice was now barely above a whisper forcing Emma to lean closer, "if that is what you want." Regina reached for Emma's hand as Emma's tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and swallowed hard. Regina took the glass from Emma, finished the drink in one gulp, put the glass back on the desk, and turned to leave. She was halfway to the door before Emma registered that Regina was leaving.
Over her shoulder Regina called back, "Think it over and have you assistant call my assistant in the morning to arrange the finances if you choose to take my case. I'm sure we'll be in touch either way."
She offered me the out knowing full and well that she didn't even need to put bait on the hook; she was already reeling me in. Emma picked up her phone and tapped out a quit text to Ruby, "Got a case. U'll nvr guess. Coffee & bearclaw PLZ? :-D"