Today was one of those days where Nick was really thinking of a career change.
Most of the time, he loved being a cop. He loved using his ability to read people so well in order to put violent offenders behind bars.
This was not one of those times.
A robbery had occurred in one of the most upscale homes in Portland. A precious family heirloom, a diamond necklace had been taken. Multiple family members were accusing one another. No one had any proof and there were no cameras inside the house to even see who was in or near the room where the necklace was placed.
And now he was dealing with a spoiled brat who thought this was all a game and kept trying to flirt with him while he was questioning her.
"Miss, I need you to tell me where you were all day?" Nick repeated himself for the upteenth time.
"Well, detective," The young woman gave a coy smile and tilted her chest out slightly, trying to get Nick to look down her shirt. "I'm sure whatever I was doing, would have been way more fun with you there." She then leaned back and stretched out her legs, attempting to touch him with her foot. "I know I can show you a good time."
Nick sighed, pulled out his cell phone and brought up a picture he had taken of Adalind holding Kelly.
He shows the picture to the heiress. "This is what I go home to every night. These are the people I would much rather be spending time with."
Going back through his phone, Nick finds a video had had recorded.
It had been a good morning. The whole day had been good, but this video had been taken in the morning. Nick and Adalind had been able to sleep in, thanks to their son sleeping in. Kelly was in a good mood, giggling and making happy baby noises.
That put Adalind in a good mood.
So she had decided to make pancakes. She had put music on, and, wearing a pair of cotton shorts and an old shirt of Nick's, had done a little singing and dancing while fixing breakfast.
Nick had of course decided the whole scene should be recorded, being too cute not to, and had done just that.
Adalind was in too good a mood to care about the phone recording her, since one of her favorite songs had come on, and had kissed the air toward the camera.
Nick had assumed toward Kelly, since he was holding their son in that moment, but anyone who watched the video, would think it was toward the person holding the phone.
All in all, it made it look like Nick was in a loving relationship with a beautiful woman and they had a child together. All of it practically screamed domesticity. A perfect and happy life. And there was no need to look elsewhere.
Showing her the video, Nick then gave the heiress a pointed look, saying, "You really think I would trade spending time with her, for spending time with you?"
Rich brat had been shocked for a moment. She hadn't expected any man to turn her down, ever. Now, she crossed her arms and actually pouted. Throwing a silent tantrum over being rejected.
Nick looked back at the image on his phone. He smiled softly for a moment as he gazed at the woman on the screen. His irritation was lowered knowing that he when he got home, she would be there, with their son, and she would look pleased to see him. Like she always did.
And wasn't that the most amazing thing.
There had been a time when they both had cringed at the very thought of the other.
Now, Nick and Adalind legitimately enjoyed one anothers company. They could tease each other good naturally and neither would feel insulted and get mad.
Like when she told him he was too easy to read. Everything he felt was all over his face.
He had said she was one to talk, whatever mood she was in, she expressed verbally and physically. He never had to wonder what was on her mind, because she always spoke it.
Adalind retorted by stealing the rest of his slice of the pie they were having.
Her smug smile prompted him to launch at her and they ended up in a tickle fight. They both started laughing. Their faces got very close together. Adalind had wound up in Nick's lap, his arms tightly around her, to keep her from tickling him.
But as he held her, Nick realized he liked having Adalind in his arms. It felt right.
The only reason he had let go, was because they had heard Kelly start to fuss.
That moment had stayed with Nick. He wanted Adalind. Desired her.
But he knew it wasn't the right time to pursue anything physical. So Nick had excused himself to the bathroom and taken care of his need, keeping his free hand over his mouth to muffle his moans. While his only thought was of Adalind and how it had felt with her in his lap, and in his arms.
Wanting more than anything to be heading home to his pretty blonde and their son, Nick decides to let the debutante stew for a while and go see if anyone else has gotten anywhere with the case.
"I did some checking." Wu informed Nick and Hank, "And it looks like this diamond necklace is worth a lot of money and heavily insured."
"So are we thinking this could end up being some kind of insurance scam?" Hank asked. "Someone in the family steals the necklace, collects the insurance payment and either sells the necklace for double the profit or keeps it hidden?"
"It's possible." Wu replied. "Problem is, the person who is entitled to the insurance is the matriarch of the family. And she has a solid alibi, she was out with her oldest granddaughter all day. And she seems to be more distraught over the loss of the sentimental value, and not the financial one."
"What was she doing out with her oldest granddaughter?" Nick asked. His grimm instincts kicking in and telling him there was something important about that outing.
"Wedding preparations." Wu said. "Apparently, the granddaughter will be the first of the grand kids to get married. Grandma took her and her fiance to lunch, and then to look at potential venues."
"I need to ask the grandmother something." Nick said, an idea forming.
He goes into the captain's office, where the elderly woman was sitting on the couch, having been placed there for her comfort.
"Mam, I'm curious. This necklace, is it given to the first in a generation to be married?"
"Why, yes. Yes it is." The woman replied. "I was going to give to my oldest granddaughter to wear on her wedding day." The elderly woman looked to be brought to tears again. "That necklace has been in my family for generations, and now, it is gone."
"Maybe not." Nick comforted the woman. "Your second granddaughter, does she live with you?"
"Yes, she does. She's been having some troubles. Fights with her boyfriend. She said they he ruined her credit. That he has spread lies about her and she got kicked out of her apartment, and can't seem to get another one." The grandmother informed the detective.
"Thank you, mam. You've been a big help."
Nick then goes back out to Hank and Wu.
"We need to search the second granddaughter's room and car." Nick informs them.
"Her room won't be a problem. Since she lives with her grandmother and that whole house is a crime scene. Car might be an issue though." Wu said.
Grandma just told me that her second granddaughter has been having a lot of financial problems. "What do you want to bet that her car payments might be a part of that.?"
"Partner, you are a genius." Hank said, and the men headed out to search the second granddaughter's properties.
Sure enough, Nick was right.
The car was way behind in payments and was repossessed that day. There were also a lot of outstanding speeding and parking tickets, which meant the granddaughter had a lot of self entitlement issues, and that the car was able to be impounded by the city. Giving Nick and Hank the ability to search it and find the necklace hidden in the spare tire.
"She was angry that he cousin was getting married before her, and would be getting the prized necklace." Nick told Adalind the whole story when he got home that night. "When we confronted her, she actually started shouting that the necklace should be hers anyway. Her cousin didn't deserve the necklace. That it wasn't fair that she was getting married and would be getting the necklace. The girl's family says she has always hated when she wasn't the center of attention. And would throw tantrums when she didn't get her way."
"Was she a hexenbiest?" Adalind laughed.
"Nope, just a regular human." Nick chuckled. "I was reminded that they can be monsters, too."
"What made you suspect her in the first place?" Adalind asked.
"She was flirting with me." Nick answered. "Her grandmother is distressed. A family heirloom is missing. She's sitting in a police station, being interrogated, and she was making a pass at the detective questioning her. That's not something someone who was worried about her family member would do. And when I flat out rejected her, she pouted. So it was obvious that she lacked machority."
"You weren't even a little tempted?" Adalind inquired. Keeping a smile on her face, as if teasing, but still genuinely curious.
"Not even a little." Nick admitted. "Everything about her felt wrong. I found myself getting more annoyed with her longer she continued to flirt."
Adalind felt very relieved to hear him say that, not liking the idea of Nick being interested in anyone. She tried to keep her expression that of amusement, not wanting Nick to question her on the feelings she didn't yet want to analyse.
Nick was too busy with his own inner struggle to pay to close attention to Adalind.
A part of him wanted to tell her about showing the spoiled heiress her picture to get the brat to leave him alone. But he wasn't sure about opening that particular can of worms.
Whatever was starting between them, was still too new and fragile. They needed more time to figure it out for themselves, before bringing it out in the open.