Chapter 3
Greta hurried down to the police department after the call came in. The Stabbington twins were a thorn in her side, always had been. She didn't know how the heck she had put up with them since their mother and her best friend Sophia died when the twins were 16. Sophia's family had worked for the Gothel family for years. Her father, Martin, was their chauffeur back in Germany. Even though she was a servant's daughter, the Gothel family fell in love with little Sophia and raised her as their own when her father died.
Magda and Carl Gothel sent Sophia and Greta off to a private boarding school to the island kingdom of Corona, a very exclusive girl's school, where they met another friend, Danielle King, Marshall's sister. It was there that they met their future husbands, Russell Stabbington and Marshall King. Danielle introduced them to her fiancé, Thomas Fitzherbert, a distant cousin of the Coronian royal family. All six became close until a terrible car accident took the lives of the Fitzherbert's and the Kings. Sophia promised if anything happened, she'd bring up Danielle's only son, Eugene while Greta promised to raise Rapunzel.
When Sophia's leukemia was discovered, Greta promised she'd look out for the boys as well as Rapunzel, but there was something about the Fitzherbert boy that bothered her. Eugene was a troublemaker, a wild child and a bad influence on the twins. He could worm his way out of anything, Greta decided, especially with the ladies. That was one boy she had to keep out of Rapunzel's life, in fact she was determined to keep Eugene Fitzherbert out of her granddaughter's life.
And she was hoping that the Stabbington's would help her with that promise.
"I'll take it from here, Sergeant," Greta smiled sweetly as she shooed the boys out of the room. She closed the door behind him.
"Thanks for keeping an eye on them, but you know it's Fitzherbert that I want."
The short detective shrugged. "We never seem to find him, Ms. King. We just keep picking up these two."
"Well, you'll just have to look harder that's all." Greta frowned. "Your services are very disappointing to say the least. I may just dispense with them and hire some good detectives. I'd hate to keep throwing money away like this. Maybe next time, you'll have better news for me?"
With one last look, Greta turned her back on the duo and angrily strode to the front door, slamming it behind her. The two detectives looked at one another.
Next time they'd have to get Flynn Rider, no more slip ups.
XXXXXX
"What were you two thinking?" Greta glared angrily at her charges. "You two are old enough to make a good living? What the heck do you want with that thief? You know he's bringing you down, don't you? All these promises he keeps making and then deserts you? He keeps doing the same thing time and again. You can't trust him and I'm surprised at this late date, you three are still hanging around each other."
Eddie stared over at Elliot, then back to Greta. It was the same speech she gave the boys every time.
And the twins always gave her the same answer.
"Don't know, Ms. King," Eddie and Elliot answered in unison. They both shrugged.
Greta was furious; she turned from one to the other. "There will be a time, boys, when he will betray you and I do believe that time is coming quickly, mark my words. I keep warning you and you keep ignoring me. Maybe next time he pulls this stuff, you'll see the error of your ways and you'll come crying to me, but I won't be there to help you, get the picture?"
The two hung their heads, even at twenty six, Greta could make anyone feel as if they were still 2 years old.
Satisfied, Greta smiled. "I've got to get back to the apartment before it gets late. I want you two do what I've asked you to do, is that clear? There's a big reward in it for you."
The twins nodded.
"Now go, both of you," she said dismissing them.
XXXXXXX
Rapunzel wasn't sure where she could hide the intruder. Her wide green eyes scanned the terrace for something familiar; somewhere she was sure that her grandmother would never find him. Her eyes settled on one of the unused storage sheds; the ones that Greta decided were old and of no use to her anymore. Her grandmother had made arrangements for at least one of them to be delivered to St. Basil's, the other one she wasn't sure yet.
Rapunzel wasn't sure which one was being delivered or when, all she knew was that she had to make a quick decision. First things first, she'd have to get his face out of the water or he'd drown. It was a good thing that Greta had decided on plastic rather than cement for her little man made meditation corner. If she hadn't, who knows what would have happened to this handsome stranger. As it was, she had to get him out of that pool.
"No, Pascal," she said, brushing the small barking dog away. "We have to do this or else he'll drown. We can't have that." She stared at the stranger then at the sheds on the opposite side. The terrace was too big to drag him that far. Besides, he was dripping wet. If she dragged him anywhere, he'd leave a trail.
Something closer, Rapunzel decided and her eyes again settled on an unused broom closet right outside the terrace and right next to the kitchen. She was standing right in front of it. She tried to remember the last time anyone even used the thing.
"Shhh, Pascal," she said, as she petted the grey and white schnauzer behind his ears. "I just need to move him over there until Grandmother leaves the apartment."
With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Rapunzel managed to prop the boy up and shove him inside. She was lucky, he was a perfect fit. Now all she had to do was close the door and keep it closed.
But it was too late.