The lengthy brunette stormed into the quiet white office, throwing open the door, not acknowledging, or even noticing, the shocked mayor rummaging through her files.
"Alright, where's the kid," the blunt detective demanded.
The mayor's brows knotted in mock confusion. "I don't kn-know what you're talking about, I'm sorry. I could try to help you find the child that is missing, if you'd like. I have files- " her voice trailed off as she rummaged through the papers again.
The detective was not impressed. She picked up on the minute stutter in the beginning of the mayor's sentence, which pointed towards deceit and the unwillingness to reveal information (hey, Maura taught her something, at least…or did she learn that in school? She didn't even know anymore. Maura was school.) The detective had her cornered. She went in for the kill.
"I said, 'Where's the kid.' And I think you know what I'm talking about."
"I'm sorry, I really don't know what you're asking," the prim mayor lied, flashing a tight smile.
"10 years ago," the gravelly voice of Jane Rizzoli began, "a child was put up for adoption in Tallahassee, Florida. " The thin woman stretched out her long legs in taunting steps toward the mayor. She loved this, and toyed with the idea of admitting herself a small, sadistic smile, but then thought better of it and moved on with her humiliation of one Regina Mills. "That child was lost 3 weeks after it's birth and hasn't been accounted for since. Until now. The Boston Police Department picked up this case on the suspicion that the child was not dead, but maybe…kidnapped. Or trafficked." Jane shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, but let that word hang in the air. She was glad she did, as the mayor started fidgeting with her necklace, a tell-tale sign of guilt, or sexual frustration (thanks Maura.)
"What does this have to do with me?" The mayor tried to ask this lightly, but it instead came out as a low growl.
"The Boston Police Department traced this child to your house. Now, you can either come willingly, or I can force you. Don't worry; we're only going to ask you some questions. What's it gonna be?"
Regina Mills raised herself out of her chair and started toward the door. She did not hold it for the other woman to exit in front of her, as etiquette required, but rather lead the detective down the hall and into the foyer. She quickly fluffed her hair and walked toward the front door, laying a hand on the doorknob. She would not be lead out of her own house. She still had control.
A little yellow Volkswagen Beetle screeched to a halt in front of house number 108 and slid behind the blue and white police car parked on the side of the road.
That's funny, the driver thought, I don't remember letting Davi- Charmi-….Dad borrow the police car. Hmph.
The driver shrugged and opened her door just in time to see two women exiting the intimidating mansion, the smaller one leading, almost tugging, the taller one along. She jumped out of her car as realization struck.
"Regina!" she screamed. It was almost a question.
The mayor's head tore from its deadpan, unseeing glare, and her face contorted into an expression of shock. She quickly stole a glance behind her before speed-walking over to the birth-mother of her illegally adopted son.
Her heels clacked against the pavement hard as she intoned, "Why do the police always seem to hate me?"
"Miss Swan, what are you doing here?" Regina demanded, as if she didn't have an irritated detective standing right behind her, mindlessly, though not unintentionally, toying with the handcuffs at her belt.
"I'd like to ask you the same question!" Emma Swan snapped in reply.
"Sherriff, I do not have time for this, as you can see," Regina growled back, jutting her head in the general direction of Jane Rizzoli. "Can we please get this over with quickly?"
"Not doing so well with the police today, are we?" Jane whispered loud enough for the pretty blond to hear.
Oh, ha ha, she thought, trying to ignore the rising swell of panic within her, can we just move on without the witty comments from Detective Smarty-pants? "Emma," Regina started, then stopped. Wow. That sounded weird. "Emma," she started again, "Will you alert your parents that their grandchild needs to be picked up from school. I received a call that a cobra has gotten out of its cage in the science lab, and all the students need to be evacuated." Regina watched Emma's eyebrows furrow in bewilderment, and Regina rolled her eyes. "I'm going to be in Boston for a few days. Tell everyone not to worry, I'll be back soon," she stated and then promptly slid into the back of the police car.
Wait, science lab? But Henry's school doesn't- Oh my God! Cobra! "Shit, Regina!" she mumbled, pulling out her phone and hurriedly tumbling into the front seat of her car. She pushed the keys into the ignition and raced forward, fumbling with her phone, hitting speed dial 2, Mary Mar- Snow….mother….and sliding the phone under her ear.
"Hello?" Emma's mother answered, a little confused.
"Yeah, hi. Listen, can Henry stay with you guys for a little? Regina and I are going to be out of town for a few days, up in Boston," the car swerved out of the way, barely missing a tiny bunny, "She says not to worry, we'll be back soon." The car righted itself before going off track again, this time to avoid crashing into an oddly placed rock. "Oh, and Regina says Dad's in charge." She smiled, congratulating herself for having added that afterthought, shutting the phone on Snow's frantic rambling. It was the least she could do for Regina.
She tossed the phone on the passenger's seat and looked straight ahead, for the first time actually thinking about this trip back to Boston.
"Welcome to the old apartment."
