Chapter Fifteen

A newspaper was thrown onto Aries’ paper plate of greasy foot that he’d put on the coffee table in front of him while he watched the television. He looked up at Fay, who silently pointed back down to the paper. With a heavy sigh of unclear connotation, he read the headline that he guessed she wanted him to see out loud.

“Andrew Li Killed in Prison Riot,” he said. “Reckless b*****d.”

Fay raised an eyebrow. “I thought you said Comet was your friend.”

“He’s a lost cause now.”

“We burned down a house for him.”

Aries sat up in a way that made Fay force herself not to back away. He didn’t exert that power often, but when he did, it would keep her awake and thinking at night for weeks after. He reached over and picked up the newspaper, dropping it in his lap and glaring at Fay like she was just a bad dog. “What if we did? I’ve done worse. We’ve done worse together. How come this one’s eating at you?”

Fay shook her head. “I used to live there, that’s all. I used to live with his mom.”

“Okay,” Aries said, holding out his hand to her. It seemed like the danger in his face slid off a little, just enough to make him her brave, dashing man again. She came closer and she wrapped his arm around her waist, sitting down on the armrest of the couch with her legs across his lap. He stroked his hand down her leg and smiled, “Just making sure that it’s not because of Edward Montgomery.”

“I’m done with him. My life is with you.” Fay leaned down and planted a short kiss on the top of his head.

Aries nodded at her, “Good.”

 “Also, I should tell you that I’ve been getting some stares from some of your robbery squad.”

“Tell me their names,” Aries said. “I’ll mail their eyes to their mothers in a box.”

Fay laughed, but the look on her face faded. “They’re mad at me. They’re all jealous because the druggie you plucked off the street suddenly has more pull than they do.”

“If those b******s want pull, they can pry it from my dead fingers. You deserve everything you have.”

There was a pounding at the front door for a few seconds before the room went quiet. Aries sighed and turned off the television with the remote. With a heavy breath, he got to his feet, letting Fay’s legs fall off of him, and tugged at the lapel of his jacket on his shoulder to bring his heavy collar back around his neck. Fay didn’t get up, but stared at him while he went across the room and opened the door.

Standing there was a police officer, a short, muscular man with a greying beard. He was a weasel with feline features and a reputation with the city that matched. The police uniform wrapped around his body had grown a few sizes too small, and that just showed off a little of the skull and helmet tattoo that he had on his sleeve. He fixed his posture once the door opened and he saw who was answering. “Aries,” he said.

Aries grinned, “Moe. What can I do for you?”

Fay had started to get up, but the officer was coming in. Aries followed him into the living room where he made himself comfortable on a stray kitchen chair by the television. He coughed and looked up at Aries. “The cops are onto you for torching Montgomery’s mom. The lawyer brought up some convincing arguments about your girlfriend there.”

“My girlfriend has a name,” Aries said, his face blank. Fay cracked a smirk at him. He sat down on the couch next to her and wrapped her arm around himself. “Don’t you, Fay?”

“Sure do,” she said.

The officer choked a bit on whatever was in his throat and corrected himself, “Sorry�"about Fay. I’m supposed to be investigating you two.”

“Investigate away,” said Aries.

The officer opened his notepad and took his pen out from behind his ear. With a gruff voice, he recited, “Did you burn down the house of Angelou Price-Montgomery?”

“We didn’t.”

“Where were you on the afternoon of the fifteenth of July?”

Aries looked back at Fay. “We were at the Mermaid club, weren’t we? Minding our own business? Having fun?”

“We sure were,” she grinned.

“Proving that’s going to be your job, Moe,” Aries said, giving the officer a nod.

The officer adjusted himself in his seat and suddenly jerked around to Fay with a sort of accusatory nod. Most of her smile evaporated, but that didn’t change what he had to say. “The lawyer gave us a story about you. Can you tell me the same story?”

Aries looked up at Fay with curiosity. She looked back at him, not that she was thinking of how to appease that curiosity. She had to force her eyes shut to think of what to say. She had gotten so good at blocking that story from her mind. “Ed and I grew up living next to each other. We used to date, but it wasn’t really serious. I lost his baby, so now he wants to frame me for arson. He hates his mother too. She used to get drunk and hit his dad. Check her record. There’s alcohol in there. He neglected her. Add that to the file.”

Seemingly satisfied, the officer got to his feet and stuffed his notepad into his pocket. “I don’t need to search the premise.”

“No, you don’t.” Aries said.

The officer bit his bottom lip and coughed through his teeth. Without looking him in the eye, he turned to Aries. “You’re going to pay for my retirement, right?”

“Keep up our deal. We’ll see.”

Fay waved goodbye, and the officer started to head out the door with slow thumps on the carpet. The two were silent as he made his way out the door, although not without growing anxiety. Fay knew what was coming, but that was all. Most of all, she didn’t know what Aries was going to do and if she should get ready to run. That little knife was still resting against her leg, but if he held her leg in his lap a little tighter, she’d be defenseless. Her heart beat faster out of a gnawing fear that she wasn’t in the mood to face. Once the officer had shut the door behind him, Aries turned back to Fay with a blank face and took a breath out.

“So,” he said. “You lost his baby? That’s quite a story. Did you make the whole thing up?”

She shook her head, wiping away the remnants of the fake sneer she had put on. “Not entirely.”

“Baby, if we’re going to be a serious couple, you should tell me a bit more about yourself. I’ve told you everything, and I don’t know anything about you from before I picked you up off the street. Do you love me?”

“Of course I do,” Fay said. “The lawyer and I just used to date in high school. We split up right after we graduated, and I haven’t seen him since. He’s nothing to me now. You’re my everything.”

Aries nodded. “I love you, Fay. Don’t you ever forget that.”