Note/s: I apologize for the delay! If you read the notes on my other fic (here's to you, Mrs. Westergard), the reason should be clear. I hope you enjoy this chapter and continue to support this story. Thank you to all the readers and reviewers. Any errors will be fixed at a later time.
Anna waited in the dark space of Hans' office. Her hat was pulled down over her eyes as she relaxed into his criminally comfortable chair. Like really ridiculously comfortable. With the dark, cool atmosphere and amazing god chair, she was finding it hard to resist taking a nap. But of course she had to!
Hans would be coming in at any mome—
As if on cue, she heard the door open.
Immediately (just as she had practiced earlier), she swiveled the chair around.
"I've been expecting you." She intoned, tipping her hat back to find—
"Well sorry for being three minutes late!" an annoyed man in a maintenance uniform glared at her, "you try finding an extension cord long enough to vacuum this massive room. And why is it so dark in here?!"
Not waiting for a reply, the man switched on the lights. "Hey!" Anna hissed, rubbing her eyes that had grown accustomed to the dark.
"Hey yourself! I have to do my job!"
"Well…" Anna really could not argue with him on that. "At least make it quick."
The man snorted as he hunched down to the electric sockets. The vacuum came to life with an obnoxious noise that seemed to mock her. Annoyed, Anna swiveled back to the windows. She took a deep breath, trying to quell her irritation. Telling herself that this was just a temporary bump, she retreated to her internal detective.
Every employee was out for lunch. But I wasn't.
BRRRRRMMMM
Mainly, because I wasn't hungry. And I also wasn't an employee…
BRRRRRMMMM
….I found myself in Westergård's office, rather I let myself in…
BRRRRRMMMM
Well actually…his secretary let me in.
BRRRRRMMMM
She actually didn't seem to care…ugh, anyway…
BRRRRRMMMM
I made no appointment, but I didn't need one.
BRRRRRMMMM
I came because…
BRRRRRMMMM
…I had a score to settle with-
BRRRRRMMMM
"WILL YOU TURN THAT BLASTED THING DOWN?!"
Anna's words erupted over the cursed vacuum-y noise as she angrily twirled the chair back around…
"Detective Anna?"
…only to find Hans Westergård entering the room.
Of course.
"Sorry, Carl," He said, addressing Anna's vacuuming nemesis, "would you mind coming back in a couple of hours?"
So-called Carl turned off his glorified noisemaker. "Fine! I'm due for a union break anyway. But I'm leaving this here. You try hauling up this heavy"—
Anna had had enough.
"We get it Carl! Could you just go?!"
Carl harrumphed as he made his exit. Anna did not stop glaring at her scenario-destroyer until he shut the door behind him. She then redirected her glare at Hans, who did not seem perturbed in the least.
"Detective," he smiled, "what a wonderful surprise having you in my office."
Anna inwardly seethed. Yeah, well my presence would have been cooler if Carl hadn't ruined it!
"I do hope my chair is to your liking."
Yeah it's the best and—Anna then realized she was still in his chair (a now-futile noir prop). She shot up immediately, suddenly feeling very foolish. "Oh! Uh…yeah, err, sorry about that…" She wondered what to say next, to perhaps try and laugh the whole thing off…until she remembered why she was even there in the first place.
"Hey wait a minute!" She yelled. "I'm not sorry!" She pointed an accusatory finger at him, "Listen Westergård, I know what you are and that you are taking off your jacket—why are you taking off your jacket?!" Her anger quickly started to fizzle back into embarrassment as she watched him shrug off his deep navy business jacket.
"Why?" He chuckled, tossing the article in question to a small couch at the side. "Is there anything wrong with that?"
Anna shifted her eyes. "Uh…I suppose not…"
"You worry about the silliest things."
Anna felt her cheeks redden. "Well I"—
"You should be more worried about me taking off my shirt." He said, his hands poised on his shirt buttons.
"Okay! That's it!" she growled as she slammed her hands on his desk (which hurt).
Hans walked over, eyes glinting with amusement. "I'm kidding. Sit back down."
"No!" roared Anna as she drew herself up to her full height (he was still taller but whatever). "I'm here to put an end to this. Hans Westergård, we are done!" She folded her arms over her chest, as though to contain the rapid rise and fall of her angry breathing. She waited, examining his stunned face for his next reaction.
…
…
Finally, Hans let out a choked gasp, his fingers clamped over his mouth as if to filter his own shock.
"You're breaking up with me?!"
…
…
Anna slapped a hand to her forehead. "Of course not!"
Hans let out a relieved sigh. "Detective, don't scare me like that."
"No!" Anna stamped her foot, realizing how that sounded. "We're not even toge—ugh! Our contract! It's over! I'm dropping your case!"
This time she got the reaction she wanted. Hans looked at Anna with furrowed brows, eyes squinting in confusion. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me." Anna said, hands planted on her hips. She tilted her chin up. "I don't work for liars."
"Liar? Me?" The innocent tone in his voice made Anna roll her eyes. "Was this about that night? I'm sorry I kept the fact about my intention to seduce"—
"STOP MAKING THIS ABOUT THAT!" The last thing she wanted was to be reminded about that embarrassing moment. "I know that you're not who you said you were!"
"What?"
"I don't like it when my clients keep secrets from me. Especially crucial facts."
"Crucial facts?"
"Yeah, like, gee, I dunno," Anna tapped her chin in mock-thought before dropping the bomb, "…being head of security!" In that moment, Anna could see it - the flicker of realization in Hans' green eyes. The cocky self-assuredness that she had known from day one peeled off of him layer after curled up layer. Anna moved away behind the desk, pacing and circling around him from her smug moral high ground.
"Yeah that's right, angel cakes. The jig is up! Did you honestly think you could keep that from me?" Hans did not respond, merely following her movement from his spot with an occasional turn here and there. Anna continued regardless. "The Blue Olaf's disappearance…the scrambled surveillance footage…sounds like an awfully big screw-up."
She paused, half-expecting him to throw in a protest or denial. When he did not, Anna made a derisive noise in her mouth. "Or maybe it's not." She spat bitterly, stopping directly in front of him to meet his eyes. "Maybe, and here's what I'm thinking, you took it." She let the accusation sink into his features and watched his face twitch. "It would be a piece of cake, given your position." She then poked him on the chest. She only meant to do it once…but easily carried away with the moment, ended up stabbing him repeatedly with her manicured nail to the beat of her own words.
"What do you say, Hans? Huh? You got yourself a pretty rock to make a pretty penny. Huh? You plan to hightail it outta here? Huh? Buy some new pants? Hm? Hm? Hm?"
She then pulled back her hand for the big finale. A slap to end all slaps - to be followed by a "You disgust me" and grand exit. At least that was the idea in her head. She never prepared nor anticipated for Hans to crumple against his desk, hand-over-his eye crying.
Anna's mouth dropped wordlessly.
Her mind tried to process the scene in front of her. Hans had been nothing but a shameless hot weirdo flirt up till now. Seeing him do the waterworks was strange—awkward—like meeting your teacher outside of school awkward.
"Whoa…uh…err…umm don't cry?" The words came out, much to her annoyance. He's probably breaking down from guilt, her brain rationalized.
He looked up to her then, and Anna almost grumbled upon seeing his tear-streaked face.
Of course he's a handsome crier.
"Oh Detective! You're right…" He said in-between breaths. "I screwed up. I screwed up big time. It's all my fault."
His admission should have sent Anna into victory frenzy. But, of course, Hans just had to show his vulnerable side, looking weak and so helpless, basically robbing her of her moment. He might as well have pulled out an injured puppy while he was at it.
Anna sighed, then struggled for words, "Well I…uh…" but promptly gave up. "I don't know what to say."
"I'm so sorry Detective!" He balanced himself on his knees. "Forgive me, but you have to understand!"
Anna steeled herself. She may be kindhearted but she was still on the side of justice. "Look Hans, whatever your sorry excuses, you committed a really serious crime and you should…"
"I didn't steal the Blue Olaf."
"…get ready to face the music and—wait, what?"
"I didn't steal anything." He said. "I only lied. I lied to you, to my brothers. All to save my hide."
"Well even if you supposedly didn't do it, lying to a detective is—whoa! Wait, wait a minute. You lied….to your brothers?" She pressed a hand to her temples. "You'll have to elaborate."
"They don't know the Blue Olaf is missing."
"WHAT."
She knew Hans had been lying but she had not expected that.
Hans seized the moment to continue without interruption. "As thirteenth son of the company, I wanted to prove myself worthy to my brothers. I took on a lot of roles and responsibilities…perhaps a bit more than I could chew. And well, I only recently became head of security." He took a deep steadying breath. "I was in charge of safeguarding the Blue Olaf…and it disappeared under my watch."
Anna could hear her pulse; taste the bile in her mouth. Grabbing her hat on her head, she threw it down the floor in anger. "Hans! You should have notified the company. Your brothers! They would have given you more resources to"—
"And then what?" Hans slowly propped himself up with the edge of his desk. "Lose everything? They would kick me out the company. Disinherited and disowned." He shook his head with a bitter smile. "I'd be a disgrace. I would never be able to live that down for the rest of my life. Everything I've worked for—finished! Just like that!" With that, he dropped his head down with a look of utter defeat. Anna found this more disconcerting than the crying earlier.
"Hans…" She found herself saying but with nothing else to follow it up.
"I went to you, Anna…" His words were so soft that Anna had to strain her ears. "…Because I thought I could fix this. That you could fix this."
Anna watched as his frame moved with a shuddering breath.
"You can go, Detective." His voice sounded distant and resigned. "You can keep the money I've already paid. I'm sorry for everything."
He was giving her an out. Anna had come in to drop his case, and she did…more or less. "Umm…err…well then…I guess I really should go…" As she turned away, every step felt like lead. She felt bad, but knew she had to stand by one of Kristoff's principles. A client that can't be trusted, can't be worked for. Hans had given more than enough reason for Anna to make the call. He had lied! And for what? Out of some misguided desire to prove to other people that she could do the job on her own and make something out of herself—WAIT. She froze on her tracks. That's not right! Hans and I are way different! This is not the same thing! Keep walking Anna!
But her feet did not obey and Anna found herself glancing over her shoulder. Hans still remained where he was, his back turned to her. His hands on his desk were the only things keeping him from falling into a depressed heap.
He deserves it! Her mind screamed. He lied to you! Why in the world should you help him?
That last question in her mind prodded the answer she needed. Squaring her shoulders, she resumed her move to the door.
When the door clicked shut, Hans let out a deep sigh.
"Hans."
Hans straightened, his face snapping to the closed door – with Anna still on the same side as him. She had a look of resolve on her face.
"I don't appreciate you lying to me." She spoke with eyes narrowed. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's liars."
"Anna…I'm so"—
She held out a hand, stopping his interruption.
"But what I hate even more than that in the whole world is an unsolved case. And I am not going to stop until it is done."
Hans did not reply immediately. He seemed to have a hard time believing what he was hearing. "You really mean that?" He dared to ask, hope dangling from his every word.
Anna started back to the desk, stopping only to pick up the hat she had forgotten. When she was in front of Hans, they stared each other down for a long stretch until finally, Anna stretched out her hand.
"Detective Anna, at your service."
Secretary log: One of the boss' chicks came by the office. At first, she tried to duck past but she toppled over a potted plant and tripped on the freshly mopped floor. I felt sorry for her and just let her in. The boss really has weird taste in girls and with the crying and shouting I heard, the same goes for his afternoon delights—well I guess I shouldn't kinkshame. Ugh I can't believe I left Scotland to put up with this bullshit.