A human Alastor stepped out of the studio, looking up and down the street. He had noticed a shadow as of late and was growing quite annoyed.
He had been kicking himself ever since the Detective had stopped by the station. One slip of the tongue and now everywhere he went the man seemed to be. Always in the background. At the table of his favorite coffee shop, at the bar when he'd occasionally went for drinks with his coworkers. From work to home to everywhere in between he was a deer with a hunting dog on his tail.
Today he admitted he couldn't spot the nuisance of a man. With a sigh he stretched in the sunlight, feeling relief. Perhaps for once he would be walking home alone.
That's when he noticed the man in the hat. He couldn't see the face under the wide brim but it was that same worn suit jacket he had grown accustomed to. It seemed that the detective only owned 4 and they were in constant rotation. He felt a pang of pride at his own observances, feeling the detective had no clue who he was up against. Alastor was just as clever and could do some sleuthing himself.
The detective was always tired, his hair always wanted a cutting as it always fell into those dancing eyes, and he was always in need of new clothes. His shoes were prying up from the sole on one foot and his jackets had lost their luster. Practical wool things. Everything sturdy, reasonable, wholly unattractive. That hat was out of fashion and the brim drooped. He sometimes wondered if it was a disguise of sorts but he had worn it on an official check in as well.
He started down the street and the man in the hat followed. At first he pretended not to notice as usual but today he was feeling a bit bolder. He ducked down an odd street. The figure in the hat gave him some breath before following him. He ducked down another. Another. Smirking to himself as the detective kept stride. Closer and closer to the wharf.
Finally he came to a restaurant. A hole-in-the-wall place, smelling of fish. The man in the hat held back and occupied himself with a sign of a next door market, casually pretending he wasn't stalking his prey. Alastor now moved back towards him. He saw the figure stiffen.
"Hungry detective?" Alastor snidely asked as he sidled up next to the man.
The figure froze for a moment. There was a small chuckle as the brim of the hat was tipped up to reveal Nick Davie's dancing eyes.
"I THOUGHT you might have been on to me." He seemed amused.
"I expected more from the New Orleans Bloodhound," Alastor sighed back dramatically. "I've noticed you the past couple weeks."
Nick ducked his head to hide a small smile, shrugged. "You'd be surprised how unobservant most people are. Usually this works just fine."
Alastor moved back to the restaurant, collecting two bowls of gumbo. He turned back to the detective and jerked his head towards some benches by the water. The detective eyed him curiously.
"Best Gumbo in town. If you're going to be following me, why not have a meal and get to know each other?"
The Detective gave him a wolfish grin.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The spot where Alastor had vanished was where all eyes were trained. Everyone looked at each other, unsure of themselves.
"Kat," a gravelly voice came from the back. Husker leaned in the doorway, bottle in hand.
He stumbled to her, bracing himself against the couch in his tipsy-ness.
"Your drunk, ya Tom Cat," she admonished, lightly pushing his shoulder.
He shook his head wearily. "Alastor's right. If the people of hell know you're here it's gonna be trouble. Sorry but he's got a lot of enemies who would love to…we need to make sure you're safe."
"I agree. We need to put this place on lockdown until we see what happens," Vaggie interjected.
"I'll start patrolling outside," Nick chimed in. "Better safe than sorry. Is there any tracker on Ali? He's bound to off and do something extreme-"
"DON'T call him that."
Everyone froze at Husker's outburst.
They turned to the swaying cat demon, drunk and fuming.
Nick gave a graceful nod. "I understand how much you care about him-"
"Can you stop acting like-like-you're anything other than a damn rat. That's all you are. You had him fooled. But not me. I'm not gonna let you get him a second time. Go put your head in the sand and let us figure this out."
Nick eyed the cat demon carefully. "I assure you I only mean to-" He paused, "There's a lot going on. I agree we should focus on locking down and making a plan. Good idea."
Nick's eyes were hard but his mouth still slid into a slight smile. Husker growled.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nick groaned over another spoonful of gumbo. The two were perched on a bench overlooking the bay.
"I TOLD you it was the best," Alastor chuckled. Nick murmured in agreement. They sat in silence for a moment.
"So you were just going to follow me until you," he held out his hands dramatically, "caught me red handed. Blood stained fingers?" Alastor began wringing his hands together, affecting an atrocious British accent, "Out, out damned spot!"
Nick gave a throatier laugh, removing his hat and pressing it to his chest. "Tomorrow and to tomorrow and tomorrow…" he murmured affectionately. "I fell asleep watching that one. Loved to read it, but the actors were bad."
"The Nola Moon Players?"
Nick nodded, spooning another bite.
"They rejected me 3 times in my youth."
"Well I suppose you've shown them now. Radio is replacing the stage as we know it. Let them be left in the dust."
Alastor laughed. "I haven't been to a show in ages."
Nick raised an eyebrow, "No? I would have thought you'd catch that Moliere thing they did a few months ago. One night engagement of The Misanthrope? Seems like your humor style with all the corny jokes you broadcast yourself."
"No no no," Alastor waved his hand dismissively. "I have no stomach for bad theater."
"Something better to do with your time?"
"Oh probably home reading or the sort. Anything rather than dying of boredom there."
"Shame," Nick muttered quietly, smiling into his next bite.
Now Alastor raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"
Nick looked for a moment as though he wouldn't answer, but then his smile broke out, like a child hiding a secret. "You were recorded for buying a ticket. One night performance. I couldn't go because I was dealing with-"
"The priest….the axe murder…" Alastor finished, a little snap to his tone. "I see what you're playing at. A coincidence. A friend bought us tickets and I refused mine so he could bring a lady. It worked out in both our favor."
"A nice alibi that could've been," Nick teased around a mouthful of rice.
"Anyways you didn't answer my question."
"Oh!" He chewed faster, swallowed. "Yes. I suppose so. Until I catch you or until I become your alibi. If someone does murder while you're with me it's pretty cut and dry isn't it?
"Didn't someone just die two days ago? We reported it on the station yesterday morning. Another Slasher strike they were saying."
Nick eyed him carefully a moment. As if deciding whether or not to speak. Alastor tried to seem harmlessly curious but felt his heart beat speed. It had been Husker, much to his friends hesitance. An attempt to throw the detective off his trail. An alibi had been exactly-"
"It wasn't him…" Nick finally answered, turning his eyes to the bay. "I'm sure you know this isn't for the radio. The chief is afraid the public will fear more if they know about it being a separate occurrence…but…it was a copy cat, perhaps an accomplice. Not our guy."
Alastor tried to disguise the jolt he felt. "How can you be sure?"
"Angle of the stab wounds," Nick spoke casually around another bite, not letting the grizzly topic affect his appetite. "Whoever that was, they were about a foot shorter and left handed." Nick demonstrated a stabbing motion with his fork in between bites."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Nick could hear a clattering in the kitchen. Poking his head in he saw the other angel, her hair tied up and white sleeves pushed up around her elbows. A delicious smell drifted his way.
"Haven't you been confined to your room?"
She turned with a start. She made no attempt to hide her disappointment that it was him before turning back to the stove. It had only been 24 hours of her quarantine yet she still seemed restless. No doubt worrying about the lack of knowledge on her son.
He sighed and moved to the table, pulling out a chair and sitting.
"Everyone else is equally as excited to see me," he said with a laugh. "They're avoiding me like I came bearing the measles."
"Can you blame them," Kat tossed over her shoulder.
"Why are you avoiding me?"
She paused. She turned to him and saw him smile. She frowned knowing he was baiting her.
"Forgive me for not wanting to get too chummy with my son's murderer?" She raised an eyebrow.
He gave a bark of a laugh. "That's rich."
She turned back to her cooking. "I know we need to be working together," she murmured. "This is just...difficult."
He nodded. "I expect it must be. But I do think we should chat. Report to each other. Angels of a feather flock together and all that."
"Til the cat comes."
He squinted, his smile turning inquisitive. "What?"
"Birds of a feather flock together, until the cat comes," Kat repeated. "That's how the saying goes."
He hummed, standing and moving to the pot. He leaned over her shoulder and inhaled, his eyes lighting up.
"It's the hot chocolate," he said excitedly, rubbing his hands together.
Katherine looked confused.
"Ali made the best coco. Never told me what he put in it. I tried to recreate it after….well…" he waved his hand dismissively. " But I never could figure it out."
Katherine tried not to react, but glanced at him from the corner of her eye. "Family secret," she muttered.
"May I?"
She regarded him for a moment before ladling two cups.
"He made it for you?"
Nick's eyes rolled dramatically as he took a first sip. A sighing smile. "Many times. I know you'll find it hard to believe but we spent quite a bit of time together."
Katherine looked skeptical. He nodded.
"All for the sake of information of course. He was my main target. You'll find this funny. He wasn't even a suspect at first. I was doing a routine check at the radio station and he practically tattled on himself. Bit of a talker, your son."
She couldn't help but giggle. "He couldn't lie to save his life when he was a kid. Talked himself into a corner every time."
"Put on a big show of how dreadful the murders were and slipped up revealing some information he shouldn't have known. I knew it was him the very minute. No proof mind you, but….I was suspicious enough."
Katherine didn't say anything, just sipped her coco, eyes starting to look glassy.
"I'm sure it's uncomfortable to hear about," Nick smiled softly. "And you're worried. I can promise you, to a FAULT Ali would do anything for you. He'll take care of himself, he's just on some sort of scheme of his to protect you." She didn't look up from her cup. He continued, his voice dropping. "Can I tell you about something else?"
Her eyes didn't leave the cup, but she nodded.
"I'm never wrong but I'd never been more disappointed to be right when it came to him." He said it slowly, as if he were tasting the words. "I started hanging around him more, not exactly tailing him, just keeping an eye. He was aware and tried to entertain it, hoping to throw me off his trail I suspect. But…after a while I really began to hope I was mistaken. Long walks, exchanging books, dinner chats. I was quite fond of him. For all his deeds, I daresay I…understand him. Sympathize. He wasn't a bad man."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alastor stepped out of the studio, and immediately looked up and down the street, frowning as he saw no one he recognized. The detective had been making it a point to walk him home most everyday for the past weeks. It was a rhythm he had fallen into. At first it was under the guise of the detective needing to speak with him about something concerning the case. Alastor was quick to call him out on the fact that he knew he was tracking him. Making sure he actually went home. A shadow whose company he had become accustomed to. Today he had actually been looking forward to it, however. A book in his pocket for the constantly tired man. A show of good will. At least that is what he told himself.
Disappointed, and confused as to why he was so disappointed, he began on his journey home. It seemed longer than he remembered and he realized he almost missed Davie's playful remarks and sniffing nose. He tried to convince himself that he was only entertained by the challenge.
"Ali," he heard from behind and turned to see the detective wiggling a pinky at him, his hands filled with two steaming paper cups.
He forced a frown, although he felt a bit excited to see him.
"Thought you were giving me a break for once," Alastor chided playfully.
Nick smirked, handing him one of the cups. Milk and two sugars. Just as he preferred. He accepted it without a word.
"Quite the opposite actually," the detective said. Something seemed different about him today. He seemed more tired than usual, and…shy?
He watched as Davies scratched awkwardly at his neck. "I was actually hoping…" he trailed off and finally have an exasperated sigh. "The big to-do your throwing, the radio is throwing rather. Obviously I'll be in attendance due to the case, but the chief…well has made me aware that it is an embarrassment to the force for me to not be dressed in more…appropriate attire."
Alastor squinted. Confused.
Nick rolled his eyes, and tugged pointedly at his jacket. "I need a new suit."
Alastor's eyes widened and he barked out a laugh. "You want me to go clothes shopping with you."
Nick glared, his cheeks turning pink. "I'm a bit clueless in this department and thought you'd be the best to ask, fop that you are."
"Shall we pick out some rouge as well? Perhaps braid each other's hair?" Alastor taunted.
"Of course. Silly of me." Nick muttered, his free hand slipping back into his pocket.
Alastor couldn't hide his smirk but he did feel a twinge of guilt. It wasn't often he saw the man frazzled. And he could guess the chief hadn't been kind either.
"My tailor is the best in N'alans," Alastor said slowly. "If I have your permission to take a detour, we can go now."
Nick smirked. "You're always allowed to take detours, you just don't when you're with me."
Alastor feigned a glare but started walking away. Nick smiled slightly before falling into step with him.
