Chapter 2: Plans

The Ace Detective and I spent the drive over discussing morality and motivation- God, if that doesn't sound pompous… But, that was what had been on her mind the past few weeks.

"But what I don't get," Judy said, pulling into the turn lane and idling at the light, " is what gets them to do it despite all that. There's way too much to lose."

I shook my head, and she glanced over at me, confused. " It's the money," I repeated, " all it is is money, and recognition, sometimes family." I sighed, remembering the spiels I'd heard. "And you can't really leave after a couple jobs- they'll just snitch on you."

" Yeah," she countered, "but wouldn't someone know that before they signed up?" I tried to answer, but she cut over me, " and not the ones that are pressured in- the ones that have time to think."

I shrugged. " Money. They'll pay you good- 'specially when all the legitimate jobs are paying minimum wage." Judy turned the corner, putting us onto the block of the Géarr's.

" It can't be that simple," she said, mostly to herself. " has to be something more that would get someone all twisted up like that, no way…" The last few minutes of the ride stayed quiet. She was off thinking again- same as every other time she and I talked about the other side of the law. Not that I was going to break her out of it. That was just another ten minutes of back-and-forth.

Tabitha Géarr was under a moderate form of house arrest- she could leave for appointments and necessities with a chaperone, and to take the kids to school, but that was it. We had bugged her phones, just in case she got chatty. Nothing yet, though.

Judy's supervisor, Detective Vicks, happened to be at the Géarr house when we pulled up. He waved at us as we pulled up beside the curb, before his eyes drifted off to eye folk passing by on the sidewalk.

" Hello, Detective," I said, nodding at him. He muttered a hello back, eyes trained on Judy since she had gotten out the car.

" Officer," he said to her, tone even. " How was your assignment today? Anything new?" Judy shook her head, giving the same report as the last few weeks- the boys are antsy but compliant, the parents are anxious, ain't nothing to really report.

" They're losing patience," she reported, " We need a social worker in there, someone more official. If me and Officer Wilde just keep going and making empty promises-"

" They'll send someone," he promised, glancing back at the doorway. " But, you're here to check on Miss Géarr, right?" He smiled briefly, before settling back into a calm mask. " She's been asking about you every five minutes." He shook his head, " I talked to her, but she's taken a shine to you… Get something good, alright?"

Judy nodded, and Vicks began ambling down the steps to the coupe he had parked a minute up. She glanced at me as she went to knock on the door. " I've got another assignment with him soon," she murmured, " hopefully with fewer bodies."

" Don't worry," I said, smoothing out my shirt and standing by her side as she knocked, " For now it's just talking and listening- nice and-"

The door flew open, a swaying and smiling doe rabbit taking up the threshold.

" Judy!" Tabitha Géarr's smile widened, " God, I've been waiting to talk to you all day! What took you so long?" She ushered Judy in, trying to shut the door with her foot in the same motion. I held the door open with a paw, and Géarr stumbled a little, losing track in her conversation. Thankfully. Her voice is a little too whiny for my taste.

I could just sit still, really. This was Judy's part of the day. Or, night, rather. But, wouldn't hurt to see if I could do something productive.

" That Detective is a complete fool!" she fumed, stomping into her living room and back into the indent she had formed in her couch. " Coming in here unannounced and trying to get me to talk about Thomas! Rude!" She nursed the cup she had picked up from the coffee table, staring at me expectantly.

I crossed my arms briefly, before I remembered I was still in uniform- be professional. Hearing Nick walk up the hallway behind me, I stood by the living room doorway, arms by my sides and face firm. " I told you to be considerate towards my partner, ma'am." She took a small mouthful of- was that vodka?-, struggling to make herself seem ashamed. She managed to at least frown. "I get that there are several complaints you have against him-" she nodded vigorously, "- but you've no proof and-"

" You're letting that fox pull you around, Judy," Tabitha said, pointing in my general direction, " it's not becoming, and how would that look for your career, or even your personal life?"

I've tried, many times, to stop these rants. I think she was just too excited to stop- putting it nicely. Nick had phrased things a little blunter.

So, the answer as always… " I hadn't thought of that, ma'am. But I wanted to talk about-"

" I let Tommy pull me around," she continued, " and I ended up with six kids! Sitting at home all day and having to look over them all! He was a rabbit, and he ruined so many things for me… Imagine what that shifty fox would do to you!"

Some folk can be so difficult.

" Laura," I said firmly, " You can go home, okay? You don't have to stay here with her."

" But it's good pay!" she countered, " You want me to go home and make eight bucks, when I'm making twenty here?" She crossed her arms and puffed her chest out- at least, I think so. The shirt she was wearing was two sizes too big for her. The blouse she was wearing hung like a dress.

" She doesn't treat you right," I snapped, motioning at her clothes. " You could at least ask her for better fitting clothes!" Laura huffed, glancing back at the stove. Eyeing her cooking. She shuffled her feet a bit, glanced everywhere but back at me.

" And what I am going to tell my mom? " she said indignantly, eyes watching the clock above the kitchen doorway. " No more money because the cop was being pushy?"

I shook my head. " There are better places to work, Laura…"

She shook her head, huffing and turning completely away from me, back to her cooking. " Mom told me you guys are struggling to help the folk back over there- good jobs out there, sure," she said, reaching for seasonings and adjusting the heat, " but not at home."

Stubborn rabbit! Sure, work for the drunk that makes you do everything, that complains all day… Acts like I can't even hear her…

But, those are thoughts. A deep breath, a sigh, and I try to keep my tone flat, caring. It's not hard- she looks sickly dressed like that, and I don't like the look in her eyes.

" You understand if anything goes south over here, you can call the Department, right?" A nod. " You know your last tip caught a few more of them, right?" A pause in the stirring. " Lots of bad guys taken out, and more every day." I paused, " Every new tip means more folk stay safe."

" I only know the ones that came around here," she muttered, " Ain't got no more for you, Officer."

The guys we had bagged all claimed connections with the Secretary. We can't really charge a body, though.

" No mice?" I asked, tone light.

" Not here," she said firmly, " None that I've seen."

It was a direct question, but I don't think she had anything to hide from me, not about that. Most folk want help tracking down their attackers. A dead end, though. Plan B.

" 'He's just waiting for the right moment, Judy', Ugh!" Judy said. "She's so miserable! All she does is drink now!"

" No new clues, though?" I had my eyes closed, paws resting in my lap. " Some juicy gossip that she let slip?"

" I think she's waiting until I drink with her again," she said drily. I heard a car whoosh past us, cars around us blaring their horns. " Idiot!" she hissed, and I opened an eye. Someone had tried to merge in front of us, taking up half of this and the next lane over. " But no, nothing but a potential motive."

I shut my eyes again, yawning. "Well," I said through the yawn, " if you'd like something productive to do…"

"I don't think her kids have anything useful," she said quickly, " Last time it was just stories about Mom's…" Judy chuckled a little. " Ah, personal trainers."

"Nah ," I said, smiling. " Something to help the folk back in the sketchy part of town."

I decided to be productive the next day, and was kind enough to help the Detective be so too. Which is why I dragged her out to our beat in the slums at seven-thirty in the morning. It took a lot of willpower to ignore the complaining in my ear on the way over, and a few bribes of food.

I kept my attention forward, ambling past a few cafeterias before coming up to a part of the block with no windows or store signs- Just a lot of brick and a single door. This part of the neighborhood was older- most of the businesses around here had their window text faded away, and what little foot and car traffic there was made everything quiet as could be. But that was why this room was here.

Judy stepped up from behind me, following my gaze to the blue circle with a triangle inside, by the lonesome door. The paint was fresh- still a nice dark shade.

" Oh!" she took a step closer to the symbol, head tilted a little. " That's, um... Alc-"

" Alcoholics Anonymous," I said, nodding. I continued despite her glaring at me. " Someplace we can make friends, and get information." Judy glanced back and forth between me and the door, wary-eyed. " No," I retorted, " this won't be dangerous or depressing, just give it- really?"

I don't think she believed me- might have been the heavy sigh and glances back towards the bus stop. But I'm going to prove her wrong and do something with this dead-end beat!

Marcus stretched, letting his feet hang off the lip of the stone portion of the gate. Although a bit of a struggle to get up here, it was better than standing in that cesspool of a sidewalk. So much detritus!

" They've finally left," he said, relieved. " You want to go talk to the drunk now?"

" Mhm," I judged the drop back down. Much too far to just hop, would have to turn around and use the bushes again. The glamorous life of a city mouse. " Try not to scare her, alright?"

Marcus nodded, eyeing the least painful path down the bush. " James Cornell, right?" I nodded, and he made his way down, leaving me to plan and hypothesize. This one would have to be a little more clever.

(A/N): This'll be a story with motifs as well, hopefully not ham-fisted. Some notes:

I struggle between beige and purple prose- dull and flowery. Still looking for a happy medium- don't want to detract from what plot there is so far.

No, this won't be a story about them going to AA meetings, but it kills two birds with one stone- help the community, get them on your side, and help your detective friend understand her mark better.

Laura is Tabitha's assistant/housekeeper, at this point. On loan from the run-down part of town where Nick and Judy are working, sending money back home to support her folks.

Yes, Tabitha is sitting at home drinking at night. Means and a motive- why not? Vicks is there to keep an eye and ask questions, switching off with his trainee.