Pearl of the Isle
Chapter 8
"Regina what are you doing here doll?" Emma asked as she came up the stairs to her apartment.
"Waiting on you, what took you so long?" Regina asked pushing herself up from the wall she was leaning against.
She was wearing a deep blue dress with a scandalously low cut v-neck and a swooping back. The blonde looked appreciatively over the honeyed skin. She stood out in the dingy building with its swollen floors and water stained walls. She was something fine that didn't belong in a dump like this. Despite the lack of trust Emma had in others she wanted desperately to trust this dangerous beauty even if it could cost her everything.
She stepped up hearing the boards creak as she moved towards the brunette dame who took a step towards her. Arms enveloped each other as they pressed close sharing a few open mouthed kisses. A door opening in the hallway caused them to pull away as Emma's neighbor, Mrs. Hutton stepped out. She was a bit off but still nice. She'd lost her son in World War 1 and her husband to tuberculosis a few years before. She never did seem to get over it too well. She was muttering to herself as she moved into the hallway stopping to briefly examine the gumshoe and her dame. She smiled at Emma and then glanced over Regina.
"Well don't you look pretty? My George had a sweetie just like you before he was sent off to the war." She continued to mutter to herself as she eyed Regina.
The brunette just gave a small smile following Emma who tugged her down the hall and away from the elderly lady. They pushed into Emma's apartment without a word to one another. As lips met again and again, Emma kicked the door shut with her foot before pushing Regina back to her bedroom. Regina however had other plans and twisted away from the blonde. She moved to the couch settling down. Despite the fine silk she tucked her legs underneath her comfortably. "We have all night gumshoe." She murmured.
The detective breathed for a moment before nodding and moving towards her. "I do need to talk to you about something."
"What's that?" Regina asked holding out her hand as Emma approached. She frowned though when the blonde sat away from her on the other side of the couch. She moved over so that she was pressed up against her side. The blonde watched as her dame lifted her arm and slid it around her shoulders settling against her as though it were the most natural thing in the world. The lights from the neon across the bar bathed them in bright blue, pink, and yellow light causing the silk to look strangely as it shifted and bunched with every breath her doll took.
Emma hesitated for a moment not wanting to think there was a possibility that Regina would lie to her face. She couldn't fathom what she would do if she did.
"Graham caught a case recently."
"And what does that have to do with us?" The beauty asked as she leaned forward pressing her lips to Emma's exposed collar bones. The blonde was suddenly glad that she'd forgone her tie for the evening and left the top three buttons on her shirt open.
"It doesn't." Emma shuddered feeling her body react to the proximity of her doll.
"Then why are you talking about it?"
"Have you ever heard of something called the…Pearl Peacock?" Emma managed after a few pauses.
Regina pulled away staring at her for a moment. Her sharp eyes picked up everything in Emma's body language. "You think I know where it is?"
"Do you?"
"Yes," she didn't hesitate to answer.
"Regina, do you have that necklace?" Emma asked her heart pounding in her chest.
Amber eyes stared up into her green eyes not hesitating. "No."
"Then who does?"
"You do."
Emma blinked, "I don't have it."
"Yes you do."
"No I don't." Emma stared owlishly at her.
Regina laughed her bell-like laughter echoing in the mostly empty room. "Yes you do. You've had it all this time."
"Where?" Emma asked feeling numb.
Regina blinked, "Do you really not know where it is? It's so obvious."
"Regina I have no idea what you're talking about." Emma stated with finality which caused the beauty curled close to her to roll her eyes and rise to her feet.
The brunette tugged her lover up off the couch leading her into her bedroom. "It's right there." She pointed to a small lamp.
Resting atop the shade, used to hold it on was indeed a peacock with a pearl inlay. "That thing? That's the necklace? But how?"
"You've had it all these years and you don't know how you got it?" Regina's brow furrowed as she stared at Emma. "You really don't know do you?"
"I got that thing from…oh my god."
"What? What's wrong?"
"Gina that necklace who did you hear about it from?"
"I overheard Gold talking about it one night and I did some research and found out what it was and how much it was worth if it were found."
"What do you mean found?"
"It belonged to the Queen of Germany back before World War I. When she and her husband fled Germany for the Netherlands the necklace was around her neck. Somehow or another it got lost and then made its way here. Gold bought it and put it around the neck of his moll at the time a girl named Belle."
"I remember Belle but I don't remember the necklace."
"The peacock wasn't something she wore often. Only on special occasions; Gold was too paranoid due to the money he sank into it. It turned up missing right after her death."
"And that was around the time I left…" Emma muttered.
Regina nodded, "I knew what it looked like thanks to my research so when I came back here with you I saw it and knew what it was. I thought you knew too."
"That's why you didn't say anything."
Again a soft nod accompanied by a sweet smile. "Emma you know what that means right? We can leave any time we want. We have the money now."
The blonde detective stared at her for a moment. "We still gotta make some plans doll before we go storming off into the night like that. We got some big plans and I wanna do this right."
Regina watched her for a few moments her eyes shining. "You promise?"
"I swear," Emma lifted a soft hand and pressed her lips against it.
"Jefferson. We gotta talk." Emma leaned against the burgundy wall of the man's office her arms folded across her chest.
She was wearing her usual attire, a black suit with a white button up and tie. Her fedora was pulled down to hide her eyes though this man would always be able to see right through her.
"What's wrong Emerald?" The man had his little box of pretty open. He always did like to get snowed before he could focus on anything.
It was one of the things that had gotten him in debt with Gold in the first place and landed him in this fine establishment.
She listened closely as he snorted a line before he sat back with a small smile. "What'cha need Emerald?" His voice sounded softer, more far away.
"What do you know about the Pearl Peacock?" She asked evenly watching as he shook his head as though trying to clear it.
"Is that what they're calling the snow birds now a days?"
"Don't be a bunny I know you know what I'm talking about. When I left you gave me a lamp and I wanna know where you got the damn thing."
"The lamp? Emerald I gave you a lot of furniture you're gonna have to be more specific."
"You big lug was this some sorta sting you set up to get me rubbed out?"
"I would do no such thing Emerald. I'm heart sick that you even think that of me." Jefferson laid his hand over his heart.
"If this is because of what happened with Paige…"
"Don't you ever speak of her you trash!"
"Then don't make me." Emma leaned back knowing how dangerous this man could be especially now that he was doped up.
"You know what happens to those that cross him Emerald. Why would you think I would do that to you?"
"I don't know you tell me." Emma met his eyes as he stepped closer. He touched her cheek and she allowed it keeping her body loose so as not to reveal how nervous she was at having him so close.
"You were his favorite you know? He always liked you the best out of all of 'em. For a while there I was convinced he was going to take you outta here make you his but he never did."
"No he had Belle and when she was gone things got bad."
"For all of us not just you Emerald; but you were the only one that could break through to him. When you left things went from bad to worse for a while but then they seemed to improve and then he met that sassy bit on his arm right now."
"She does have a mouth on her."
"He hates that about her you know? Thinks she's got too much brains in that pretty head of hers."
"Or not enough if she's opening her mouth too often," Emma muttered which made the pimp laugh.
"Yes that's true." Jefferson sobered up. "She's a pretty thing. He was talking about dumping her here once he was done with her."
"She'd do well here." Emma kept her cool though it made her skin crawl to think of Regina in a place like this.
"I could teach her a thing or two. Or maybe I'd just let you Emerald. You were the best before you left."
"I did what I had to do to survive nothing more or less than that."
"Indeed you did." Jefferson remained close to her leaning into her as was his way when he was high as a kite. He liked the girls that worked for him as much as any man should and she'd been no exception. Though he favored her a whole lot less than he had others. "What were we talking about again?" He shook his head.
"Nothing; just came by for a friendly chat that's all." Emma smiled at him as she slowly pushed off the wall. Her body collided with his shoving him backwards as she stepped out of his way. "I gotta get going Jefferson. Thanks again for taking me back into the fold."
"Any time Emerald." The man's smile was distinctly lecherous.
Author's Notes: This thing did not want to get written. I swear. It took some work but I finally got it to the point I was at least somewhat happy with it. The biggest twist yet has been hinted at in this chapter but we're not quite there yet. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and as always I appreciate reviews. And if you have time or you're bored or whatever please check out my other work and let me know what you think of any of them as well. Hope to see you soon! ~ Bella