Open to Interpretation
Still owe nothing from Wolf's Realm. Inspired by an LJ:LO 100 prompt and written after watching "Thinking Makes It So."
Joe Fontana removed something from his pocket, gave the faintest of smiles that quickly turned into a frown, and then returned the item to its place.
Ed Green took it all in, saying nothing for a while. The paper, or possibly tag-board, had shown slight signs of wear, making an appearance at random times - whenever Joe was paying a tab, or getting ready to hand out his own business card. Not once had this prized paper/tag-board fallen to the ground -never.
The quickly fading smile was the only sincere smile Ed had seen in a while. Otherwise, the smile, and its toothier cousin, always accompanied the menacing tone of Joe's voice when someone didn't give an answer he liked. His partner had done that a number of times lately, especially since Alexandra Borgia's death.
They were all hurting from that loss.
This time, Ed would dare to go out on a limb, to find out if the rumors he heard were true and whether or not this paper/card had something to do with it. "Whatcha got there, Joe?"
"Nothing," Joe said, handing the card to him.
Ed recognized the handwriting of the neatly written black ink against the colored paper. It had only one word on it, repeated on both sides. "Peanut," Ed asked, curious.
"Peanut." Joe paused. "That's how I answered her last query about that whole Lowell debacle."
Ed didn't have to ask whom. He remembered the ranting session the morning after, about how everyone in the D.A.'s office should be considered as possessing 'dimwitted arrogance.' Catching up with Alex just outside of one of the courtrooms, he knew Joe's 'target of regret.'
The quick lunch Ed and Alex shared as they walked off the building frustration wasn't so much about Lowell's crime, but rather how their respected partners acted as if the alleged actions were acceptable, that the ends had justified the means.
Returning to the present, Ed continued his query. "Peanut, with a question mark," Ed asked, flipping the card over.
"That's her way of asking the question, 'Is that all you've got to say?' When it's just the other way, it means 'That's all I've got to say.' Leave it to her to find a way to make light of such a horrible night, a horrible case, a horrible test of trust."
Ed turned the card over and over in his hand. "How did she hand it to you last?"
Joe took the card back. That was a question he didn't want to answer. Just the fact that it was given to him the day she went missing, in response to something flippant he'd said to her…
Joe looked at the card one last time before putting it back in his wallet.
It was something open to interpretation. Period.