Chapter XIV
The night had grown bitterly cold, even inside the Station. Killian left David sitting by his desk in his office and quickly boiled some water, pouring himself and the other man a cup of tea.
David seemed lost in his own thoughts when Killian handed him the mug. "Thank you," he said, his eyes meeting Killian's gaze dead on, like a man with nothing to hide. "I hope Kathryn's somewhere warm, not out in this cold."
Killian wanted to believe David's good intentions were sincere. He wanted to believe the man in front of him had nothing to do with his wife's disappearance. That he was genuinely concerned about her whereabouts. That he wasn't simply putting on an act for Killian's benefit. But he'd chased enough skips and scumbags in the last decade to know that evil came in all shapes and forms.
"Mate, I think you need to start thinking about your situation here. Your wife is missing. You're allegedly in love with another woman." Killian reached for the phone record sheet. "And then there's this phone call you can't seem to explain."
"I know, I know," David sighed, his eyes scanning the sheet of paper again. "I can't explain why it says that." He looked at Killian with a troubled expression. "I swear, I didn't do anything to Kathryn."
Killian studied him for a long moment, trying not to show his internal struggle. He had proof, in black and white, that the man had lied to him - at least about the phone call. And yet, his internal lie detector, the one thing he'd relied on his entire life - other than Emma's keen instincts about pretty much everything - was screaming against it. David seemed sincere in his statement and so troubled about the entire situation that even despite everything he knew about human nature, he couldn't bring himself to hold the man. He knew that in cases like this, he couldn't make a false move and compromise the entire investigation.
"I've been around a lot of liars and they usually have better material," Killian took a sip from his mug. He stood to open the door of his office. "Now go home."
"I can go?" David asked warily, clearly confused by this.
"I don't even know if there is a crime yet, mate." Killian leaned on the door. "Go home and get some sleep."
"Thank you." David placed the mug back down on the desk and stood up to leave. He'd crossed the threshold before Killian spoke again. "David?" he called, waiting until the other man turned back to him. "Perhaps you should consider hiring a lawyer."
David looked crestfallen as he nodded and left the station.
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Killian chose to walk the few blocks home, letting the chill seep into his bones in the hopes it might numb his mind a little and put a stop to his raging thoughts. His peace of mind was short lived, however, as Mary Margaret appeared on the sidewalk before him, reaching out for him, a hint of frantic fear in her voice.
"Is he okay? David?"
It seemed she still cared, even after all of David's deceptions. Killian sighed, giving her a small smile as he slowed down and let her fall into step beside to him. "Aye, he's shaken up but on his way home."
"Any news from Kathryn? Did you check with Boston?"
Killian shook his head in defeat. "She's not there, Mary Margaret."
"What happened to her?" There was something in her voice that seemed not being able to grasp the magnitude of what was to come, and Killian felt an overwhelming need to protect her, to make her realize what she was about to face.
If she thought ten volunteers dropping out of her bloody festival was bad, she wasn't going to survive what came next.
"All we know is that Kathryn found out about you two, treated you to a well-deserved slap and has now has vanished, her car found abandoned by the side of the road."
Mary Margaret had stopped walking, her expression wounded and stricken. His words had made a dent in her, he could see it.
"Well deserved? Is that what you think?" The obvious hurt in her voice tugged at Killian's better nature. But best she hear it from him.
He took a slow step towards her, his hand reaching out to grasp her shoulder.
"No, not at all, darling. But that's what they will. I'm just trying to prepare you for how bad things are going to get if Kathryn isn't found soon."
"They wouldn't think that David-" Mary Margaret started but Killian cut her off.
"They already do. And he's not doing himself any favors by following you around with yearning looks and doey eyes the same day his wife goes missing." Killian swallowed, his eyes meeting hers. "So if you know something, if there is anything about yesterday that you haven't told me…."
"I don't know anything" Mary Margaret attested. "I wasn't with him. I haven't even talked to him today."
Killian knew she was telling him the truth. "Aye." He nodded and prodded her to start walking again. "Let's go home, it's bloody freezing out here."
They hadn't even made it ten steps in the direction of the loft when they both spotted Ruby standing by the bus stop. She was carrying a suitcase in one hand and seemed to be in the middle of fending off the insistent attentions of one Dr. Whale. From Killian's vantage point, it didn't look as though Whale's advances were welcome.
"No, I really don't need a ride." Ruby's words were firm, even with that creeping edge of annoyance. Her meaning was impossible to misinterpret.
And yet, Whale persisted with all the ignorance of a man that didn't know when to stop. "It's awfully cold. Let me carry your bag."
The second step that Ruby took back spurred both Killian and Mary Margaret into action.
"Dr. Whale," Mary Margaret called in a sharp tone.
Whale turned around, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Mary Margaret," he said as his eyes traveled over her figure. Gods, Killian hated the idiot. To think that just today, he'd been encouraging Mary Margaret to perhaps give him another chance.
Killian's contempt must have been visible on his face because Whale cleared his throat. "Sheriff, I was just, um, I-" He pointed towards the street. "Maybe I should-"
"Get lost, mate," Killian didn't have enough energy left in him to be polite at this point.
Whale nodded in acquiesce and simply walked away while Mary Margaret checked on Ruby. "Was he bothering you?"
Ruby shook her head with a wry smile. "The day I can't handle a leech is the day I leave town." She turned around and Killian could see her breath coming out in puffs. "Which this is, I guess."
The suitcase should have been a dead giveaway, if Killian weren't already bone tired. "You're leaving?"
"I had a fight with Granny. Quit my job," Ruby declared with only a hint of a smile.
"You quit? Where're you going?" Mary Margaret's frantic voice made Killian's senses wake up a little.
"I don't know. Away." Ruby shrugged, a hint of apprehension coming to her eyes as she eyed the bus stop sign.
"Buses out of town don't really happen." Killian hated to burst the woman's bubble, but he hadn't seen any buses in the time he'd been here. Before now he hadn't paid it much mind. He hadn't wanted to think of the implications, what with Henry's theories about cursed towns. "Also, you might want a destination first. Figure out what you want to do?"
He knew a thing or two about running away from places and he didn't think Ruby would make it without thinking a little about it first. Killian? For him it was a second nature to simply pack one bag, get in his car and drive away… but he'd had a lifetime of moving from one place to another, whereas Ruby, to his knowledge, had never left Storybrooke.
"Hey," Mary Margaret started in that tone that Killian knew well. He'd been on the receiving end of it on a different chilly night. "If you need a place to figure things out, you could always come home with us."
Oh for the love of… just what he needed after the day he'd had. Not to mention the days he'd have ahead if Kathryn didn't turn up.
Mary Margaret turned to look at him, her concern palpable, and he could feel his resolve crumbling. She was right, it wasn't good form to leave a girl stranded in the street on such a cold night. He was a gentleman - or so his mother used to say.
"Yes, lass, you can have my room." He moved around to pick up Ruby's suitcase. "I'll take the couch." He gave Mary Margaret a pointed look. If people weren't already talking before, the fact that he was now an unattached man living with not just one but two single ladies, was going to be the talk of the town.
Mary Margaret seemed to read all his thoughts and soon her lips were turning up into a smile. "Nonsense Killian, you're a big boy and you need to be upstairs… You wouldn't fit on the couch anyway." She linked her arm with Ruby's and gave him her best impression of a kinky smile. "Ruby and I can share my bed."
He tilted his head and cocked a salacious eyebrow. "Hang on, let me go get Whale… he might want to hear that. Maybe even beg you to let him watch."
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Killian didn't stay on the ground floor long enough to find out about the sleeping arrangements for the night. After safely depositing Ruby's suitcase in a corner of the room, by the couch, he tilted his head in a farewell bid and escaped upstairs. He barely had time to change into his sleeping clothes before he collapsed into the bed and let the exhaustion of the day drag him down into a deep slumber.
He woke up the next morning slightly disoriented - he'd been dreaming about Emma again. The details had been fuzzy, but there he could feel a desperation in her dream version that made his throat close in despair as he fought the dread in the pit of his stomach. Running a hand through this hair, he picked up a change of clothes and headed downstairs, ready to start the day.
The ground floor of the loft was deserted, a note left on the counter - next to a covered plate - informed him that both Ruby and Mary Margaret had taken off for the day. He smiled at the fact that they were thoughtful enough to leave him coffee and breakfast ready and he quickly jumped into the shower. After dispatching the pancakes and two mugs of coffee, rinsing the dishes and tidying up a bit, he was ready to start patrolling the town for any clues he might have missed before heading into the station later.
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Killian walked into the station, the muscles on his back already aching from the time spent pounding the pavement trying to find some clues, when a feminine voice surprised him.
"Sheriff's station. Hey, Miss Ginger. Uh, no, that's not a prowler. That's Archie's dog – Pongo. Throw him a vanilla wafer. He'll quiet down. Did you still want to talk to Killian? Great. Glad I could help." Killian took a few steps into the room, marveling at the site of Ruby - looking like, well, Ruby - manning the phone efficiently as she dispatched the call, Henry sitting right next to her. Her little smile warmed his heart. She seemed to be in a better mood than the night before.
"How are you?" He asked as the threw the keys over his desk and discarded his leather jacket.
"Great!" Ruby said sarcastically, her smile now fading into a pout. "Except that I can't do anything."
There was something in her voice that tugged at Killian's heart. He remembered that feeling of inadequacy very well. It had been imprinted on him - and Emma - time after time from foster family after foster family. It'd only been the memories of his parents and brother's loving words what had prevented him believing the worst of what they said about him. It seemed like Ruby needed a little of that encouragement these days.
"I'm sure that is not true, lass. I've just seen you attending to that call very efficiently."
"That?" The disbelief in her voice was heartbreaking. "That was nothing."
Killian clenched his jaw, ready to contradict her but stopping himself short as a new idea formed in his head. From the files he'd been pouring over after Graham's death, he knew there was budget enough in the station to cover for a deputy and an assistant/secretary at the station. The positions had simply never been filled - at least not until Graham had offered him the deputy job. He could use someone like Ruby to help him out. She knew how to manage the phones, was cordial enough and had the town knowledge to stop the more petty matters from ever reaching his desk. Besides, he'd set up a hotline in hopes that someone had seen anything related to Kathryn's disappearance. He could use Ruby's help to sort out the pranksters from the legitimate tips. And quite honestly, he could use someone around in the office to distract him from the silence that had filled the place since it'd been only him on the job.
"No, it isn't nothing." He made his tone firm but gentle at the same time as his eyes focused on her. "I have some the wiggle room in the budget, and I could use someone like you to help out around here if you're willing."
Ruby's eyes lit with cheer and her smile widened as she quickly stood up from the chair and faced him. "Yes! Killian, thank you so much! I could answer the phone and help out. What else do you need? I can organize files, clean up. Please, I want to be useful."
Her bubbly energy and eagerness to help made Killian smile softly. "I tell you what. I'm currently focused on the Kathryn Nolan case and I'd be grateful if you'd be so kind as to grab us some lunch. I am in desperate need of a burger and fries."
"Done." She smirked as she grabbed her jacket and bag, turning to Henry. "Do you want anything?"
"Two chocolate chips, and apple pie and a hot dog."
Killian chuckled as he reached for his wallet and handed Ruby some money. "He's at that growing age it seems."
He was heading to his office when he heard Ruby speak again. "Mary Margaret! I'm getting lunch for everyone, do you want some?"
Killian turned in time to see Mary Margaret shake her head before her eyes found his. She looked concerned and slightly frightened.
"It's David," she said as she stood next to Killian, her voice filled with worry. "He's in the woods and there's something wrong with him." Her eyes were begging for Killian's help. "He looked right through me as he didn't know me… as if he was a different person."
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Killian took a few moments to shrug on his leather jacket and review the paperwork spread around his desk while Henry carefully locked his storybook in one of the drawers in the deputy desk.
"Lad, I'm sorry to cut your visit short, but I need to investigate this situation with David."
"It's okay," Henry lift one of his shoulders in an understanding way. "I'm supposed to meet my mom anyway." He handed Killian the keys of the drawer and gave him a quizzical look, that look he'd come to associate with all Operation Cobra's affairs. "You know, you can let Ruby do more."
"Is that so?" Killian's lips curve into a smile, still marveled at his son's imagination to find a fairytale character match for every person in the town. "And who might Ruby be?"
"Little Red Riding Hood."
Killian almost snorted as he tried to connect Ruby's alluring image with the one he had in his mind from the childhood tale. "Really? With the innocent smile and the little basket? I really don't see it, Henry."
"She's a badass. She just doesn't remember how cool she is or what she's capable of. But it's true." Henry's unwavering faith in people never ceased to amaze Killian. He gave his son a small smile and a quick nod of his head as the child left the station and Ruby walked in, her shoulders slumped and sad smile on her face.
"Here's your lunch," she announced as she placed the brown bag and the sodas on the desk. "One thing I know I can do right after all."
Henry had a point about her lack of confidence and Killian ached for her. He never thought Ruby as anything but a confident person from the way she'd engaged with customers and everyone in town. But the way she carried herself - almost crass at times - seemed to be just a facade to hide her real feelings. Killian could relate to that, as he'd resorted to hiding his true feelings underneath a tough exterior a few times as well.
"I tell you what, lass." He grabbed the paper bag and the sodas. "Let's pack this up and we can eat in the car. I need to head into the woods and I could use your help with the search."
Ruby seemed uncertain. "I'm pretty sure I'm going to screw it up. I mean I'll do it with flair, but-" she shrugged her shoulders in a self-deprecating way that Killian knew so well.
"Flair is a requisite for the job, darling." He quirked an eyebrow at her. "Besides, you can't possibly be worse at tracking in the woods than me. I promise, you'll be fine."
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The ride towards the edge of town was silent while Killian devoured his burger quickly, mulling over the past few days, not being able to control some of the thoughts invading his mind. He'd already had enough with the gossip surrounding Mary Margaret and him living together - and her dalliance with David - to add any more tattles regarding Ruby. And he didn't want to give any impression to the woman that he might be interested in anything other than having her lend a helping hand around the station. He pulled over the side at the beginning of the trail that went into the woods.
"Ruby," he started, clearing his throat, warmth blushing his cheeks. "You know I'm not taking you into the woods to try anything, aye? I mean, you know that me offering you the job is not-" he stuttered over his words while Ruby quirked an eyebrow at him. "When we first met, I might have made a few remarks but I-"
Her lips curved into a smile and she pressed a hand over his arm to stop his idiotic babbling. "Relax, hotshot. It's clear to all of us that you're still hung up on Henry's mother. A decade later." She looked at him from top to bottom, assessing him. "She must have been one hell of a girl."
His mind filled with images of Emma: from her quirky smiles to her fiercest looks and everything in between. Everything that made him miss her day in and out.
"That she was," he admitted softly as they got out of the car and headed to the woods.
A few months living here in Maine, but Killian still had little to no idea on what he was doing while tracking in the woods. He tried to scout the terrain and pay attention to footprints on the ground, but his attempts were feeble at best. After all, he thought those looked like fresh boot prints but being actually sure was a different matter altogether.
"This place is massive. How are we supposed to find one guy?" Ruby was having a hard time finding some of the confidence she seemed to flaunt around the diner.
"Perhaps we can hear him?" Killian offered but he didn't sound sure even to his own ears.
"Massive, Killian." She threw her hands in frustration.
"Look, I think those boot prints might be fresh. Let's follow those and see what turns out."
Ruby looked at him with despair. "I shouldn't be here… I'm probably going to ruin this for you."
Before Killian was able to refute her words, Ruby had stopped dead in her feet, her head tilting to the side, her features changing completely. "Wait. I hear him."
"You what?" he asked confused.
She tilted her head to the side and turned towards a path that went deep into the woods- "I can hear him, or something like him. Don't you?"
All he could hear was the sound of the wind brushing on the leaves, birds chirping and perhaps something that could be running water. A man? Not really. Ruby didn't wait for his reply before she darted deeper into the woods and Killian had no other choice but to follow, putting extra care to watch where he was stepping.
"Over here!" he heard Ruby call for him and when he turned his head to where the sound was, he found Ruby standing over a pair of feet covered in men's boots. He took two quick strides and the sight in front of him revealed a bleeding and unconscious David. It was very much like the last time they'd found him in the woods, only that this time he was fully clothed instead that wearing only a hospital gown.
"David!" Killian called as he leaned over and shook the man, trying to wake him up. After a few shakes, David opened his eyes, looking confused and disoriented.
"Killian? Ruby?" He struggled to focus as Killian slowly helped him seat.
"Mate, do you remember anything?"
"No, I - what is going on? I was in your office and now… why am I here?"
Killian's breath caught in his throat. "You don't remember anything since last night?"
David shook his head and Killian felt his blood run cold.
This was bad.
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Killian sent Ruby back to the station in the patrol car while he rode the ambulance with David towards the hospital. He sat on a chair nearby as Whale ran some tests on David and approached them both as the doctor gave David a diagnostic.
"Bruised, scratched up, a little dehydrated. Nothing out of the ordinary in cases like this."
"What about the cut on his head?" Killian asked, as if to see if there might be something else going on there, like it being a defensive wound.
Whale seemed to read the intent of his question but had the tact not to verbalize Killian's line of thinking out loud - almost unbelievable considering how tactless the wretched doctor was when it came to the female population of the town. "The cut is superficial, it could have been easily done when he fell down in the woods. I can refer him to Hopper for a full psychological evaluation but in my professional opinion, whatever caused the original blackout when he came out of his coma is the same issue we're dealing with here." He tilted his head as he pointed out David's actions. "Disappearing, acting out, having no recollection of it later."
Killian saw David flinching at Whale's words and while the man still wasn't his favorite person in town, he had a job to do as Sheriff. "We will get to the bottom of this, David." He turned to face Whale again. "He talked to someone while in this trance… is that a common occurrence?"
"There have been cases of people doing all sorts of things in similar situations-" Whale started with the intention of expanding, but David cut him off, his eyes focused on Killian.
"You want to know if it's possible I made that call." Killian tried to keep his face blank, to not give away what he was thinking but it seemed David wasn't fooled easily. The other man's eyes widened. "More than that? If I could have taken her? Killed her?"
The last of his words came out in almost a hysterical shriek and Whale was quick to rush to David's side. "Take it easy, Mr. Nolan, this cannot be good for you."
But David's eyes were fixated on Killian and he couldn't avoid the other man's pleading stare. "I'm just trying to piece it all together, that's all. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this and find your missing wife."
Maybe his words were harsh, but Killian needed to be strong in his determination to get to the truth in this case. He'd already been fooled once with the phone records and while he didn't want to bring external examples to this, the man in front of him had quite dexterously fooled both his wife and his mistress. He might seem like a good bloke, but Killian wasn't that sure.
David's retort died on his lips as Regina's commanding voice pierced the room. "Stop talking, David." Killian turned to see her storming the room in all her majestic glory, her eyes poised to him with furious glee. "Why are you here? Why doesn't this man have a lawyer present? Have you even read him his rights?"
Killian clenched his jaw and almost spitted the words out, his hand fisting at the side. "I'm here because I found him passed out on the woods and I'm trying to piece this together. I haven't read him his rights because he's not under arrest or even under questioning." He took two steps and towered over Regina, who didn't even move a muscle. "I'm here because, whether you like it or not, I'm the bloody Sheriff of this town and I'm doing my bloody job. Now why are you here, Miss Mills?" Regina's eyes darkened as Killian decided to forego her town mayor status and he relished on that. "It seems to me that you might be interfering with an ongoing police investigation."
At those words, Regina took one step closer to him and gave him a triumphant glare. "I'm his emergency contact."
What the bloody hell? Had David been playing the field with Regina too? How many women were connected to this bloody idiot?
Without uttering a word, Killian turned his head and cocked an eyebrow at David, urging him to explain this strange situation. David looked confused. "I thought it got changed to Kathryn…"
Killian almost bought it, but he couldn't bring himself to believe anything from the man at this point. He turned to Regina for her to explain.
She cleared her throat. "Kathryn is currently unavailable. Some people haven't found her yet."
Right, of course she'd turn the blame on him. Killian contemplated a sarcastic retort back to Regina, but it was futile at this point. He had better things to do with his time. He could leave the mayor to fuss over poor David while he focused on finding Kathryn and getting to the bottom of this.
"You're right, Miss Mills. If you'll excuse me, I need to go back to my duties."
He didn't even wait for a reply as he turned and left the room. He was going to canvass all of Maine if needed, but he was going to figure this out. And he had an idea on where to start… but he needed help.
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Ruby had answered the phone in a friendly tone and it had taken a few tries for Killian to convince her to head back out into the woods and search near the Toll Bridge in his stead. Part of him - that part that always sounded eerily like Liam in his head - was telling him that one certainly shouldn't leave a lass to fend for herself in the woods, especially with a possible kidnapper on the loose. But there was another part of him that had seen Ruby in her element tracking down David. When she'd let go of her fears, she'd been a much accomplished tracker in all of fifteen minutes that he'd ever been in his entire life.
Besides, he couldn't leave the hospital yet. David was about to be released and Killian was planning to go back to his old bailsbond days and follow the man's steps thoroughly, albeit stealthily. If David was lying, his mask would have to slip at some point. And Killian wanted to make sure he was there when it happened.
Ruby called him the moment she was into the woods and Killian did his best to soothe her frantic fears as he encouraged her to keep on going.
"Look for anything that seems out of place. Something that is there but shouldn't be," he tried to explain, frustrated for not being able to articulate himself better. But how can someone explain a hunch? It had no reason or logic, it was simply a deep-rooted belief that she'd be able to find something he most certainly could not.
There were sounds of steps and rustling on the other side and Killian held his breath, his eyes still darting towards the front of the animal shelter from time to time to ensure David was still there. Finally Ruby spoke again, her voice sounding slightly far away, as if she'd placed the phone on the ground.
"Any other clues?"
"I don't know, something of Kathryn's would be a good start." He took a deep breath. "You can do this, lass. I have faith in you."
Blasted hell, he was starting to sound like Henry.
The piercing sound of a scream on the other side of the line made Killian jump and he fought not to swerve the car, his heart beating frantically in his chest. "
"Ruby!" the fear was palpable in his raised voice, as he held onto his phone. "Lass! Lass!"
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Killian didn't know how long it took him to get to where Ruby was. When she'd finally stopped screaming and started blurting words frantically in between fits of hysterical sobs, the only words that Killian could make sense of there were 'box' and 'blood'. He put on the siren and broke all speed limits, not really caring about anything but making his way towards the poor girl that he'd sent on the woods on a wild chase. His guilt was eating at his guts as he took one look at Ruby's tear-stained face and without giving a blasted thought to propriety or gossip, he took her into his arms in a comforting embrace.
"I'm so sorry… I never should have asked you to come here on your own," he blurted as she sniffed into his chest.
She took a deep calming breath. "It's okay, I'm the one who wanted to try new things. I guess I got what I wished for."
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Killian couldn't quite recall the details of the ride back to the station. His heart was beating frantically in his chest and his fingers were holding the wheel with such force that his knuckles were turning white. He'd been a reckless fool in letting Ruby go out on her own. What had he been thinking?
Luckily, Ruby had quickly pulled herself together and she seemed almost like her old self by the time there were both standing in his office, the wooden jewelry box she'd found placed on his desk.
"It's what I think it is, isn't it?" Ruby asked softly, her eyes fixed on the box. Killian reached out to open it once again, almost wishing that it had all been a trick on both of their minds the first three times they looked.
Unfortunately, it was not the case. It was still a bloody heart sitting in there. Ruby let out a loud exhale and turned around.
"I can't look anymore."
"Ruby, I am so sorry," he started, guilt tripping inside his chest.
She turned around and gave him a sheepishly smile. "You were just trying to help, Killian. You couldn't have known I was going to find this hidden in the woods. It's all my fault for trying to do something different."
"Your fault?" He choked on the words. How could she possibly think that any of this was her fault? "Ruby look at me." He waited until she met his eyes and gave her his most encouraging smile. "You were great in this Ruby. You found David - and then this- with little to no direction at all while I was still trying to figure out which way was north in that blasted forest. I'll still be trapped there looking for a clue if it weren't for you." He pointed to the box. "As awful as this is, it's a good start for me to figure out things. I'm impressed with you, Ruby."
He could tell she was fighting to accept the compliment. "I was scared out of my mind, Killian."
"And you did it anyway. All the more reason to be impressed, Miss Lucas."
She squeezed his arm. "Thank you, Sheriff Jones. But if you don't mind, I think I'm going to see if Granny wants to give me my old job back. I don't know what I want to do yet, but I know this is not it."
He chuckled and nodded his head. "Fair enough."
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Killian took his time pulling the toolkit and dusting the box for finger prints, collecting them and running them through the system. He carefully executed each step, paying attention to ensure there were no mistakes that might later be ground for nullifying the findings. If the system came back with a match - and he was quite sure it would and they'd probably be David's - he didn't want Regina or any bloody lawyer in this town questioning the evidence.
His fingers tapped on the desk nearby the computer as the system run, his eyes darting from the screen to the wooden box, his mind already plotting how he would bring the man in for more questioning.
But then the system beeped and a name appeared on the screen. Killian had to blink twice to ensure he was reading properly.
Mary Margaret Blanchard.
He could feel the blood leaving his face as his heart stopped. Bloody Hell.
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Killian punched his hand against the steering wheel in frustration, letting out a long exhale. He refused to believe it, but all signs pointed that he'd been played as a fool. He'd left the Station in a haze of thoughts, determined to find Mary Margaret and sort this out with her in the best possible way. But once he'd been able to track her down - she wasn't at the loft, or Granny's, or at the school - it was the last place he'd expected to see her.
He got out of his car and stole another glance at the animal shelter, witnessing her petite frame sitting on the edge of the couch as she talked to David. She was there. Not a day had gone by and she'd rushed to David's side like a lovesick puppy, not caring about anyone or anything else.
Did she?
He knew evidence didn't lie, that the fingerprints match name burning a hole in his retina was the truth he needed to abide. Had Mary Margaret lied to him all this time? Was she really the sweet school teacher that had fallen for the wrong man and had been tarnished in the process as he wanted to believe? Or was she a jealous woman, who was willing to do anything to secure the love of the man she wanted?
Killian had wanted to believe the first so badly, had wanted to believe that someone was as good as she'd seemed. He'd wanted to believe that after a decade, someone had come to genuinely care for him again.
And yet, the sole sight of Mary Margaret next to David in that animal shelter made his blood boil. She'd played him. She'd played them all and he'd been a fool for believing in it.
He took a deep breath, cracking his neck to the side as he buried the pain and anger inside of him and made his way towards the shelter. He closed his eyes for a moment before he pulled the door open and entered.
David was the first one to see him. His eyes were glazy, as if he'd been holding back tears of desperation. "What is it?" he asked, his voice as thin as a threat, the fear and ache palpable in it. "Did you find her?"
Mary Margaret turned to face Killian, her eyes filled with concern and he knew in that very moment that everything he'd been telling himself for the past ten minutes had been nonsensical. He knew it could not have been her.
He knew her.
But he still had a job to do. As much as his heart ached and he refused to believe it.
"We found a box in the woods." Killian wasn't even sure how his voice sounded so confident and collected when he felt anything but. "There was a human heart inside it."
If someone's world could fall apart in a moment, then David Nolan was the perfect image for it. He almost collapsed as his knees gave away and it was only Mary Margaret's rushing through his side to support him.
"I'm going to send it for more testing, but there isn't anyone else missing." He wasn't sure why he kept talking, other than he felt that if he'd stop, he was going to fall apart. David's sobs were heartbreaking and a part of Killian wished to simply banish himself from this town forever. Mary Margaret turned to face him, her face nothing but sadness and concern.
"Maybe you should go."
Killian tilted his head as he felt his own eyes filling in with tears he wasn't willing to shed. "There were fingerprints inside the lid, Mary Margaret. I ran them through the records in town and there was a match."
His voice was breaking and he had to take a step back to compose himself.
"Arrest me!" David's word cut through the same between them like a blade.
"David, no!" Mary Margaret sobbed, her hand trying to reach him but failing.
"Mate," Killian started, not even sure how he was going to continue speaking. "They weren't yours."
There was shock in both sets of eyes. Killian didn't want to, but he forced himself to meet her eyes. "They were Mary Margaret's."
If a heart could break again and again, he was damn sure Mary Margaret's was as her eyes widened in realization and she turned to David only to find the man looking at her in disbelief.