Chapter 2:
She had tried letting it go.
She really had, but the curiosity ended up getting to her and she had made a few calls. And now she was on her way to have a chat with Moe French.
The nurses had told her his throat was still healing, but he could still whisper. They were going to allow her in for just a few minutes, only as long as he feels okay.
She gripped the steering wheel and sighed. She had to admit she hated going around Gold's back, but he hadn't given her much choice. 'If only he'd given me the answers…'
She just needed to know.
Emma pulled in front of the hospital, feeling paranoid despite herself. One never knew who was watching in Storybrooke. She headed towards the entrance and reception as quickly as she could without looking out of the ordinary. A few quick words with the receptionist and she was walking down the hallway to French's room.
He was covered in bruises and gauze. Despite the fact that nothing too important had been harmed, Gold had really done a number on the man. He glanced up at her when she walked in, and she jumped when the nurse closed the door behind her.
They were alone.
Emma quickly got down to business. "Hello, Mr. French, I'm Sheriff Swan. I just need to ask you a few questions…is that okay?"
The man nodded his head slowly and she took that as her cue to sit in the chair next to his bed. She got out her notepad. "So, um, I was the first one on the scene, and, um…" she hated how awkward everything was coming out, but she couldn't seem to get the words out right. It was times like these that she wishes she really was a bonafide cop. "What did Mr. Gold mean-Who did he mean when he said…" she trailed off, inhaling though her teeth. This wasn't going well.
He seemed to understand what she meant though. Sadness and guilt flooded the man's eyes and Emma mentally kicked herself. She was this close to scrapping the whole endeavor.
"…my…daughter." Emma started, surprised at how weak and raspy his voice really was. She leaned in further, however, in anticipation. "What was her name?" she asked softly.
He stared at her unblinkingly, his eyes getting misty, "Be-" Emma leaned a bit closer, "…Beth. Her name…her full one…was Elizabeth French."
Emma sat, transfixed, not knowing what to do next. There were a million things, a million ways that this could go. Questions flew through her head faster than she could voice them. One stuck out, however: What was Mr. Gold's involvement with this girl?
"What…what happened to her?" she listened with bated breath.
Tears filled French's eyes, "I…I lost her…she's…gone…and it's my…my fault," he choked out.
Emma unconsciously laid her hand on his, Gold's words from the other night running through her mind, "But where is she now? Is-," she took a breath, swallowing, "Is she-has she passed? Did she run away?" she bit her lips, afraid that she went too far.
He jerked his eyes to her, and she was surprised at the look of absolute fear in them. He started shaking his head frantically and she began to panic, "Hey, hey, it's okay," she soothed her thumb over his hand, "It's alright, everything's fine. You're okay." He started to calm down, his bandages heaving with every breath he took.
She looked at him with pleading eyes, "Please…I need to know. I want to help."
He continued to stare at her for a suspended time, and she held her breath, praying he would answer.
Something seemed to resolve itself in his eyes and even while lying in his bed she could see his shoulders square up and his chin lift.
"Ask the Mayor," her eyes widened in shock, he nodded to her assuredly, "And while you're there…tell her Moe French isn't under her thumb anymore. I'm done."
Emma was surprised at the strength in his voice. What was once so raspy now sounded so sure of itself.
She nodded and unsteadily rose to her feet. But before she could get far, he gripped her hand. She turned back and saw the sad eyes again. He made sure he had her attention, "Thank you."
Again she didn't know what to do and just nodded. He let her go and she walked back to her car in a daze.
Before she even considered going to confront the Mayor she used her abilities as Sheriff to try to find Beth's file. It was harder than she thought. Despite the small size of the town, there were quite a lot of files and almost nothing on French or his daughter except for a birth certificate and a few other standard documents.
Nothing about where she was or what had happened to her.
Emma sighed in frustration, shoving the cabinet back in. She really didn't want to go to Regina for information. She'd rather only deal with that woman at the bare minimum, in the least amount of time she could.
She looked down at the tiny stack of papers that were her findings. They were all she had to go on, and it wasn't much. If she were completely honest it seemed like someone was trying to hide something. Her bounty hunter instincts were tingling at the lack of legal documents: even for two people there should be more here.
She blew a blonde strand out of her eyes. Dammit. She was going to have to talk to the Mayor.
She was lucky she didn't get the door slammed in her face. Regina wasn't exactly a happy camper to see her face when she opened the door, but when Emma brandished her badge saying it was 'Sheriff business' the Mayor grudgingly let her in.
And now she sat in the Mayor's office, tapping her fingers nervously. Regina had to take care of some things before she could 'properly receive' the Sheriff to talk about legal work stuff.
Emma swept her eyes over the desk in front of her. Not many papers littered the surface, and Emma was sure that it was thanks to the effort of Regina. When she had led Emma into the room, she had walked in first quickly, most likely hiding something from Emma's searching eyes.
Emma looked over her shoulder to the door. It was shut at the moment, and she could hear Regina's heels clicking through the ceiling.
Maybe she should…?
No.
She learned her lesson from the last time.
Anyhow, Regina's footfalls were swiftly making their way down the stairs now, cutting off any chance she would have at snooping.
The door opened. "So, Sheriff Swan," the Mayor walked by her and smoothly sat down behind her desk, got settled and folded her hands on the surface, "What can I do for you?"
Emma sat up straighter. She knew it would be harder dealing with Regina than Gold, the former being much more hotheaded. Not to mention the fact that she didn't exactly like Emma in the first place. At all. She'd have to tread carefully.
"Well, I'm here to inquire the whereabouts of some files." Madame Mayor's eyebrow shot up. Emma continued, "I assumed that as Mayor you might know the location of them."
The Mayor studied her for a second, a sly smirk spreading, "And pray tell, what are these files?"
Emma's jaw clenched, "Anything and everything on Beth French."
She watched as the Mayor's smirk slid off her face, her expression hardening and her eyes flicker. Emma narrowed her own, she hit a nerve and she knew it. The Mayor was definitely involved.
However Regina wasn't the Mayor for no reason, and she quickly reassembled her facial features to one of nonchalance and control. "What do you need with those? That case has been solved and buried for a long time, Miss Swan, why would you want to rehash old cases?"
"Because there was a recent crime that happened because of that old case. I need every document I can get to understand exactly what had happened so I can do my job."Emma observed how Mayor Mills kept tensing up with every word she said.
"And the crime, to which you are referring to, is the one that involved Mr. Gold, correct?"
Emma nodded. "Mr. Gold hasn't given me any useful information, and Mr. French," she didn't miss the Mayor's flinch," told me to go talk to you."
Mayor Mills cocked an eyebrow, "Oh? He did, did he?"
Emma nodded, "He also gave me a message for you." At Regina's surprised look she continued, a smirk lightly spreading, "He's not under your control anymore. He's done."
Regina's jaw clenched, anger clouded her eyes. Emma feared for a moment that French would be in trouble, but then realized he had made his own decision to send the message. It was his choice so she let it go. Regina pulled herself together.
"Well…" she smiled unkindly, "I guess that-" she was cut off by the sound of the doorbell. Emma was amazed at how quickly her expression changed again. She looked a bit frightened, something that was rare for the Mayor, but the irritation that lined her features was recognizable.
"Excuse me for a second, Ms. Swan," she grit out as she stood up and walked to the door. It slammed behind her.
Emma could hear her footsteps recede into the foyer and then back up the stairs. And then silence.
Nothing happened.
She glanced back up at the desk. Now was her chance…
She darted a look at the door before sliding out of her chair and sneaking around the desk. She checked the drawers and was relieved to find the main one unlocked. She opened the drawer and started sifting through it as quickly as possible.
There were many different sheets on different matters in the town. Nothing that meant anything to her now. She kept moving, keeping an ear open for any sounds of Regina descending the stairway. So far nothing.
Then instead of paper, she came across something metal. A key. "Let's see what the Mayor is hiding…,"Emma bent down and looked for what it could open. She tried it in the tiny drawer in the top, and it clicked open.
She listened again.
Nothing.
She opened it all the way and started digging. At the very top was a ring of skeleton keys and Emma pushed those aside as quietly as she could. Then she came across a legal document, nothing that was really out of the ordinary.
Except for the fact that it had Mr. French's signature on it.
She scanned the document, not really understanding the details it described, but recognizing the hospital seal. And the words: 'psychiatric' and 'patient' and 'discreet'.
And she was almost positive it wasn't talking about Mr. French himself.
Emma looked through the rest of the drawer, making sure she didn't miss anything and then put everything back the way she found it, locking the drawer and putting the key back in the other one. Then she ran around the desk and sat back in her chair.
It was at that moment that she heard Regina walking back down the stairs.
Thank God for good timing.
The door opened again, "Sorry about that, I needed to discuss something with one of the Board members." She sat down in her chair. "Now, what were we talking about?"
Emma lifted her chin, "The files?"she'd give her a chance to tell the truth.
Regina leaned forward, linking her hands again, "Miss Swan, despite the fact that you do have the Sheriff's badge and have some authority, this matter really does not concern you. If I were you, I'd just leave it alone."
Emma stared at her, not that surprised that that was her response. She shook her head, looking down. She missed the pure look of intense disdain on the Mayor's face. "You know what? Fine." She placed her hands on the armrests and pushed herself up.
"Thanks for your help, Mayor." Emma turned to leave.
Regina stood up and walked after her, following her to the door.
"You know I'm surprised at you, Sheriff. I never thought you'd actually listen to me." Regina leaned on the door. Emma turned around on the porch step, "First time for everything, huh?" she forced a smile.
Regina sent one back at her.
Emma almost turned to leave but stopped. "Hey, Mayor? Will you tell Henry I said 'hi'?"
Regina looked as though the words left a bad taste in her mouth and that that was the last thing she wanted to do. But she had just gotten Emma to back down so she was feeling kind of generous at the moment. She nodded reluctantly, "Alright. I will."
Emma nodded gratefully, "Thank you."
She turned and walked down the walkway.
She had some calls to make. She was going back to the hospital.
So not any Gold in here, but I actually have no idea which chapter he'll be in next. Hopefully everyone enjoyed this chapter, I had a bit of difficulty with it. Without my dose of Rumple/Gold my inspiration dwindled and I didn't know what to do for awhile there.
Please review!