Red, Green, Gold by InSilva
A/N: do not own anything Oceansy
A/N: for otherhawk.
A/N: am rubbish at finding time to write. Hope I can do better in 2018. Happy New Year!
It was the final hour before dusk and Rusty was watching irregular drops of crimson patterning the early December snow. He had a good view, hoisted as he was over the shoulder of one of LeBec's heavies. They hadn't been properly introduced. During the brawl, he had caught a glimpse of a mouthful of gold teeth and a swift punch. It was the punch that had (a) made his nose bleed and (b) was responsible for the little trail of blood through the snowy back street of Paris. With his hands roughly tied behind his back and a handkerchief stuffed even more roughly in his mouth, there was little Rusty could do to stem the flow.
He sighed inwardly. They were only in Paris for a couple of nights. Politeness had meant making a visit to someone who would expect it if they were in town and this had been a quick little favour for the someone. Nose bleeds and kidnapping were not part of the plan.
He doubted Danny would approve. He wasn't sure he was totally in favour. Especially as it was less plan and more opportunity and the trouble with opportunity was that he hadn't been able to let Danny know things had changed. He'd meant to but Danny's phone was engaged and he'd had to seize the moment. He'd planned to call him afterwards but afterwards had never come.
Danny didn't know any different. Danny would be waiting in the café with the delicious pastries and it wasn't as if he was even late. Yet. By the time Danny came looking…
Rusty sighed again and then let out a grunt as he was unceremoniously dumped on the ground in front of a lock up. Automatically, he started to roll to his feet but a stiff kick took his legs out and another had him doubled over.
Goldie made a tutting sound. "Naughty, naughty." He spoke in French, not caring whether Rusty understood or not.
There was a click of a lock and the door opened. Goldie hauled him to his feet and Rusty squinted into the darkness.
"This is my brother's. You can stay here till I come back with the boss."
He shoved him hard and Rusty braced himself as he fell forward but his face almost immediately found solid and …scratchy. His fingers felt tendrils of vegetation and…bark? A familiar smell made its way dully past the nose bleed. Pine or spruce or some kind of disinfectant… Christmas trees. He was surrounded by them. Goldie's brother must run a market stall.
Supported by the trees, he twisted round and saw the faint outline of Goldie surrounded by the gloom of twilight.
"Later," Goldie promised and pulled the door to, leaving Rusty in a dark forest.
Rusty threw himself towards the door, backing into it, his fingers scrabbling for the handle, for the lock. He needed to get out of there before Goldie returned with LeBec. LeBec would definitely want to continue the conversation Goldie had started back at LeBec's house: a nose bleed and some sore ribs would just be social niceties as far as LeBec was concerned.
The handle wouldn't move but the lock above it seemed straightforward and if he were facing the right way and had any kind of lock pick or blade or indeed hair grip, he would have been out of there in no time. Anything useful had fallen out of his jacket along with his phone during the struggle back at LeBec's so as it was, he needed to accept this was a challenge and improvise. He turned back to the trees, his fingers feeling along a branch. Pine needles were sharp and if he could get a twig broken off, that would surely be something…
The door rattled and he held his breath. Surely Goldie couldn't be back already? Rusty exhaled slowly. If he could head butt one of them and shoulder charge the other, maybe he could get away. They wouldn't be expecting it and they wouldn't be the first he had surprised by going on the attack. He readied himself, up on his toes, facing the door, ready to run.
There was a groan of metal and a flashlight lit him up. He lurched forward and in the same second stopped himself, the tension seeping out of his body.
"Christmas trees?" said Danny, reaching forward and pulling the gag from his mouth. "Ho, ho, ho."
Rusty grinned as Danny pulled him outside and set to work slicing through the rope that bound him. "Does that mean you've got a machine gun now?"
"You're just lucky I spotted LeBec out and about when I was on my way to the café," Danny said, offering his own clean handkerchief to deal with the nose bleed that had thankfully subsided. They started to move quickly and carefully, putting distance between themselves and the lock up. "With him out of the apartment-"
"- I thought I'd take advantage."
That's what I was worried about.
"Headed over to the apartment block and found the snow scuffed up around the back. Also found these." He handed over Rusty's phone and the sharp-bladed tool they both carried.
Rusty nodded his thanks.
"As for finding you…" Danny paused under a street light and reached out, gently tipping Rusty's head back to inspect the damage. "Next time, leave a trail of breadcrumbs. I believe that's traditional."
"Worked, didn't it?" Rusty protested mildly.
Danny glanced at the bloodied nose and rolled his eyes. "Any reason you didn't want to wait for me?"
"Too good an opportunity," Rusty shrugged. "Didn't plan on being interrupted before I could make a clean exit."
"Well, that's the trouble with opportunity. It rarely co-operates."
"Got what I went for though." Rusty pulled the locket from around his neck.
Huh.
That's an impressed 'huh', right?
Danny took the locket and slipped it into his jacket pocket. "You gonna answer the question I'm not asking?"
"Heard I had company and made like I was going in not coming out."
Huh.
That's-
Yes, yes.
"She will be pleased," Rusty said innocently.
"Yeah," Danny smiled and then his face fell. "Yeah."
They'd stopped off at their hotel for Rusty to clean up and now they were standing in front of the townhouse. Danny sighed and Rusty did his best not to smirk.
"Bonsoir." The butler answered the door and recognised them. "Vous voulez voir Madame?"
"S'il vous plait, Etienne," Rusty nodded.
They were shown into the drawing room with its rich furnishings and art and they waited, murmuring professional appreciation of the Renoir and the little sculpture on the side. Then the double doors opened and a little dog ran in, making its way unerringly for Danny's ankles.
"Chou-Chou!" a woman's voice floated into the room, full of chastisement, and the dog retreated.
"Mes jeunes! I did not expect you back so soon!" A plump, elegantly-dressed woman entered the room and they both bowed their heads and kissed the outstretched hands of La Duchesse, an influential Parisian fence.
As they straightened up, she caught sight of Rusty's still sore face. "Oh, mon pauvre!"
"Duchesse, ça ne fait rien," he dismissed her concern. "We have brought back what was taken from you."
"Vraiment? So quickly?"
Danny produced the gold locket and handed it carefully over to her. Duchesse reverently ran her fingers over its surface and let out a contented sigh.
"Thank you, mes amis," she said with feeling and planted kisses firmly on first Danny's and then Rusty's cheeks. "I am in your debt."
"It was our pleasure to be able to assist you, Duchesse," Danny said with the proper degree of courtesy and formality that they knew she appreciated.
"Please sit down." She motioned to the exquisitely upholstered couches. "We must celebrate. Etienne, some drinks!"
They sat down and Chou-Chou immediately jumped on to Danny's lap.
You are a dog magnet.
Some guys have all the luck.
Etienne arrived with a tray of liqueurs. Danny accepted his and stared at it. He glanced sideways at Rusty who was sipping his.
"Chartreuse," Duchesse said helpfully.
"How does it taste?" Danny murmured sotto voce.
"Green," said Rusty truthfully.
Mmm…
Duchesse was still fingering the locket. "May I ask where you found it?"
"The thief took it to LeBec," Danny said.
"We took it from there," Rusty added.
Duchesse nodded and her composure looked a little less perfect than it usually did. Her hands dropped to her lap and her fingers knotted around the long gold chain. When she spoke, her voice was low and hesitant. "Did you-did you look inside?"
"No, Duchesse," Danny reassured her and Rusty shook his head.
A smile flashed brilliantly across her face and off again. "Maybe you think I am a foolish woman to be upset over such a trifle-"
"All that matters-"
"-is that it matters to you."
She looked from one to the other and smiled again, her hand closing tightly around the locket. "I will not forget."
Duchesse sat up straighter, all her poise back in place. "And now you will be my guests at Maxim's. I insist. Etienne, make the reservation, please."
The meal had been splendid and they had gone on their way with Duchesse's thanks ringing in their ears.
"How's the nose?" Danny asked as they sauntered back to the hotel.
Rusty prodded it gingerly. "Think I might have a job if it's foggy Christmas Eve."
"Where do you want to be if he comes calling?"
Rusty considered. "Phoenix."
Danny raised an eyebrow then lowered it. "Ah…Sully's."
"Quesadillas, margaritas and fry bread tacos," Rusty said dreamily.
"Next stop, Arizona," Danny promised.