Emma returned to the sheriff's station after having ice cream with Henry. Walking into her office the last thing she expected to find was Mr. Gold waiting for her. After the incident at Granny's the day before, it was also the last thing she wanted to find.
Upon noticing her Mr. Gold gave Emma a sly smile and began to speak. "Sheriff Swan, I believe the other day you indicated that you wanted to speak to me about a possible crime that may have taken place."
This was not a conversation that the Sheriff wanted to have with the most feared man in Storybrook.
"Ah no," she stumbled over her words and refused to look at the man in front of her, "That situation was cleared up. I am sorry for any inconvenience it may have caused you or Miss. French."
Silence sat between the two, until finally Emma got over her embarrassment enough to look up at Mr. Gold. The look on his face was one she knew, but not one that had ever been turned on her before. It was the look he got when someone was going to pay, and he was going to have fun making them pay. She really wished that look was not directed at her.
What he said next, though, surprised her.
"Oh on the contrary Sheriff Swan; you were correct in your assessment yesterday, a crime did take place." Emma could tell he was not lying, but then again the pawnbroker rarely lied, so this still did not bode well for her.
"I am here, of course, to rectify the situation. You see a theft occurred and I am here to return the property that was taken."
Reaching into his pocket Mr. Gold removed a pair of police issued handcuffs and placed them on the desk between them.
"Well… I say theft," he continued "but it was more of a delay in the return of your property. With the return of said property I hope no further action will be required?"
Emma could only nod, never taking her eyes off of the handcuffs as her imagination conjured images of how the cuffs might have been used to cause Belle's bruises.
"Excellent." He exclaimed with malicious glee.
Turning to leave Mr. Gold hesitated at the office door.
"You know Miss. Swan" He began, turning back to her, "You might want to be more careful about where you leave these things. You never know what kind of mischief people can get up too."
And with that he was gone.
Looking back at the handcuffs Emma came to a decision. Taking a folder from one of the piles on the desk she covered the cuffs and got back to work.
There was no way she was ever going to touch those rings of metal ever again.
THE END