chapter word count: 627 (bad furiyan!)

noir heart: one hundred and seven

"I was only detective then, but I was assigned crime scene. Jack's family was on way to see his high school play, but was held at gunpoint by meth addict at red light. Looking to score fix. Frost's father tried to resist, but perp shot him. Then he shot mother, then sister. Bang," he taps the couch's arm loud enough for it to be heard over the fire. "Bang." Another tap. "Bang." That one is accompanied by the crack of the wood succumbing to the dying fire.

Elsa clutches her tankard in both hands, the warm metal a soothing sensation under her fingertips, while she watches Nicholas' every movement and listens to his every word. Everything about Jack might be explained in the next hour or so, and she's determined to not miss a single syllable. Even if his English is broken and hard to understand at times.

"I send Arnulf to inform Jack, and bring him to A.P.D. tower for confirmation. Whole family. Wiped out, one night."

The same sensation of pity that crept into her heart when she listened to Rapunzel, this time barges its way in and sits on the metaphorical armchair, stubbornly refusing to move. How tragic it must be to learn your family was brutally murdered on the way to see you perform, that fate decided you would be the last living descendant of your name.

"What happened to Jack after that?" she asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Well," Nicholas says, before pausing to take a sip. "Arnulf took pity on Jack, so as soon as trial was over, he and his brother who was also Jack's best friend convince Mr. and Mrs. Southernisle to adopt Jack into family. Arnulf said many times how grateful Jack was, so it no surprise Jack applied to Arendelle Police Academy."

Elsa nodded. "He wanted to be like Arnulf."

"Da." Nicholas slowly waggled a finger at her. "The two boys, and their new friend Aster Bunnymund, became best cadets in group. They work hard, also play hard. Apparently, Jack was a hit with ladies. Roguish looks and twinkle in eye. Many times, Arnulf said, he had numbers of ladies, and rumours of hanky-panky with female cadets."

That part Elsa can wholeheartedly believe.

"Anyway - he passed final exams with flying colours, graduated, became uniformed cop-" Elsa had to fight tooth-and-nail to keep the image of Jack in uniform from her mind, "-and two years later, took detective exam. All under Arnulf's mentoring, of course, who had been promoted to senior detective at same time as I make captain."

Elsa takes a large draught of the glorious nectar of the chocolate gods, and swallows. "So it would be fair to say that Arnulf was very close to both Jack and Hans, correct?"

"Da, but not just them. Whole unit loved Arnulf. Easy-going, optimistic, clever. Cunning. Honed Jack's observational skills and turned his deductive mind into weapon against crime. Everything that Jack is now, he owes to Arnulf."

Elsa frowns. "But from what I hear, Jack is-"

"A shadow of his former self," Nicholas finishes for her. If it was anyone else, she would be fighting off thoughts of using the tankard to bash their skull in for the interruption, but she's far too rapt for that. "You see, Jack's skills were so good, those above me assigned him toughest cases, those too depraved, too dark, too soul-destroying for anyone else. And in gaining those cases, he also gained nickname. One he hates."

Elsa licks her lips, but otherwise doesn't move an inch. This could be further ammunition into getting past his wall against the world. "What nickname is that?"

"Jack the Ripper."

dun dun dun! I should also make a correction: in an earlier chapter, Rapunzel says she met Jack in a bar when he had become a cadet. He had actually graduated to a uniformed cop at that point, not a cadet. That's a mistake on my part, so sorry if it causes any continuity or consistency issues.

special thanks to: doomstone, littlemiss-rozaann, oninoko, hornedgoddess, riverfall, hugs and puppies all round, stefalove, maravilla katana, trapid and jpbake for the reviews!