Chapter 13: A Break from the Hunt*
After days of pouring over city records and corporate filings, Marie's eyes felt like they were going to fall out of her skull. Edd, ever the diligent researcher, was still hunched over his laptop, squinting at spreadsheets and public records, methodically piecing together Kevin's web of shell companies. They'd uncovered several properties tied to him through various aliases.
Marie stretched her arms above her head, feeling the tension in her shoulders ease just slightly. The apartment was quiet except for the sound of keys tapping and papers shuffling. Ed and Eddy, who had been helping as much as they could, were restless, pacing around the apartment and occasionally peeking over Edd's shoulder to see if there were any new developments.
It was Eddy who finally broke the silence, throwing his hands up in frustration. "Alright, enough of this! We've been staring at this stuff for days, and it's frying our brains. We need a break."
Ed perked up immediately, his ever-optimistic grin spreading across his face. "Yeah! A break! Let's do something fun!"
Edd barely looked up from his screen, still lost in his work. "We're so close, Eddy. If we just focus for a bit longer, I'm sure we'll—"
Marie cut him off, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. "Double D, you've been at this for days. We all have. Eddy's right—we need to step away for a bit. Clear our heads."
Edd glanced up, meeting her eyes, and saw the soft concern there. He hesitated, then nodded. "I suppose you're right. We're not doing ourselves any favors by burning out."
Eddy grinned, already heading for the door. "Good! Then let's hit the pool hall. I could use a little action to get the blood pumping."
"Pool hall?" Marie raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Didn't peg you guys for billiards players."
Ed grinned even wider. "Eddy's not that good, but I've been practicing! I'm the *cue ball king!*"
Edd rolled his eyes with a fond smile. "He's right, though. A little break could be just what we need. Are you in, Marie?"
Marie chuckled, grabbing her jacket. "Why not? Could be fun to wipe the floor with you guys."
--
The pool hall was a cozy, dimly lit dive just outside of town. The neon signs buzzed above the bar, casting a soft glow across the tables. The smell of beer and fried food hung in the air, and the low hum of laughter and conversation created a relaxed, easy atmosphere.
Eddy immediately sauntered up to the counter, ordering a round of drinks, while Ed excitedly picked out a pool table in the corner, already eager to start playing.
Marie and Edd hung back for a moment, both of them taking in the laid-back vibe of the place. Edd looked a little out of his element—his usual pressed shirt and tie seemed almost out of place here—but Marie found it endearing.
She nudged him with her elbow. "Ever play pool, Double D?"
Edd blushed slightly, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Once or twice. It's not exactly my strong suit."
Marie smirked, leaning in a little closer. "Good. Gives me an excuse to show you how it's done."
Edd blinked, clearly caught off guard by her flirtatious tone, but before he could respond, Ed called out from the table, waving them over excitedly.
"Come on, guys! I've racked up the balls! Let's play!"
They made their way over, and Eddy handed them each a drink. "Alright, here's the deal. Teams of two. Me and Ed versus you two. Losers buy the next round."
Marie raised an eyebrow at Eddy's overconfident grin. "You sure about that, shortstack? I won't go easy on you."
Eddy scoffed. "Please. I'm a pool shark, Kanker. Just try and keep up."
Marie just smirked and grabbed a cue stick, handing one to Edd. "Guess we'll see."
--
As the game progressed, it quickly became clear that Marie was a force to be reckoned with. She moved around the table with the ease of someone who had spent more than a few nights hustling people out of their money. She leaned over the table, her eyes focused as she lined up shot after shot, sinking balls with precise, practiced movements.
Edd, on the other hand, was a little more cautious, fumbling with his aim and missing several shots. But Marie didn't seem to mind. Every time he missed, she would step in, gently teasing him but offering pointers all the same.
"Relax your shoulders," she said at one point, coming up behind him to adjust his stance. Her hands rested lightly on his arms as she corrected his form, her breath brushing against his neck as she spoke. "Don't overthink it. Let the cue do the work."
Edd's face flushed a deep red, and he could barely concentrate on the shot with Marie so close to him. He nodded, his voice a little shaky. "R-right. Got it."
He took the shot—missed—but Marie just laughed and gave him a playful shove. "You're getting better. Sort of."
Edd smiled sheepishly, watching as she took her own shot, sinking yet another ball with ease. He couldn't help but admire how confident she looked, how comfortable she seemed in her own skin.
By the time they were halfway through the game, the tension that had been hanging over them the past few days had started to melt away. They joked and bantered with each other, the stress of the investigation temporarily forgotten.
At one point, as Marie leaned over the table to take a shot, she caught Edd watching her out of the corner of his eye. She shifted her stance to stick her butt out more added a slight arch to her back, a pose she knew was a distraction for any man in a pool game.
"Something on your mind, Double D?" She took her shot and stood straight, turning to face him.
Edd blushed, caught off guard. "N-no, I was just… admiring your form."
Marie raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying his flustered reaction. "Oh yeah? You like my form, huh?"
Edd stammered, trying to backtrack. "I-I mean your pool technique! I didn't mean—"
Marie laughed, stepping closer to him and placing a hand on his chest, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Relax, Double D. I don't mind you looking at my form."
Edd let out a breath, his heart racing as she lingered just a little too close. "You're, uh… pretty good at pool."
She winked. "I've had a lot of practice."
Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world outside the pool hall seemed to fade away. It was just the two of them, the weight of their growing attraction building tension around them.
Before either of them could say anything more, Eddy's voice cut through the moment. "Hey! Lovebirds! You gonna take your shot, or what?"
Marie rolled her eyes but grinned, stepping back and giving Edd a playful nudge. "You heard him. Time to sink this one and win the game."
Edd took a deep breath, lined up the shot with more focus than he had all night, and—against all odds—sank the ball.
Marie let out a triumphant cheer, throwing her arms around him in celebration. "See? I knew you had it in you!"
Edd's face flushed again, but he smiled, enjoying the warmth of her embrace.
As the night wore on, the stress and uncertainty of the investigation seemed to slip further into the background. For the first time in days, they all felt like they could breathe again, even if it was just for a little while.
