Friends with Benefits - Chapter 6
Title: Friends with Benefits
Author:
whatshouldntbe
Fandom: Reboot XI/AU
Universe/Series: Part of the 'What Shouldn't Be' series
Rating: R (NC-17 over all)
Word count: 23000+ for this part, 99000+ so far
Disclaimer: I own Star Trek as much as I own the Sun, which means not at all.
Warnings: always!girl Kirk, angst, action, infidelity, language, rom-com humor, sexual situations, violence, possible amateur world-building
Summary: Jim doesn't end up at Starfleet.
Chapter 6
Two Weeks Later
Sunday - June 30th - Noon
Mom & Pop's Diner
"Sorry I'm late. I guess," Jim mutters as she slides into the booth across from Chadwick Treadway Jr. Before he can say anything to her, she quickly picks up her menu and hides herself from his view.
The place isn't as crowded as it could be-most people are probably dispersing to their houses after that rather vigorously boring sermon Reverend Nolan delivered that morning (again). The diner is filled with the sounds of low level conversations and the clanging of silverware against porcelain dishes.
Jim isn't all that hungry. She feels agitated and hot and Bones had been particularly nagging when she explained to both him and Eleanora why she wasn't joining them for a little family get together at an uncle's or cousin's house or whatever. Usually she has the patience for the banter with Bones, but for some reason, this time around, she's been running on a short fuse. It's probably because of all the anxiety. She's been feeling nauseated off and on, but she's been chalking it up to emotional stress. She does have a tendency to have panic attacks when she's worried about too many things all at once.
In this case, it would be the upcoming debutante ball for Ms. Hudson Hill.
Jim would normally ignore an invite extended to her from Chadwick, but this time around, against her better judgment, she decided to accept it because she needed to get out of the house. She needed to just do something different outside of the routine that she and Eleanora had been consistently running through. In any case, she just wants to make this exchange as painless as possible, and also to clear up some misconceptions.
"I'm just glad you came at all," Chadwick finally says after a lengthy silence. "I'm not sure if I'm more surprised that you did when you usually don't or that because you don't, you did."
Jim snorts as she eyes the desserts section. "You make it sound confusing when you put it like that." She waits a moment or two before she says, "I almost didn't to be honest. But then, you know, I thought that maybe if I spoke with you face to face then you'd stop sending hordes and hordes of flowers to the house in a sad attempt to woo me. I feel like the florists in this town either hate me or love me."
Chadwick chuckles.
Jim frowns. She didn't expect him to laugh. She lowers the menu to study him. He's well-dressed-dark blue suit and neatly combed hair, the perfect representation of what a mayor's son is supposed to look like-and most confusing of all, he's grinning. She frowns deeper.
Chadwick chuckles again. "Trust me. Not my idea really. All my dad's," he confesses and he straightens his tie. "He's a bit-"
"Old-fashioned?" Jim smoothly interjects with a raised brow.
Chadwick smirks and it actually makes him a bit more attractive (unfortunately). "Well, old, sure-but also a dick," he says, rather candidly.
Jim blinks in surprise. "Wow," she murmurs. "That's not something I expected you to say."
"I know. That's why I said it." Chadwick takes a moment to shrug and he glances around with a showy smile and nod.
It hasn't escaped Jim's notice that they are being watched by the lovely (nosy) patrons of the diner. If Chadwick is trying to make some kind of statement about them being seen together, or if this is being done deliberately, well he sure picked the best spot to do it. If anything, the rumor of them having lunch together will have spread around town by the end of the week. This little sit-down is serving several purposes (obviously).
Jim presses a hand to her stomach as she feels it churn unpleasantly and she tries not to add her growing unease about this exchange to her (already full) plate of stress.
Chadwick goes on to say, "Look, I know how I seem. But, to be honest, I am selfish and I do look out for my own interests. This isn't me apologizin'. This is me tryin' a different approach with you. So in sayin' that, I realize that my dad is a dick but he's the dick in charge of my inheritance, and it is a sizeable one."
Jim scoffs at the audacity of him.
"So suffice to say, I ain't tryin' to do anythin' that would give him even the slightest notion to disown me. I gotta make that bastard happy for a couple of more decades before he dies out and leaves the rest of us in peace," Chadwick explains and he doesn't look the least bit sorry for it, though he does keep his tone quiet so that only she can hear him.
Jim frowns. She considers this information very carefully as she leans forward. "Why are telling me all this?"
"Tellin' you?" Chadwick retorts with a sympathetic grin, like she's the one who is stupid. "Ms. Kirk-you and I have similar interests I think."
Jim sighs. "How do you mean?"
Chadwick shrugs but he's not playing coy. "It's no small thing that James Kirk, daughter of George Kirk, a fallen hero, graces a town like Hudson Hill. And I kinda screwed up when I was away at Harvard. Since my dad got some kind of vested interest in you and everythin', I figured that pursuin' you is the closest that I'll ever get in ensurin' that he isn't gonna cut me off."
Jim tenses and she feels queasy. "I'm not a pawn."
"Not really askin' you to be," Chadwick says, very carefully. "I just need a favor for a favor. I'm sure there's somethin' I can do for you. In fact, I know there is."
Jim is about to tell him that the only thing he can do is to fuck right off.
Dixie waddles over with her large stomach and a small notepad. "Oh, Junior. I thought I smelled desperation for approval," she quips.
"Diane," Chadwick drawls tightly. "You're lookin' gorgeously fat. Did you eat your husband or is your diet still consistin' of small animals, like, perhaps squirrels or chipmunks?"
Dixie glares and swats her small notepad at his head.
Chadwick easily evades her swings. "Rude and unprofessional, sister."
"You can go suck a dick, Junior," Dixie hisses back, surprising a laugh out of Jim. That draws her attention away from her little brother. "Jim, I hope my dumb brother isn't harassin' you. Did he bribe you into this?"
"Hardly," Jim says. "No worries. I can handle myself."
Dixie eyes her with uncertainty but she leaves it alone. "Well, what can I get for you?"
"I'll take a double cheeseburger," Chadwick says.
Dixie glares at him. "I was talkin' to Jim. Not you. You can wait."
Chadwick just shrugs and looks to Jim expectantly.
"I'll just take a small bowl of Greek Kalamata olives," Jim says.
Dixie frowns but she scribbles it out. "That's all?"
Jim wiggles her mouth thoughtfully before she adds, "And I guess some eggs. Scrambled. Messy. With cheese and green peppers. And some toast. Dark." She closes her menu and rubs her stomach. "And a glass of ginger ale."
Dixie nods and writes it out. She turns to Chadwick. "Double cheeseburger and fries. Did I get that right?"
"Perfectly," Chadwick says and hands over his menu. "But please refrain from takin' a bite out of my food when you bring it."
Dixie waves the menus at him menacingly. "You're such an ass."
Chadwick just shrugs and waves her off. "Go away before you go into labor. That'll ruin my appetite for sure."
"Jim, just say the word and I'll have him thrown out. But I'll still charge the food to his account," Dixie promises as she glares at him.
Jim grins slightly and watches as Dixie waddles away.
"She shouldn't be here. She looks ready to pop," Chadwick comments idly as he watches his older sister with something that looks close to emotion, but it's gone before Jim can even be sure. He turns his green eyes back to her with a calculating smirk. "Now-where were we?"
"You were being a vague and condescending ass," Jim snidely replies.
"Ah, yes, now I remember," Chadwick chuckles as he leans forward and eyes her. "You really don't like me, do you?"
"Does it matter?" Jim counters as she leans back and frowns at him. "What do you even want from me?"
"I thought I was pretty clear about that," Chadwick says. "A favor for a favor."
"What's the favor?"
Chadwick looks her right in the eyes. "Marry me."
Jim laughs sharply.
Chadwick lifts both eyebrows. "I'll take that as your way of sayin' you're gonna think about it," he decides.
Jim just goes on laughing.
Chadwick shifts uncomfortably and smiles awkwardly when people glance over at them out of curiosity. "Ms. Kirk, if you can get a hold of yourself-"
Jim presses a hand to her chest as her eyes begin to water and her face reddens with her mocking laughter.
Chadwick grimaces and shifts again. "Glad that you find this funny," he mutters.
Jim coughs as she calms down and finally, finally, finds herself saying, "I'm sorry. Did you just fucking propose to me, you ignorant fuck?"
Chadwick's mouth sinks unhappily and he loosens his tie slightly. "Now, now, sweetheart. There ain't no need for name callin'."
"Oh there is a complete need," Jim argues. She shakes her head and laughs angrily. "Oh my God. I should have never fucking came here. Really."
"I don't think marryin' me would be such a hardship," Chadwick tersely replies.
"You can shut up talking to me because you still don't fucking seem to get that what you're initially asking me to do is legally tie myself to you like it's no big deal. Like I don't fucking have better things that I plan on doing with myself or my future. No, you think, oh okay, yeah, I'll just ask this dumb blonde bimbo to marry me for the hell of it. And really, fuck you and your dad if either one of you think I'm just some kind of simple bitch that just does things like that. But you know what? I'm not." She laughs again. "And forgive me, but how old are you? How old do you think I am? I mean I'm just really trying to fucking understand where you're coming from with all this. Because my advice to you would be to concentrate on something other than this bullshit."
"I think you're overreacting and missin' a keen opportunity," Chadwick stubbornly argues.
Jim lifts both eyebrows and feels her stomach quake angrily. "No, I don't think I'm overreacting at all. I think my anger is one hundred percent fucking legitimate and reasonable. Because you don't want to marry me. You just want to use me. No, scratch that. This is your father talking all the way because I know there is no way you could've come up with this scheme on your own. I don't think you're smart at all and this approach just proves it."
"Don't do that," Chadwick warns. "Don't act like you're better than me. Better than my family. My dad's done a whole hell of a lot of questionable things, but compared to you, sweetheart, it's pretty saint-like."
"And what the hell does that mean?"
Chadwick shrugs and leans back like he's taken control of the conversation again. "You know, my dad said that you would be difficult. He didn't agree with this lunch and how I wanted to come at you but I was so sure you'd go along with it. Obviously he's better at this than I am. Of course, he's spent so long in politics-things like this must be cake." He goes quiet as Dixie approaches with their food.
Dixie glances between them with a speculative glance.
Jim avoids her gaze as she picks up a fork and viciously stabs into her eggs.
Chadwick dismisses his older sister with a callous remark as he squirts ketchup over his fries.
Jim pops a few olives into her mouth and sighs as the salty taste distracts her from her irritation for a moment. She needs to keep a level head about this. Even though she feels a headache begin to pulse between her temples, she needs to keep calm because blowing up isn't going to deter Treadway Jr. from the grand conspiracy of things.
They eat in silence for the next ten minutes but Jim watches him closely.
Chadwick pretends not to notice her venomous glares.
Jim takes one last bite of her toast and pushes her plate to the side as she reaches for her glass of ginger ale, hoping it settles her upset stomach.
"My dad told me about Tarsus," Chadwick casually comments between bites.
Jim almost chokes as she lowers her glass. "What did you say?"
"I said," Chadwick repeats as he meets her gaze unwaveringly. "My dad told me about that whole business with Kodos. You know he escaped prison right? And that he's going after the remainin' survivors?" He whistles sadly as he wipes at the corners of his mouth with a napkin and reaches for his water. "That's bad news for you, ain't it? I mean, you were there and everythin'."
"How do you-" Jim feels something hot and furious swell in her throat. "How does he know about any of that?"
"Politics," Chadwick merely says as though it explains everything, and yeah, maybe it does. "But I think the real question is-are you so sure that you won't reconsider my little proposal?"
"What?" Jim says and fights against a tremble. "I say yes and then you what? Protect me? Not spread it around town or to the media? What?"
"It's all very simple, Ms. Kirk," Chadwick assures calmly, like it's supposed to be a comfort. "I'm reasonable. Really. I didn't want it to come to this. I thought you'd be right on board, but, you backed me into a corner. What can I say?" He shrugs. "But I'll tell you what, sweetheart. I'll let you think about it."
"Or I can leave town tonight and never come back."
Chadwick smirks. "You ain't gonna do that."
"Why not?"
"Haven't you heard? There's a mad man on the loose," Chadwick drawls and widens his eyes dramatically like its all a fucking joke. "And, well, that little friend of yours-Florence, I think her name is-she ever tell you who she used to be?"
Jim's hands curl into fists.
"You don't strike me as the type to just abandon your friends when they need you the most," Chadwick supposes lightly as he begins to slide from the booth. He approaches her and presses his lips to her cheek.
Jim tenses and she thinks about breaking his wrist. She could. She knows how.
Chadwick stalls any violent actions by saying, "Watch yourself, Ms. Kirk. Very easy to make a public enemy out of you if we know which wounds to agitate." He pulls away with an infuriating grin. "Good luck with the debutante ball. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you."
"Fuck off," Jim mutters.
Chadwick chuckles but he moves to the front of the diner where he pays for their meal before he strides out.
Jim is stuck sitting there because she feels cheap, and also because the cement block of anger and dejection is pinning her to the spot.
Dixie sits across from her. "You okay, Jim?"
Jim says nothing.
"What did he say to you?"
Jim presses down the raw revulsion building up inside of her to say. "Nothing really. Don't worry about it," she says with a sad smile and prays that her acting skills are in full swing. "We just had a disagreement. He's mad that I won't let him be my escort. But whatever. Can you excuse me?"
Dixie nods helplessly as Jim quickly slides out of the booth and to the bathroom.
Jim goes to the stall at the end, slamming the door shut as she exhales shakily. She takes a few moments to breathe as she paces the small area. Her mouth purses as she presses a hand to her stomach before she drops to her knees, lifting the toilet seat to vomit. It takes six minutes before her stomach completely empties itself and at the end of it all she's left shaken and pale. She sighs, feeling only slightly better, and stands, spitting one last time as she rubs her churning stomach. She flushes the toilet and stands shakily. She exits the stall and goes to the sink to rinse out her mouth and splash some cool water on her face.
Jim shakes the water off her hands as her nausea subsides and she waits for the wooziness to pass. She stares at her reflection and the miserable expression on her face before she willfully masks it into something more neutral. She counts to thirty and she takes a moment to rehash her exchange with Chadwick.
Even though he's made it clear that him and his father have some pretty susceptible dirt on her, one good thing remains-Chadwick is an idiot who talks too much. In this complicated chess game, he's made a move that's taken at least three of Jim's pawns but ultimately revealed most of his endgame. She can use that against him.
Jim's more intelligent than both Chadwick and Mayor Treadway combined. It's all about countermoves really. She is going to have to be very careful about her approach to the whole situation. The way she sees it, she has two options-run like hell and never look back or she can stick around and bring them down in the best way she knows how.
Honestly, the main thing Jim wants to do is to just make sure that this whole messy situation doesn't follow her or disrupt her life any more than it's already beginning to. And that fucking whole thing with Kodos and how he's out there somewhere-suffice to say, she'll have to put that whole disaster way in the back of her thoughts until she has time to sort everything else out. Once she's out of state and where she planned on being in the first place, then, then, she'll dive deep and see what she can figure out in order to keep herself safe and from Kodos's psychotic cannibalistic hands.
Jim sighs and straightens her shoulders as she exits the bathroom, not surprised when Dixie flocks to her again with a truly concerned expression.
"Jim, you sure you're alright? Listen, you can tell me anythin', you know that right? I know how my family is. I ain't no stranger to their horrible charms," Dixie firmly states. "They pushin' you into a corner, you let me know and I'll do what I can. I know how they think."
Jim smiles sadly and rests a hand on Dixie's shoulder, feeling slightly bad that she has to use this slightly manipulative technique. "Dixie, don't worry about it. You've got more important things to deal with. And I'm more than capable of handling someone like your brother. After all the boys I've gone through, he really is a piece of cake to figure out," she says, lying only partially. "I have to get home. I got some things I need to do. I'll see you later. We should sit down and have lunch some time."
Dixie nods with a perplexed expression. She's trying to see beyond the façade that Jim has put up. "Yeah. My husband and I got a new place-a house. You should feel welcome to stop by anytime you like," she says.
Jim smiles frivolously. "Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that. See you," she says and quickly makes her way out the diner. She drops her smile as soon as she makes it to her bike and she hops on, driving to Florence's complex. It's takes her less than five minutes to get there, and she fists her keys in her right hand as she marches up the steps before knocking (very loudly) on Florence's door.
Florence whips the door open with a guarded scowl (like always, why has Jim never noticed this?) but it cools off into a genuine grin when she sees it's Jim. "Oh, hey my lady love. What brings you by?" she asks and presses a bag of frozen peas to her black eye.
Jim brushes past her with a frown and unzips her leather jacket unhappily. She winces at the strong smell of marijuana and corn chips.
"Okay," Florence drawls as she shuts the door and locks it securely. "Someone's got a thundercloud over their head. What's up, Blue? Speak your mind. Let's pack up your troubles."
Jim turns to face her and she ignores how her stomach begins to churn again. "Florence, why do you always answer the door like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you're expecting someone else."
"Cause I am." Florence says it like it's obvious. She quirks a red eyebrow as she walks over to her small kitchen and hops up on the edge of the sink to sit there. She presses the bag of peas to her black eye again.
"Who are you expecting?"
"Don't worry about it."
"I have to worry about it," Jim sighs as she draws closer. She doesn't stop until she standing between Florence's knees. "I thought you said you were done fighting."
Florence stares down at her with a guarded expression. "I is."
Jim makes a blatant gesture to her black eye.
"Look-this? I got this when I went home a few days ago. Ran into an old friend. We didn't get on too well as you can see but that's over and done with. I ain't going back there no more," Florence explains, as vaguely as possible. "Don't worry about it."
Jim stares up at Florence for a long while before she asks, "Who were you before you came here? I mean-who were you really before all of this? Before you became who you are now?"
Florence expression goes dark and she leans back against the upper cabinets behind her. "Look at you, Blue. Asking all sort of investigative questions. Makes me wonder. Why so interested all of a sudden?"
Jim curls her fingers gently around Florence's scuffed knee. "I've always been interested, Florence. I just never push."
"You sure as hell is now, ain't you sunshine?" Florence says as her lips curl into a scowl and she brushes Jim's hand off of her. "Don't try that shit with me. I know what you trying to do. You want answers? Don't fucking try and manipulate it out of me. You forget I used to turn tricks-I know all the shortcuts and I'm eight years older than you so I been around the block a few times."
Jim steps back and crosses her arms with a contrite frown. "I'm sorry. You're right. I shouldn't have done that," she agrees.
Florence nods shortly as she lowers the frozen bag of peas. "So you wanna know about who I used to be, huh? Would you believe me if I told you it was safer if you didn't?"
"I don't care much for safety," Jim admits with a careless shrug. "I've never known safe. You should know that, what with us being kindred souls and all." She grins a little.
Florence snorts but she doesn't disagree. "Nah," she decides. "The way I see it, Blue-you still got a shot at something good in this lifetime. I ain't trying to fuck with that. I got too many things I'm paying for now. I don't need you being another one of them."
"I've got this feeling that you're keeping something really important from me," Jim says as she watches Florence closely, but she's still holding that guarded expression. "Did we know each other? From some distant plane or whatever?"
Florence smirks. "Thought you didn't believe in none of that. And besides, we met when we met, Blue. You didn't know me before then and I didn't know you."
"Not even on Tarsus?" Jim boldly questions.
Florence's expression never wavers, but there is something in her eyes. "Oh, Blue," she murmurs. "Tell me you weren't apart of that shit."
Jim isn't so much crossing her arms now as she is just hugging herself. "I was right in the cut of it," she says. "And I just-I really need to know who you were because I have a feeling it has something to do with me."
Florence lowers her defenses and she begins to look sad. "I already told you. I was an orphan and I got mixed up in some bad shit. That's all behind me now."
"Yeah, just about as behind you as that black eye on your face," Jim sharply retorts. "But you know what? I would tell you the truth if I thought it mattered. If I thought it was important but I'm done pretending like your lies isn't affecting me because they are."
"Lies? What's with the attitude?" Florence says, staring at her like she can't believe she's real. "You alright, Blue? Cause you seem to be on edge and angry about something I don't get. Maybe you should take your ass home and calm the hell down. And then when you're ready to come back at me in the right way and stop asking me all these damn questions, then maybe we can talk. But I'm not going to sit here and let you make me feel like I owe you something. If I decide that who I used to be is none of your fucking business then it's none of your fucking business, babe. Point and blank."
Jim snaps, "Fuck you, Florence. Because it has everything to do with me. You know how? Fucking Chadwick Treadway Jr. sits me down and tries to fucking tell me all about myself and my past and who I was. And guess who else got thrown into the mix? Ms. Florence. So why would he even think to mention you by name? That's what I really want to know."
Florence rubs her face tiredly and all the fight in her seems to drain out. "He's blackmailing you into something, isn't he?"
"How would you know?"
"Because I know his type. I-fuck, Blue. I just know, okay?"
Jim drops her hands and looks off to the side. "He wouldn't be doing anything if you would just tell me what you have to do with any of it." She looks back to Florence. "I can fix it, Florence. I just need you to trust me."
"Fix it?" Florence echoes with a bitterly skeptic snort. "Don't you think I been spending my whole life trying to fix it? Listen, you don't have a clue."
"Then help me."
"No. Fuck him and fuck anybody else who's trying to make you do something you don't want to. I'm tired of that bullshit," Florence hisses. "Look at me, Blue. I'm exhausted. So I can't get involved with that. Do you understand? As much as I cherish you as a friend-"
"It's everyone for themselves, huh?" Jim interjects knowingly. She shakes her head and laughs disbelievingly.
"We're survivors, Blue," Florence states, tone explicitly somber. "We're just trying to stay alive. So we do what we have to do, and we cross who we have to cross, and we say fuck you to whoever is trying to screw with that. That's what makes us selfish."
Jim means to say something, anything, but her stomach lurches and she's running towards Florence's shitty bathroom to drop to her knees and puke her guts out in her toilet. Her stomach is already empty so the acid is burning her throat and making tears well up in the corner of her eyes. She coughs and spits, reaching to flush the toilet with a shaky hand. She stands with unsteady knees and wobbles over to the sink so she can wash the horrid taste of stomach out of her mouth. She splashes some cool water on her face before she stumbles out the bathroom.
Florence is already waiting for her with a piercing gaze and a small can of ginger ale.
Jim grumbles out a thanks before she pops it open and guzzles it down.
Florence keeps on watching her like she's trying to figure something out before her expression morphs into an tensely fond smile.
Jim frowns as she lowers the can. "What?" she mutters, shifting away defensively.
Florence just chuckles and gathers Jim in her arms. "You make me love you, you know that right, Blue? I fucking try not to but you just bulldoze your way in," she merely replies.
Jim is so confused but she pats Florence on the back with an awkward 'pat, pat'. "Love you too, um, are we not fighting?"
Florence pulls away and grasps Jim by the shoulders with a grin. "Not anymore," she promises. "Hey, Blue-how long you been sick?"
Jim shrugs, with a raised eyebrow. "Couple of days. But it's nothing. I've been stress puking. I do that sometimes when I'm overworked. I have anxiety issues, uh, why are you looking at me like that?"
Florence is grinning like the cat that ate the canary. "Stress huh?" she says, but she sounds skeptical. "Yeah alright." She takes a moment to chuckle. "God, you're gonna be so pissed when you figure this out."
Jim's frown deepens. "Figure what out? Florence, you're not making any sense."
"I told you, remember? About how I used to turn tricks?" Florence reiterates with a carefully slow tone. "But I wasn't like doing it by myself or anything. I had some girls I used to go up the block with sometimes."
Jim waits for her to continue but Florence doesn't. "And?" she presses.
"Nothing, Blue," Florence says with an amused headshake. "I was only saying cause I know a thing or two about the female body. I notice things, you know?"
Jim huffs out an impatient sigh. "Sure, fine, whatever. Can we please get back to how you're an asshole who's letting me suffer alone?"
Florence's expression sobers. "No. No, I'm not letting you get mixed up with them Treadways by yourself. Not anymore. I'm sorry about before, Blue. I just-I'm used to going it alone but it turns out that you really do need the extra help you can get. Damn." She pauses thoughtfully before she lets Jim go so she can study her. Then she says, "Come sit down, you shouldn't be standing after yakking your guts up like that. You feel dizzy?"
Jim bats Florence's questing hands away. "I'm fine. Just irritated and tired," she admits but she doesn't fight Florence when she pushes her towards her bed. She sits down with a sigh and finishes the rest of her soda. "So you're going to tell me about your sordid past?"
Florence grins and her eyes are brighter for some reason. "Nah. You still don't need to worry about that," she decides and grabs a few pillows to jam along Jim's side so she can lean into them. "Cause here's what I'm gonna do-I'm gonna help you out with this little shit-storm. I got some, you know, experience with these types of things. Firstly, we should keep this between us, kay? No matter what. That's very important. Well, I mean, we'll have to find someone in the police force around here we can really trust because eventually we'll need to bring Mayor Treadway up on extortion charges."
Jim nods tiredly.
"But the thing is, the way I see it, Mayor Treadway has eyes and ears everywhere. Crafty man like that would leave no stone unturned," Florence reasons. "So neither you or I can be seen going into the station. It's gotta be, well, we gotta meet the cop on neutral ground. We can't make it obvious."
"What about the sheriff?" Jim suggests. "Kevin McCoy is a good guy. I don't think-"
"You gotta be really sure about these things, Blue," Florence warns. "We want you coming out of it as unscathed as possible. Do some research. You're good at that but be careful. Remember. We have to pretend as if you're going to go along with this whole-well what is it that they want from you?"
"Marriage to the prodigal son," Jim mutters with an unhappy frown.
Florence snorts. "Figures," she says. "Okay, well yeah. We'll have to work fast. I mean we're going to need a deadline of three months. After that, well, things are going to get complicated I think."
"Why?"
"Just trust me," Florence says. "Now, here's what you're going to do…"
Jim listens very carefully as she picks up the metal slinky resting on the bed and plays with it.
Part 2