chapter word count: 581

noir heart: sixty-eight

Pulling up outside a modest-looking suburban home in the outskirts of the city, Elsa smiles to herself as she cranks the handbrake and switches off the ignition of the rental car - she does intend to buy a new one with some of the rather handsome inheritance she kept hidden from Kozmotis, but a rental will have to suffice in the meantime - she takes a brief moment to check herself in the overhead mirror. For what she's about to do, she needs to look believable.

Pretty much why she bought a light green cardigan, fake glasses and a notepad on the way over. Have to look the part of a blogger on the internet, dedicated to researching detectives, after all. Reaching over to her handbag, she retrieves the rectangular black-rimmed spectacles and then turns up the volume on the radio with the same hand, then amuses herself with getting the position on her nose just right. Acting is getting people to believe you are who you aren't, and for Elsa, nothing less than the best will do.

It's as she adjusts the bridge to either just between her eyes or just below them that she hears something rather interesting on the local news station, something that at first arouses her curiosity - "Arendelle College was left reeling three days ago, after the bodies of two of its students, twenty-one year old Aurora Mills and twenty-two year old Phillip Briarthorn, were discovered in the southeast district."

...and then turns the smile into an outright playful smirk as her eyes flick down from her reflection to the radio - "There have been unconfirmed reports that the maverick and disgraced Detective Jack Frost has been attached to the investigation, but the A.P.D is remaining silent on the matter. With the Ashley Madison Ripper on the loose, there's no telling whether Arendelle City can take another serial killer."

So, maybe she'll get to see that brilliant mind in action, the one that laid her bare on the interview room table. See the cogs turn, those steely blue eyes as they examine, those delightful-looking lips as they purse in thought. As if it couldn't possibly do so, life just got better for her.

However, the racing of a jogger past her door reminds her of precisely why she has parked in one of the classic white-picket-fence, boringly cliched neighbourhoods in the city, so with a melodic and soft hum, she retrieves her handbag, slides out of the car and, once the door is safely locked behind her - not that she needs to worry, she doubts very much that the car is in danger from anything more vicious than a falling leaf - she strides up to a delightfully unoriginal lilac door, and knocks.

It takes a few seconds, and a couple of calls of 'coming!' but eventually the door swings open to reveal a rather youthful looking woman with a brunette bob, emerald green eyes, paint-streaked white overalls and an expectant expression.

"Rapunzel Corona? My name is Ilsa Menzel, we spoke on the phone yesterday?" Elsa introduces herself, adopting an air of relaxed respect.

Rapunzel's mouth opens, and it takes her a few seconds to recall the name. "Oh! Yes, yes! Of course! Please, come in!" she rambles, quickly standing aside and gesturing into the house.

Elsa's smile widens. For the ex-wife of a detective, Rapunzel is remarkably naive. How fortunate.

oooo heck. It's gonna be Elsa for a good few updates yet. colormeaya: interesting that you should pick that name for the bad guy :P stefalove: maybe, maybe not. who knows?

special thanks to: lunasnoir, doomstone, jpbake, rainbowcolorw0w, ghost angel14, heartonfire, invisible me, colormeaya, stefalove, hornedgoddess and oninoko for the reviews!