chapter word count: 353
noir heart: seventy-eight
Rapunzel doesn't let it drop, though. Twisting on the sofa, she narrows her eyes, carefully scrutinising him. "No, seriously - how did you know?" she says, and there's a hint of accusation in her tone.
Jack sighs - now he's screwed over by his own instinct. It's too convenient for someone to randomly swing by his ex-wife's house so soon after Kozmotis' murder investigation. Too convenient for it to happen not long after Elsa seemed so interested in his love life. It was a shot in the dark that happened to be a bull's eye, and now he's cornered by his own accuracy.
His mind ticks over the catch-twenty-two; he can tell the truth, that Rapunzel had invited into her home someone who killed her husband both because he was (allegedly) abusive, and because she could; or tell a lie...but risk it all blowing up in his face.
"Jack?" she persists.
The words leave his mouth before he even registers them, and as soon as they do, his bed is made. "She dropped by the unit office a couple of days ago, and wanted to interview me. I told her I was too busy for tabloid crap." he says, shrugging like it's no big thing.
Looks like it's the lie, then.
"You're sure?" she says, studying him closely. However, working out body language is more his area of expertise, so he knows how to fake…
"Yeah. Just some reporter looking to make an easy buck. Don't worry about it."
...and she buys it. "But - that means she knows about-"
"What's done is done, Rapunzel," he says simply, starting off toward the whiskey on his kitchen counter. As he pours both himself and Rapunzel a glass, he figures it's time for a change of subject.
Turning towards her and passing the glass, he asks casually, "You hungry? Was thinking about ordering some Chinese takeout."
Sneaky - as that's Rapunzel's favourite. Therefore, the answer is as predictable as a meltdown on Twitter.
"Sure," she smiles warmly. "Takeout sounds good."
I really should get back on this. Especially since I've got another M-rated fic lined up after NH. However, you might not see me for a few days - going to see Civil War tomorrow :D
special thanks to: vrupd.1992, doomstone, ghost angel14, hornedgoddess, stefalove, oninoko, jpbake, rainbowcolorw0w, isawaliciaarrow (hai!), heartonfire, deadbreath and invisible me for the reviews!