Chapter 73
After a grueling forty-five minutes of Monroe biting his fingernails, Chloe was carting dishes to the dining room table.
My phone rang just as we were sitting down to eat.
"Hey, Renée," said Nick. "Just wanted you to know that you can sleep well tonight. We found the Skalengecks, and both of them are in custody."
"That's great news!" I said, letting out a breath. "Is Pete okay?"
"Yeah, he actually helped take one of them down," Nick replied. "I think he enjoyed it, actually." Pete was a lover not a fighter. Maybe he was trying to impress Rosalee. "What's your address? I'll come by so we can take care of your ex."
"I already took care of Jack, so your services aren't needed," I replied, shifting my voice back to annoyance. We hadn't had time to discuss it earlier.
"How did you manage that?"
I went through my performance of tricking Jack with the fake liquid Tylenol.
"So, he just took a taxi and left?"
"Yeah, it's over."
"Are you still at your house?" Nick asked.
"No, we're over at Monroe's. My house is…" I didn't want to even finish that sentence.
"Okay, I'll be over there shortly, so I can drop Pete off."
"Thank you, Nick," I said and hung up.
I turned back to face the table. Chloe had gone all out, and there was a little bit of everything in front of us. What the heck had she made? I wanted to forgo my vegetarian ways tonight and seek comfort in a cheese burger. My friend Daisy's brown eyes came to mind. No, vegetarian was the better choice.
"So, Pete is okay?" Chloe asked as she filled her plate.
"Yeah, he actually got a little Grimm action in tonight," I replied.
She tilted her head slightly as her eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"
"Nick didn't go into details. I guess we'll find out when they get here."
"Dammit," she muttered under her breath. "Isn't it bad enough you're getting in trouble here? Why does he have to get in on it, too?"
"Nick said he's fine," I assured her. She shook her head regardless.
Monroe attacked his plate once it was filled. "Oh, wow, dude. This is delicious!" he said, trying hard not to talk with his mouth full. "Did you use cumin?"
Chloe's concern seemed to melt away as her dinner was being fawned over. "Yeah. And there's a hint of basil in there, too." She grinned at Monroe.
He took another bite. "Yeah, I taste the basil. It's the perfect balance with the potatoes, man."
Chloe was a great cook. Monroe deserved someone who could use a kitchen. He also deserved someone that didn't have a crazy ex who had tried to kill him. Or did kill him? Oh, the self-pity train was pulling into the station. My friend the rabbit and my boyfriend the wolf talked about spices and cooking techniques as I picked at my plate, pushing a few stray peas back and forth.
"...Renée has tried it. What did you think, Hun?" Monroe continued.
"What, I'm sorry?" I wasn't paying attention.
"My recipe for a cardamom crème brulée. You like it, right?"
I nodded slowly. Did I like it? Hell, I couldn't remember even having it. They looked at my vague expression.
Chloe grabbed my hand. She didn't have to say anything. I felt better just having her here.
Once dinner was over, I scooped up the dishes.
"Renée, you don't have to do that," Monroe said, putting his arms around me. You've been through a lot today."
"Well, let's see... You almost died today and Chloe was held hostage. Of the three of us, I think I had the best day of all. I can handle a few dishes." I turned to smile at him, but it was obviously faked.
Monroe gave me a tight squeeze and then let me go. He wasn't going to change my mind. I worked out my frustrations on the dishes, scrubbing the plates with vigor. If only I could scrub away all the things I'd witnessed today just as easily.
"Nick's here," Monroe said as he made his way to the front door. That nose of his was better than a doorbell. Nick's voice was echoing in the living room a few moments later as I was finishing the last plate and drying it. I wiped my hands and went into the living room.
"…it was awesome!" Pete was telling Chloe as I walked up. "The guy was running up the stairs and I caught his leg, knocking him down. He hit his head on the stairs and was out for the count." Pete was grinning from ear to ear.
"I'm just glad you're all right," I said as he turned to me. I gave him a hug.
"Oh, I'm fine. Portland is a cool town." He let me go and smiled. Chloe rolled her eyes at the mere mention of anything good about Portland.
"Yeah, Portland is…" I began but was interrupted by Nick.
"So this Verd..." he paused like he was searching for the German word. "…this potion that your ex drank. Do you think it was effective?" he asked, his blue-green eyes fixed on mine.
"Yeah, it seemed to be. Crap, I still have to go to the police department tomorrow to fill out a report about the intruder." I made a sour face.
"What, did an officer come out tonight?"
I filled Nick in on the rest of the story, including the Waldgeist part.
Nick's eyes widened. "That guy stabbed you, Monroe?"
"Yeah, he got the drop on me." Monroe nodded slowly. "But I'm fine… Well, thanks to Renée." He patted his chest. "Yeah, I'm in tip-top shape."
Pete was quietly shaking his head.
"It seems I didn't need the great detective after all," I said to Nick.
"Look, I told you I had my hands full. I was dealing with murderers and drug addicts. Real problems."
I held back a gasp. Real problems? My problem was real. Ooh, he was such an ass. I held in my frustrations, however. I still needed his help.
"I don't even know what I should say tomorrow when I go to the precinct. Can I just tell them not to worry about it? Drop the charges?" I asked Nick. Was that how it even worked?
"There's more to it than that, but I can take care of the procedural parts. I'm getting used to filling out these kinds of reports, unfortunately," Nick sighed, but then gave me that dumb toothy grin which actually made me feel better for once. "Come by and see me in the morning and I'll take care of it."
"Thank you for doing this," I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. "I owe you one."
"Let's just take one from the many I owe Monroe, and we'll call it even," he replied with a smile.
(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)
Nick left shortly after, and Monroe walked out with him. Chloe went to the kitchen to make a plate of leftovers for Pete.
Pete pulled me aside. "Didn't we discuss the possible repercussions of you using your Waldgeist abilities?"
"I didn't know I was using them, Pete," I said. "I just… didn't want Monroe to die."
Pete bit at his top lip. "I have a bad feeling about this." He shook his head slowly. "Hopefully I'm wrong."
"It saved Monroe's life, so that's all that matters."
"Just be careful, Née." Pete gave me a look. "Messing with the laws of nature never…"
"Come eat something, Pete," Chloe said as she poked her head through the opening of the dining room. "I'm sure nearly getting yourself killed worked up an appetite."
"Nick was watching my back," Pete retorted to his sister then turned back to me. "Take my advice, Née. Be careful."
As Pete walked away, I sank into the couch. Monroe was alive, so what harm could that do? I didn't want to think about it. Pete's 'bad feelings' usually meant something. No, I wasn't going to dwell on the negative. I'd saved him. I did the right thing. Jack, on the other hand, was lucky I didn't do worse to him.
Monroe returned, taking a seat beside me. "Hey, Hun. It'll be fine." He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned against his chest.
"Once this is over, hopefully it'll be the last we see of Jack." I sighed. "I swear if he comes back again, maybe I will let Chloe kill him."
"You promise?" Chloe called out from the dining room. I laughed. Too many good ears in one house.
A/N: Well, it seems Pete was a bit faster on the stairs than Monroe was in the show. He caught the guy before he got out of the building, so no brick clocking necessary. Sorry, Rosalee.
Pete didn't seem to like Renée using her abilities. Was he worried about nature, or something else? Haha… Maybe he's just worried in general.
Ren↨ée gets to go back to her favorite place tomorrow... The precinct. yay...
2 chapters to go today. Hope you're enjoying! (: