Emma Swan
It had been a week since I had picked up Henry from the Jones' restaurant, and six days since I had taken Henry to the yard so that he could go for a ride with he and Anton. Regina had only just deemed it safe for Henry to do the ride, and so had I until I realised that a horse had been brought around for me as well. I hadn't ridden a horse since I had been in my teen's and in the system- Killian seemed to understand my apprehension and helped me up and distracted me the whole ride, just simply talking whilst Anton and Henry led the way ahead. He had arranged a friendly looking chestnut mare for me to ride,with four white socks and a white star on her forehead which matched her soft pink nose which she was intent on getting me to rub and stroke. She was a little bit smaller than Killian's horse, Neptune I believe he was called, and the two horses were more interested in nickering to each other, with Neptune occasionally trying to nudge her neck.
Over the course of the ride I learned that Killian and his brother were ex-navy, and that he had quit after his brother had been injured in a fight and had to be discharged. They had always loved the idea of travelling and loved cooking (although it had been more of a necessity since their father had walked away and abandoned them after their mother had died) and had decided after leaving the navy they would learn how to cook some of their favourite local meals from all the places which they had been during their tours, leading him to get his qualifications to be a chef. When he talked about his cooking I could see his face light up instead of becoming sullen when he talked about the Navy- and I could understand his enthusiasm because he could watch people's reactions to what he had made for them. He did however let on that his personal favourite meal was fish or scampi with chips and peas as it reminded him of home but also tasted really good too and I told him that if I went to the restaurant I would be sure to order them.
He also made sure that I didn't fall off which was a close call a couple of times seeing as I had been concentrating on other things (namely his voice and my son who kept disappearing with Anton) but he had allowed me simply to enjoy a little bit of time to myself which didn't happen too often seeing as I was the sheriff and had a teenager to look after. The ride had ended up taking us around most of the eastern forest, and the trail was a nice way to see how the world was going from autumn to winter, and it was closer to the latter than the former, a chill in the air that wasn't there the week before but I found myself enjoying the winter which was unusual because I usually hated the cold.
I smiled at the memory as I sat in the sheriff's station finishing up the paperwork from the week (a couple of drunk and disorderly, a break in and a case of trespassing at the edge of the town), and then that smile became bigger as I remembered that Elsa and I were going to the Jones' restaurant tonight to have a catch up and gossip about all that had happened in the small town we called home. I grabbed my scarf and coat before locking up for the night and heading home, watching as some of the shops close early seeing as it was a friday, and many dog walkers out coming back from the forest where we had ridden close to a week ago.
It was no secret between Elsa and I the she and Liam were somewhere between friends and just a bit more, having already kissed a couple of times but never actually going on a date together so it almost always coming up in conversation. I had known that Liam had admired Elsa, even before he had met her from her art, when she admitted that she felt something for the older brother I knew it was a lot for her to deal with. Of course whenever I asked Elsa about her situation with Liam she would also ask the counter question of how I was getting on with Killian. Even the two of us had barely talked or spent any real time together I couldn't deny that I was attracted to him. Anyone who had seen him would have said the same about him from his looks but it wasn't just that that I liked and admired about him- he was a fighter, something I had seen when I had gone to question him in the hospital, because even though he was stuck in a hospital bed he wanted to help, both his brother and in my investigation. But then there was also how good he was with Henry, and he had talked to him about horses and other things before he even realised that Henry was my son, so I knew that that wasn't the reason why he had befriended Henry.
But I knew Killian wouldn't stoop low like that if he wanted to get a woman's affections- he was too shy for that because children could be very judging when it came to disability, especially if they hadn't seen it before. I knew that the explosion that had taken his hand had also taken either his fiancée or to be fiancée from him that night and that he hadn't really gone on any dates since and becoming a bit of a recluse from society because of how people looked at him in public. It was why he stayed in the back of the restaurant in the kitchen, because he could make people happy without them having to see his disability.
Elsa was to meet me at the restaurant since she was working late on her latest pottery experiment on trying to get some kind of special effect to come onto the clay. I didn't really know what it was she was trying to do and she didn't understand all that I had to do in my job so we generally avoided the specifics on work beyond stuff breaking and annoying forms to fill in. Elsa was consistently getting dragged into Ana's wedding planning parties and night in preparation for her wedding to Kristoff- and after seeing all the trouble she was going through trying to get her wedding to be perfect Elsa and I were almost glad that we were single. But even with all the planning for the wedding going on, somehow the younger Arendelle had managed to find out about her kiss with Liam and was always pestering her about it, and unfortunately she didn't have the same amount of filtering as I did and would talk until your ears fell off.
I was looking forward to going to the restaurant tonight, because we had been given the same table that Henry had been given at the back of the room, next to the kitchen meaning Killian or even Liam might join us should they have a lull or a break to come sit with us. I had dressed in a dressy red top which Elsa had bought me a few years ago on one of her art trips from some small designer shop that she had found that went perfectly with some brown boots and a brown leather jacket which she knew I would have, along with a pair of blue skinny jeans which hugged my figure in all the right places. Without even thinking about it I had gone over the top to what I would have usually done in getting ready for one of these nights; but I realised that Elsa would have probably done the same because she was guaranteed to see Liam while she was there. I could only hope the same about Killian.
Once again the car park to the restaurant was way too full by Storybrooke standards, as there was only one or two spaces left, which couldn't mean anything good for Granny's diner (although she did cover the morning and most of the lunch time rush, so she wasn't going out of business completely which made me think the Jones' had done that on purpose as not to anger anyone with their presence, to make themselves noticed but not to be a problem, something I could relate to all too well from being in the system until Ingrid adopted me. Elsa greeted me at the doors, and, just as I had predicted, she too was dressed up in a dressy yet casual style not too different from my own.
August was the one who showed us to our tables and served us when we first arrived, but we could feel the eyes of his boss burning into him and our table from behind the bar where he was working on a cocktail drink of some sort. Elsa described the pain of being her sister's maid of honour whilst I explained the newest cases of drunk and disorderly committed by Will Scarlett which always led to something entertaining- a bonus for having to work nights occasionally. Elsa described how her sister had made her taste so many different chocolates and chocolate cakes that she might be going off her favourite treat forever because of having so much in such a short amount of time.
"So, how was that ride Henry made you do last week? Wasn't Killian there too?" Elsa enquired, stirring her drink to mix it before she took a sip. We had already had our starters and were awaiting for the main course to come, but unlike other restaurants I had been to, it didn't make me feel as though I had to just eat the food and leave as fast as possible, but the atmosphere just made you want to stay longer, to enjoy the food more and enjoy the company you were in. It was probably why it was taking so long our main courses to finally arrive (which were both scampi and chips upon Killian's recommendation), although that could have just been my imagination. Either way it had to be one of the nicest restaurants I had been in for a very long time and I was glad Storybrooke now had such a place.
"Yeah, it was good. I didn't realise I was doing the ride till Anton put a horse in front of me and told me to get on. Henry loved it as he prefers riding out than in the school. And as for Killian…. Well he's not what I expected at all. He is very sweet and charming but knows when not to push boundaries… he has a knack for reading people like I have never seen and I wish I had his eyes when i'm working at the police station, it would make so many things easier" We both laughed at that, and I saw the blue flash of Liam's eyes from the bar, immediately zoning in on Elsa's laugh. He quickly spotted me staring and turned back to whatever he was doing, and it wasn't too long till Elsa followed my eyes.
"Does he keep doing that?" she asked, a smirk on her face as her thoughts aligned with mine
"Oh yes, he simply can't keep his eyes off of us" we both laughed at our inside joke which we had made at her first exhibition where something similar had happened.
"So Killian… is he going to be your prince charming in shining armour?"
"Well I think Henry is edging it more towards him being my dashing and fearless pirate Captain Hook with Liam as his badass first mate. No idea where he gets it from; neither Regina or I, or even his own father were or are very imaginative and yet he can come up with all of these stories"
"Perhaps he's just pulling the slack for both families" Elsa jested, but we both knew there was some underlying truth there. We only really talked about Neal when we were drunk or comparing Henry against him, saying how much better the son was to the father.
"You know… I was wondering if you and Liam were actually going to go official sometime soon, I mean you see each other every other day and he's always texting you when he should be working. I think that you two should hurry it up or you know what will happen in this town, and that's not including his brother and friend"
"Please don't start on this Emma, I already have Ana and your sister-in-law pestering me about it nearly everyday and you know how I respond to pressure- I will only disregard it and throw it away. And I don't want to do that to Liam, he deserves better than that so we are taking it slowly"
"You call him practically eating your face off everytime he kisses you taking it slowly?" Elsa had the good sense to blush and look away, but apparently she was doing it for something else seeing as not a few seconds later I felt a familiar hand land on my shoulder and jumped out of my skin as Killian had snuck up behind me and whispered "Hello Love" in my ear. I laughed about it and beckoned him to join us, and he waved over to his brother for a drink whilst he was on his break and quickly got past the pleasantries to complain about everything that had happened at the restaurant (one of the cooks had nearly set fire to the kitchen because he was sneezing and then one of the waiters had to rush home because of a family emergency and Liam had to come down and cover the bar whilst August went out on the tables. Elsa shared how she was fighting with her agent over going to a particular gallery because the last piece of work she had there it was put under someone else's name and then they got all the money from the exhibition. I tried to explain a break in which had happened a couple days to Mr Gold's cabin in the woods when I saw Killian's face darken at something.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"You said in the break in on the door there was evidence that the door had not been forced open yet the lock was completely broken on the inside once you had a closer look. Did it by chance look like the lock mechanism had been blown apart without any sign of damage on the outside? Without any fingerprints on the door or lock?"
"Yeah, wait, how did you get all that from me saying that Gold had a break in without forceful entry?"
"I will tell you later- but you need to tell that to Mark, he will explain everything but for now I have to get back to work. You should also tell Liam and make sure that you have at least two locks or security measures in place on your houses and work shops."
"Killian…" I called after him, but he had already disappeared. Elsa and I just looked to each other before silently vowing not to say anything more whilst we were in public. We quickly moved back on to the topics of Elsa's latest creations, her imagination starting up again after she had met Liam and his younger brother.
It was not long till our meals had arrived and had been devoured and we were both anxious to get out of the restaurant to check on our houses and make calls. If it was anything like the fear that haunted Killian's eyes we knew we would have to be very careful to keep what we had been discussing a secret. I made it back to my house in good time, checking all my doors and windows for anything suspicious, and after confirming that everything was indeed OK in the building before picking up the phone and calling a number I never thought I would need.
"Mark Scott. Who is this." I rolled my eyes at Mark's answer, because while the man was a PI he never seemed to save numbers, which was annoying at times but it didn't stop him from being very good at his job.
"Emma Swan. I need to talk to you about something that happened at the station earlier; I didn't realise that it could be something important until Killian brought it to my attention earlier..."
"I will come to your house, and I will use my normal knock, do not let anyone else in during that time and do not pick up the phone unless you know for certain who it is who is calling" The phone went quiet as I started to take stock of the situation; I was trying to do my job by looking after the people of Storybrooke and yet here I was having to get help from a PI who I hadn't seen for years but worked with the Jones' on their case. A case which could now endanger the town which I had sworn to protect.
It was nearly half an hour when Mark finally knocked at the door, and behind him was Liam, but no Killian which suggested he was still at the restaurant working. I let them in and guided them through to the second floor where I had a study, knowing that it was near impossible to hear anything through the ridiculously thick walls which the apartment had come with.
"Okay. Let's start from the beginning Miss Swan. There was a break in. Tell us where this was and some information about it"
"The break in was in a small cabin in the woods, just north of the ravine where your brother was injured and shot Mr Jones. The Cabin belongs to Mr Gold, a wealthy business man in town who owns half of the properties in town and is known for being horrible to everyone except for his wife. He is not well liked by anyone so we had just assumed that it was someone in town doing it to spite him, however it was brought to my attention that what happened to the lock was something I needed to tell you"
"Was the inside of the lock blown apart without any inside damage?" Liam asked, his eyes not moving from his hands which were in his lap. He jumped up and started pacing when I said yes, before finally stopping beside the window. He glanced over his shoulder, nodding to Mark.
"The last time we saw this happen Miss Swan was when Killian had been attacked the first time, and it was to the house of his lover, Dr Milah Arkansa. She was a veterinary nurse but there were a few things that had bothered Liam about her, for instance she had a lot more money than your average vet, and apparently when she first met the Joneses she was covered in bruises. What you have just described to us about that lock is what we had seen on her apartment door, and the place had been overturned, but nothing was taken. As it turns out Milah's ex husband was none other than Mr Gold, however when questioned he claimed that he didn't even know where she lived now, as they hadn't had any contact since their divorce two years earlier. Neither Liam or I never believed it and they are forcing themselves to be civil seeing as he is their landlord now. Nobody could have made the connection before they met before, and even then neither of the Jones' had known that it was the same Mr Gold, or what he looked like until he met them to give them the keys for the restaurant. I believe that Mr Gold may not be as innocent in the situation as people think, because that cabin which you have mentioned was in pictures of Milah's apartment, so for the fact there was a break in suggests that she might have gone there to seek refuge. And if that is the case then the other case will have to be reopened as she is presumed dead, her body having never been found in either incident. We want you to tell us if anything more of this nature happens in town, so that we can stop an attack before it may happen. I thank you for this information and your time Miss Swan."
"If you need anything Emma, anything at all, both Killian and I will be at your aid should you call. Providing we are not up to our necks in dishes that is" Liam said, his joke sounding self deprecating as he turned to leave, thanking me for my time and an apology for scaring me earlier, that it was necessary for the danger that could be involved but it should now come to nothing. Both men left the house laughing, as though we hadn't just talked about potential murders and attacks which could come to Storybrooke. I feared for what may come from that talk for my town, but it made me realise how much I didn't know about Killian Jones, and I felt that I now wanted to learn it all.
Liam Jones
It had been a pleasant evening so far, albeit a very busy one, conversations flowing and laughter rolling around the room. Or at least it had seemed that way until I saw my brother come out of the kitchen for his break only to turn pale, and for him to look at me with a glance which I knew too well and hated to see. A look of fear and apprehension, the very face he had made when a second attempt on his life had been made. I nodded to him before he left to go back into the kitchen, a sign that I was going to get Mark to talk to Emma seeing as she would know all the details. I could only imagine what would be going through my brothers head right now, and I briefly wondered if it was something to do with Milah, because I knew how much it had affected him at the time and knew that he still missed her even if he was beginning to develop feelings for a certain blonde sheriff (although I was not certain that he did know that they were developing).
It was five minutes until business let up enough for me to go into the kitchen and ask Killian what had just transpired. And I wish that my guess had been further from the truth, because a break in Emma had described had been very close to how Milah's apartment had been found after the first explosion. I went upstairs to where Mark was supposed to be working on the case but was instead listening to music quietly.
"Mark, something has come up and we now need to make a house call." He jumped up, about to ask if Killian was alright when I put my hand up to stop him from panicking. "Emma came to the restaurant tonight for a meal, but it turns out that she and David had a break in at a small cabin in the woods, however the circumstances showed that it was exactly like Milah's apartment after the explosion when she went missing. Killian told her to call you when she got home, so when she calls, come find me and we shall go. For the minute she is sitting downstairs and enjoying her meal with Elsa, so don't expect it for a while, and if Killian comes up please try not to say anything to set him off, I really don't want him to go into another violent episode like he did the last time he heard someone say something close with what happened to Milah"
"Yeah, I'll make sure not to. At least he doesn't get set off anymore by people proposing, otherwise the rest of us we would be screwed. Oh, wait, none of us have been able to keep a relationship for a more than a month so I think we are all fine in that respect." Mark joked as he sent me back downstairs to finish my shift, or at least until the crowd below had thinned out a bit and so I wouldn't be needed desperately.
My mind was spinning from all of the possible things that Emma might say when we would finally go and see her, and that made the time go faster to the point I hadn't realised that two hours had passed and Mark was standing in front of me with a pointed look and a warning to look at my phone a little more often when things like this came around.
It took twenty minutes to find Emma's house on a different path to the fastest, knowing that if Emma had been speaking about it in public someone could have heard her and scouted out the usual route to her house to see if we went there after her. While I thought it unnecessary in such a small town I said nothing, because I knew that Mark had dealt with situations like this before, only they usually went away after one attack, instead of the multiple on Killian which had happened. The car's engine was the only thing I could hear, for all life around the town seemed to be dead, just like how I felt knowing that the bastards who had the gall to attack my family could be back again, and I just hoped that my brother wouldn't be another murder victim in the paper because I hadn't managed to protect him.
But for now, all I needed to do was talk to the sheriff and learn what had happened so that Mark could get to the bottom of this and to save my brother the pain.
