Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): T, Homeless Bella
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Prompt: Cheerleader
Plot Generator – Phrase Catch: You can hear a pin drop

"You want to tell me what just happened there?" my father asked me as Mr. Slovak joined his friends. "And what this has to do with your housekeeper?" My eyes were still on my boss, so I noticed that he was glancing my way from time to time. I forced a smile on my face, not wanting him to think I was upset, but my father knew better. "Edward? I'd appreciate some answers," he insisted, pushing his finished plate away from him and folding his arms on the table, eyes boring into me.

"I've been asked to find Marie," I whispered, the false smile still in place as I turned to my father. "Only, obviously, I know where she is, and that she's very afraid because she thinks someone is after her. What I don't know is the truth about her past, if her parents were as innocent as she claims or not." With a sigh I pushed away my own food, my appetite having evaporated. "When Mr. Slovak asked me to find her, she overheard. He told me basically the same story she's told us, except that her parents were into illegal activities. She begged me not to believe it. So, I told her I wouldn't reveal where she is until I know the truth."

"And the truth is that you think they're innocent," he observed, leaning back in his chair. I only nodded, dropping my head into my hands to run my fingers through my hair, hoping the pull would align my brain cells and have them come up with a magic solution. Letting out a groan I almost missed my father's next comment, "And you think Mr. Slovak is guilty."

"I believe he believes they're guilty and that either he, or the people who hired him, are the guilty ones." That didn't even make sense to me, but my father seemed to understand, since he was nodding.

"Do you remember me not being terribly excited you got a job with Mr. Slovak?" he asked me quietly, also glancing with a smile in my boss' direction. My lack of reaction pulled his eyes back to me. "I'm not saying I trust Marie, just that I wouldn't be surprised if, perhaps, he wasn't as honest as he proclaims to be." I nodded, a true smile gracing my lips at him seeming to agree with me. Sitting up straight he waved to my salad. "Eat up, how you survive on chick food is beyond me. I blame Tanya."

"And I think I'll tell mom you call this 'chick food'," I teased him, earning his 'don't you dare' glare. Our conversation then turned to what Emmett and Rosalie were doing. From the corner of my eye it was impossible not to notice that my boss was still occasionally looking in my direction.

After spending the rest of the afternoon in my office researching the insurance claims filed upon the death of Phil Dwyer I came across something that I wasn't sure if it should spark my interest or not, a claim filed by my own law firm. Mr. Slovak was a true lover of sports, and when someone he felt was promising came out of college he often took out an insurance claim on them, usually hoping to represent them, but always if they played on a team represented by our firm. They usually covered injury or death, accidental or otherwise. So having a claim filed by our firm wasn't odd. What was strange was the amount; it was in excess of a million dollars, a huge sum for a minor league player.

Resolving to look more into this tonight I packed all the documents into my briefcase and headed home, my stomach already grumbling over just the anticipation of finding out what Marie had cooked for us tonight. She had set up a routine recently, each night of the week featuring a different ethnicity as she found new recipes on the internet. It was Wednesday, Asian night, and so thoughts of dim sum, egg rolls, sushi, and other foods flitted through my mind.

The subway was packed as normal, and I couldn't help but glance over to the spot where I had first tripped over her. Back at the apartment, though, I grew disappointed. It was quiet, with no smells emanating from the kitchen. That only meant one thing, Tanya had kidnapped her and forced her into helping with the redecoration of the apartment upstairs. Turning my ear up and listening very carefully revealed the sound of Marie's laughter in response to a ranting Tanya. While it was impossible to make out what was being said, Tanya's tone of teasing and fussing was quite clear.

With a sigh I went into my bedroom, slipping my briefcase under the bed and kicking off my shoes with a relish as I let go of my day. The sounds of playful banter were a little clearer here. Hmm, maybe I can convince Tanya to put some insulation in the floors. Knowing I was directly under her bedroom, it was impossible not to cringe at the idea of the sounds that might be coming from there when she started 'entertaining.'

Switching my suit for my oldest sweats I took the shortcut of opening my bedroom window and running up the fire escape to Tanya's apartment. A peek into her bedroom window revealed the girls painting the walls a dark, rich blue. When Marie turned to laugh at something Tanya said it seemed like she just glowed against that color. I gave a tap to the window, causing Tanya to rush over with a smile and Marie to cower in fear, a look of pure terror on her face for half a second before she realized it was me. It was then I resolved that I wanted to never see that look again.

A flick of the lock and I was inside the apartment. "Should I order us some Chinese, since it is Asian night?" I asked, to which Marie reacted with shock, her hand going up to her mouth, unfortunately for her still holding the paintbrush.

Tanya broke out into a fit of giggles as Marie sputtered. "You look like cheerleader with painted face for game." I was laughing hard as well as she tried to wipe the paint from her face, removing the towel long enough to stick her tongue out at us. This just sent us into another bout of laughter. Tanya turned to me with a smile. "See how good girl she is? She give tongue instead of finger." Then her face grew contemplative before waving to where the paint rollers lay unused. "Is good you were old clothes, grab big roller, be useful."

"Then who'll order dinner?" I asked, winking at Marie who was still working on the edging around the doorway.

"Demetri is bringing clothes from Alice," she explained as she pulled out her cell. "I have him bring food also." Knowing I was outmaneuvered I poured some paint into the roller pan and set to work, smiling at Tanya when she told him to get some sushi, listing roll after roll, all my favorites.

We all worked fairly quietly, only murmuring requests for more paint or a moved drop cloth, the only other sounds those of the sticky paint being brushed on the walls. In no time the bedroom was finished, and Marie moved with her brush down the hall to the front room, the blue being continued on the molding and chair rail. I continued to work on the walls, now using a much lighter tone of the same color, but since there was so much more surface area she quickly outstripped me. Tanya found it hilarious whenever Marie gave me grief for being so slow before disappearing around the corner.

Not two minutes later I heard a gasp followed shortly by Demetri's voice. "Well, well, well, hello there Bella," he sneered. Tanya and I raced out to the front room in time to see him walking to her, the food and clothes dumped on the ground as he pulled out a knife. When he saw us he froze, his eyes darting back and forth between us and Bella. No sound broke the perfect silence as we all stared at each other, you could hear a pin drop.

You didn't really think Demetri was a good guy, did you?