Crocodile Tears [16/?]
Title: Crocodile Tears [16/?]
Rating: R
Fandom: Bandom [Elliot Minor/Empires/Suns]
Pairing(s): So far, Tom Conrad/ Mikey Russell
Summary: Murder and abduction is never easy, but the Princes in the Tower case is turning out to be something else entirely. Alex Davies wasn't expecting this after the Bernstein case.
Genre: AU/Angst
Warnings: swearing, violence, murder, character death, child abuse, domestic abuse
Notes: [1015 words]
“Wow.” Tom commented, slamming the door behind him. “Now this... this is fucking creepy.” Mikey and Alex made no sound as they too closed their doors, but both of them had their hands on their guns - Alex had already drawn his, although he had it pointed at the floor.
“No shit.” Teddy replied. He didn’t have a gun, and his hands were awkwardly folded; his eyes darting around suspiciously.
“How did she get in?” Alex’s voice dropped to a whisper as they flashed their passes at the guards. “Because, seriously, this place is the most heavily guarded place I’ve ever seen - I mean, jeeze, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had ghosts in their employment.”
“Are there ghosts here?” Tom asked Teddy, raising an eyebrow. He seemed altogether too jaunty to be in the situation.
“Anne Boleyn. Henry VI is supposed to haunt the tower we’re going to.” The father of two ticked them off on his fingers, paused in the moonlight. “Lady Jane Grey, Margaret Pole. A bear... I think it heralds death or something. Basically, if you see it, run like the fucking wind. Oh, and the princes. The actual princes, not mine.” He looked up at the moon and muttered something.
“What did you say?” The blonde looked at him sharply.
“Nothing. Well.” Teddy looked slightly embarrassed. Alex was fascinated by the display of emotion, from a man who didn’t seem to have any. “Maybe... maybe they’ll protect Dickon. He was named for them, after all.”
“Where’s Wakefield?” Mikey asked brusquely, cutting across the conversation. “The Tower, where is it?” The youngest man shrugged sullenly. “Oh Christ.” The Chief Constable swore under his breath, before walking back to where the guards were to get directions. He was the opposite of Tom, tense and highly strung.
“What are you doing here?” The guard asked dubiously, looking again at Mikey’s pass.
“Classified information, I’m afraid.” Mikey pocketed the pass, already mentally planning the route. His other hand still remained tight on his gun.“But it is police business, and it’s a matter of life and death. I’m going to have to ask you all to remain away from Wakefield Tower.”
“But-”
“We will guard it.” The eldest man’s eyes were steely. “I’m afraid I cannot trust anyone at this point in my investigations.”
“I don’t feel-”
“I don’t care.” Mikey cut across him. “I need to know, have you seen a woman come in, with a child, probably late?”
“She’s pretty.” Teddy stepped forward. “Blonde hair, about shoulder length, blue eyes. Good figure.” Alex could see that the words were costing him dearly.
“No.” The guard looked mystified.
“Have you seen anyone come in?” Tom tilted his head.
“About half an hour ago, yes.” The guard frowned thoughtfully. “But it was one of you.”
“One of us?” Teddy took a step back as the three policemen looked at him. He bit on his lip hard enough to draw blood. “I was with Alex. It wasn’t me.” He held up his hands in a display of innocence.
“He was a policeman.” The guard added helpfully. “And he had a badge. No kid though.”
“A policeman?” Alex raised an eyebrow at Mikey. “Do you know anything about this?”
“She’s not alone.” The Chief Constable noted grimly, before heading towards the tower. The others followed in silence.
-
“Have I said that this is creepy?” Tom was the first to step into the tower, his gun pointed out before him. “Like, really creepy.”
“Yes.” His estranged husband said crisply, hands on his own gun. “You may have mentioned that several times.” He cocked his gun, ready to fire. Mikey was totally on edge, more than normal. He looked slightly like he was entertaining the idea of shooting his lover.
“Don’t!” Alex cut across them sharply. “Listen!”
“Yo ho... yo ho...” A child’s voice floated into the room. “A pirate’s life for me...” There was a pause, before it started up again. Tom gripped onto Alex’s arm, looking faintly terrified. Mikey’s finger paused on the trigger, an instinct that was quickly suppressed.
“That’s Richard.” Teddy glared at them. “That’s not a fucking ghost. I thought you policemen were supposed to be brave.” His hands were fumbling, trembling, balling repeatedly.
“Not a policeman.” Mikey mumbled.
“Not a policeman, technically.” The blonde man said at the same time, looking faintly triumphant.
“Get in there.” The youngest man hissed. “My son is there. That is my son, my son. She’s killed one of my sons before, she will kill again, I am certain of it.”
Mikey nodded sharply and moved towards the wooden oak door, pushing it gently. It gave quickly after he moved the fire extinguisher in front of it, and he entered the room with his gun out. “I hate to say it.” He called out softly. “But I have to agree with Tom; this is getting creepier.” He tripped on a loose flag and yelped softly, before grabbing onto the windowsill to straighten himself. The man looked uneasily at the altar.
“Maybe someone died in there?” Tom suggested with a shrug. In the background, Alex could hear the hum of a car. It sounded slightly strange; slightly distorted and muffled.
Suddenly, the oak door slammed shut. They heard Mikey give a cry of surprise, but the cry was stifled by the door clicking shut. Before they could move to open it again - it was the wind, it must have been the wind - someone turned the key. The stranger, wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled up, made a noise of satisfaction. They watched as the stranger bent down and moved the fire extinguisher back in front of the door.
“Alistair.” The person took their hood down. Teddy took a step back, and there was a look of terror on his face. Alex’s eyes widened. No, no, no! It all made sense though, really. Everything fell into place, and he felt like such an idiot for not guessing before.
William Beckett grinned at them.
“Rebecca.” The youngest man whispered.