Relationship Matters by InSilva
Disclaimer: own nothing Oceany. But son has new swimming goggles.
A/N: warning. Chapter contains images of impossible cuteness. That appear to have been requested.
Chapter Twenty-one: Operation
Morning, bright and early and Larner's was empty apart from Alisha, Charles Mortimer and a security guard who prowled around the auction house ground floor as if trying to impress with his efficiency.
Alisha studied the Gobrecht Dollar with utmost solemnity and care as Charles sat beside her desk and watched. She turned it over and inspected the reverse with similar attention to detail and then smiled over at the handsome man who had swept into her life and swept her off her feet just a little bit. Just something about him…
"We shouldn't really be here, Charles," she said conspiratorially and he leaned closer, the pair of them sharing a secret.
"I really appreciate you taking time out to come in early," Charles told her - his smile was truly amazing - adding with a whisper, "especially when we're not supposed to be here."
The security guard walked close by and Alisha giggled and Charles twinkled at her and the secret between them grew deeper.
"Let me access some reference."
Alisha turned to her computer and started typing and smiled to herself as Charles's eyes drifted down to her fingers. It had been the same when she'd started up the system…he really couldn't keep his eyes off her…
Danny made it back to the flat for lunch and was greeted by inviting smells of cooking coming from the kitchen.
"Eduardo's making paella," Rick explained, looking up from his paper. "Apparently, Rusty fancied it."
"And Rusty's…?"
"Helping," Rick said shortly.
Danny wandered over to the doorway to the kitchen. Eduardo was at the stove, stirring a pan of brightly coloured food. Rusty was at his side, leaning up against the work surface, resting a fork against his lips and studying the progress of dinner intently. Eduardo had half an eye on Rusty and there was some sort of wistful affection in the look. There was an intimacy and definitely a "do not disturb" in the atmosphere and Danny withdrew quietly.
"What's the news with Alisha?" Rick asked, putting the paper down.
"She's cautiously optimistic about the Dollar. Going to check things out with a colleague and then I'm going to meet her for drinks tonight. She's sold though."
"Good," Rick nodded. "Well, that's the first step."
"You set for tonight?" Danny asked.
"Yeah." Rick sat up a little straighter and didn't quite look at him. "The kid and I are going in as handlers. Rusty's going to lead."
"Rusty…?"
"I suggested it."
Danny blinked for a moment at Rick's words. He thought of Rick, confrontational and aggressive and hostile. Really not Rusty's number one fan. For him to have suggested…Danny thought of the vase and the leech and of pride being subjugated by acknowledgement of skill.
"Thanks, Rick," and Danny's smile was broad and genuine and maybe this was the right time to mention the change of plans with the auction. "Rick, I-"
"Food," Rusty announced, appearing with plates and the conversation adjourned to the table.
The paella was good. Eduardo's paella was always good. A recipe from his grandmother that was one of the few memories Ed still carried around from home. Rusty lost himself momentarily in the blend of flavours and then came back to the here and now, glancing nonchalantly at the others to see how long he'd been away. Ed was smiling down at his food, Rick was scowling and Danny was looking highly amused. Long enough then.
"Had a thought on the way back here," Danny said and Rusty saw him not looking anywhere near Rick who had suddenly turned a frown in Danny's direction.
"Care to share?" Rusty asked quickly before Rick could say a word.
"I thought about Alisha's bank statement. And then I thought that Anton might have bank details too."
Ed wasn't getting it. Rick's frown said he didn't want to try and get it. And Rusty, staring at Danny, at what Danny wasn't saying, at Danny's eyes which were alive with possibility, Rusty saw the shape of the thought too.
"Anton's not really the sort of guy who keeps his money in the bank," Rick poured cold water on whatever the amendment to the plan was. "He's not-"
"The club where he works," Rusty broke in and Danny's face relaxed.
"-on the payroll-" Danny added.
"-probably-"
"-possibly-"
"-but this afternoon-"
"-in case-"
"Stop it!" Rick was furious. "Stop it now!"
Suddenly, silence. Rusty's eyes dropped to his plate of rice and chicken and peas and prawns. Danny's partner. Danny's call. He looked up under his lashes and Danny's face was full of tight apology. Rusty wasn't sure whether the apology was for Rick or himself. Probably both.
"Like this," Danny said softly and painted the picture.
Rick hadn't looked happy about it but he'd given them the address of the club. Eduardo had come with him and Rusty reflected that this was really the first time they'd worked together on this particular job. Strange.
"So what do you reckon?" Rusty asked as they studied the outside of the club as it slept in the sunshine.
Eduardo considered. "We could go official…but if we do that, there could be complications."
"If they're nowhere near above board," Rusty agreed.
"Which leaves unofficial and that means diversion." Eduardo looked at him. "You want to…?"
Rusty grinned. "Oh, I think you can be diverting in your own right."
Eduardo smiled back. "I learned from the best."
Skeleton staff in the afternoon, there to clean and prep and restock. Nick Wallace was in the back office, clearing down the tills and checking the change levels when he heard an almighty commotion out front. Nick swore. Shoving the money hurriedly into the safe, he went to sort out the interruption.
Ten minutes later, he returned from sorting out a belligerent rich kid who apparently did not take opening hours seriously. He pulled the money from the safe and sat down at the desk and only partly wondered at the small draught from the window in the corner.
Somehow the moment to discuss Rusty replacing Rick for the auction had passed. The TV was on and neither of them were really watching it. Rick was on edge and it was all to do with the embellishment that Danny had thought of. Rick didn't like change. Improvisation on the job when necessary but not a twist that he hadn't even been consulted about. And Danny felt a little guilty at that but at the same time, he felt so confident that it was a good idea and he wanted at the very least to try it. He could see how it would work and if they added in a phone call, that would be-
Danny stopped himself dead. He mustn't get carried away. There were always consequences.
They'd met up a couple of streets over from the club, smiling and successful and then there had been a patisserie that Rusty refused to walk past. They'd ended up inside with several cakes of cream and chocolate and strawberry and he'd looked at Rusty sitting across from him and he'd hated the thought that shortly, Rusty wouldn't be there at all. Oh, it was pointless to dwell on maybes and might have beens. He'd had such fun working with Rusty and he had to think about that and above all, not let the pain show anywhere near the surface. Rusty might decide that it would be easier to end things sooner. Not that Eduardo imagined Rusty would ever say goodbye. Rusty wasn't a goodbye kind of guy. Rusty would just walk out one day and never come back and that knowledge didn't help in the slightest.
When they'd got back to Maria's, Danny and Rick almost looked glad to see them and the news that Rusty had secured Anton's bank details was greeted with a smile by Danny and a shrug of indifference from Rick. Things had still been a little strained when Danny had left to see Alisha.
Now, Eduardo pulled on the uniform and checked out his reflection in the mirror. He thought he looked good. Then, Rusty walked in and caught the unspoken self-appraisal and smiled as Eduardo flushed.
"You do," Rusty assured him. "Couple of cute dogs and you could be a poster boy for the ASPCA."
The flush deepened. He knew Rusty didn't think of him like that and although it didn't stop him wanting Rusty to, personal compliments made him a little uncomfortable. Rusty must have sensed it as he did everything. He took the discomfort away at once.
"No number of cute dogs is gonna help Rick, believe me."
Eduardo laughed. He looked at Rusty, ready to go in his sober suit and tie and overcoat, sensible shoes and brown-framed glasses.
"And I know I'm nothing to write home about," Rusty went on, "but Rick's sitting outside on the couch doing a terrific impression of the angriest Animal Control Officer in the world."
The smile died down a little. "I didn't expect him to step down on this, Rusty. I mean it was his idea. I really thought he-"
"-yeah. Me too."
"Then why?"
Rusty gave an easy shrug. "My guess is that it's win-win for him. All goes well, then all goes well. If things go wrong, well...they wouldn't have done if he'd been in charge."
Eduardo nodded slowly. "Suppose that makes sense."
"Really?" Rusty flashed him a grin. "Mark it on the calendar."
They'd debated the right time to hit the bar where Anton's dogs were housed. It was tempting to wait until 4am when the bar was closing and there would be few spectators. There was the chance that the public might decide to get involved and there was still only three of them when they last counted. However, the uniforms offered a certain protection and public spectacle would ensure that word spread just that much faster.
In the end, they settled for eleven o'clock. Time for the party to be getting started.
Rusty strode into the bar and there was efficiency and authority pouring from him. Eduardo and Rick followed, staring down anyone who looked like they might want to argue with them. The uniforms had a magic effect. Silence and the crowd parted as Rusty walked right up to the door at the back and flashed a badge at the unfortunate guardian.
"Animal Control," Rusty barked. "Step aside."
"You can't...that's not..."
"Step aside, little man," Rusty suggested, staring up at a suit with an awful lot of muscle inside, "we've got a job to do."
The man still hesitated and then Rick stepped forward and brushed Rusty's arm.
"Rusty, do you want me to bring the van round the back?"
An unforgivable slip and Eduardo couldn't help the intake of breath.
Rusty's eyes were on Rick in a second. Cold and arrogant like the character he was playing. "Do that, Baker."
"Come on," Rick said to Eduardo. "Boss wants us to get the van in place."
It wasn't the plan. It very much wasn't the plan to walk away and leave Rusty facing a heavy - make that two heavies...Mr Muscle's friend had appeared. But Rick was looking at him and Eduardo couldn't think of a smooth way to take back the ground, not with the audience watching. He turned and followed Rick and headed for the door.
They moved the van to the back and waited what seemed to be an eternity though had probably only been a handful of minutes. Rick hadn't said a word and Eduardo hadn't dared to. He kept watching the back gate and thinking about Rusty inside the bar with unfriendly people. He was going to have to go back. His hand was on the door handle and then Rick spoke up.
"If you go back now, there's every chance that you'll blow it. We're supposed to be following orders. You'll do more harm than good."
Eduardo didn't care. Rusty was what mattered. The door was open and he was starting to get out of the van when the gate opened and Rusty beckoned them in. Eduardo climbed back in and let Rick drive the van into the back yard.
"Get these dogs into the cages as carefully as you can," Rusty instructed. "These gentlemen," he indicated the muscles, "will help you. I've explained that their assistance will be looked on favourably when this case goes to trial."
Rick started to open his mouth and Eduardo cut across him. "Sure thing, boss. Baker, you want to get the cages ready?"
Alisha had been as excited as Danny had seen her. The coin was a Gobrecht Dollar! It was rare! Numismatists would pay considerable sums to add it to their collection! This was such a find! Her eyes were shining with dollar signs and Danny didn't doubt that she had calculated her commission as somewhere between sizeable and handsome.
"That's wonderful news, Alisha," he murmured. "We should drink to finding something special."
He'd left her still warmed by the thoughts of how much money she was going to make and strolled into Maria's to find a packed bar. Maria was flat out behind the counter.
"You need help?" Danny called over.
"Can manage," came the reply followed by "Thanks".
He was debating arguing the point when he heard Rusty behind him.
"Coming through, coming through...Danny!"
Turning round, he saw Rusty struggling to carry a heavily pregnant Pit Bull. Without thinking, he cleared a path through the crowd for Rusty so that he could head towards the bar. Maria took one look and said, "Downstairs" and the pair of them disappeared out back.
"Rick and Ed are taking the other dogs to shelters. You need to get some bedding for this one," Rusty instructed and as Danny looked round Maria's basement flat, added, "and quickly!"
Danny found Maria's bedroom and grabbed the duvet and returned to the living area. He stretched it out on the floor and Rusty knelt down heavily and deposited the dog on top of it. Danny stared at the animal, straining and panting and-
"Oh, no," he muttered.
"Oh, yes," Rusty corrected, losing the overcoat and jacket and rolling up his sleeves. "Any time now."
The fifth puppy came out differently to the others. It wasn't as pink and it didn't make any noise and Rusty cut the cord with Maria's sharp kitchen scissors and passed it up to Danny. Danny had found towels to handle the new arrivals before putting them down beside their mother to be cleaned. The fifth puppy didn't look like it was going to be nuzzling up with its brother and sisters.
Danny held it gently in the towel and Rusty looked up at him.
"Dead, right? Pity." His attention was drawn back to the arrival of puppy number six.
Danny cleared away the birth sac and the mucus from the little pup's mouth and nose. It looked like it should be able to breathe. It looked perfect. His mouth set in a tight line. Giving up was never an option. He rubbed the puppy's tiny body gently with his thumbs.
"You doing CPR on a dog?" Rusty asked, watching him work.
Danny didn't answer. He was too busy willing the dog back to life.
"Danny..."
"You're not going to tell me to stop, are you?"
"No...no," Rusty said and Danny caught the look of quiet hope.
There was a tiny mewling noise and they grinned at each other delightedly.
Ten pups. Small and wriggling and demanding. Little blind mice who hadn't met the farmer's wife yet. Rusty crouched down and stroked the exhausted mother's head.
"Kids," he sympathised and then looked down at the bedding. "Guess we owe Maria a new duvet. We should probably get something fresh for these...well," he looked at the new mom again. "Later."
Danny leant back against the wall and watched with idle interest as the puppies started to scramble over each other to reach their mother's milk.
"How many times have you done that?"
"Including this time? I'd have to say..." Rusty considered the question. "This time."
"Huh." Danny mused for a moment on whether Rusty made everything look so easy.
"Oh, I think for someone who isn't that petfriendly, you did fine too."
There was a shared smile.
"I'll go get cleaned up," Rusty said and disappeared into the bathroom.
"It go OK tonight?" Danny called after him almost as an afterthought and there was a pause and then Rusty's voice floated out.
"We got the dogs. And word on the street will move quickly enough. Thinking Anton will have some fast talking to do."
"Good. C'mon, little fella," Danny encouraged as one of them slipped off the pile and off the duvet. He held it in his hands intending to place it back with the rest of the litter and then looked up, startled, as Rusty emerged, pulling down his cuffs and grabbed his jacket.
"Got to run," Rusty said.
"Oh, no! Oh, no, you don't!" Danny scrambled to his feet. "You can't leave me here with these guys!"
"Maria'll be down soon. I got to go."
"Rusty!"
"Don't sweat it. You're a natural."
"Rus-"
Danny found himself talking to air as Rusty disappeared up the steps and towards the back door that opened on to the alley.
"Fuck," Danny said with feeling.
The puppy he was holding started licking his fingers with its rough tongue.
"And you can stop that," Danny told it crossly.
A/N: yeah. Snuggly puppies. Maybe rainbows and ponies too. Doubt it, though. :)