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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Feb 29, 2020 17:15:21 GMT -8
She'd guessed an order wrong but took it in stride. Gail was usually right, but she'd never had someone new that she hadn't served a billion times already. It was kind of... refreshing. "Black coffee and toast coming right up!"
Practically feeling the force of Walter's intense attention from across the room, Gail assumed Emma noticed it also. She took her time writing the simple order, speaking quietly for Emma's ears only as she did so. "He takes great pride in knowing everything about everyone in Storybrooke. We haven't had a visitor since--" Gail broke off, unable to make any sort of recollection in order to finish that sentence. She lifted her gaze from her pad with a genuine look of baffled astonishment. Almost as soon as her mind started to grasp for answers, to form questions along the lines of 'Have we ever even had tourists?', the thoughts were swept away from her mind in a purple haze.
Her last, unfinished comment was completely forgotten, taking her bafflement along with it. Like the flick of a switch, Gail's expression reset into a reassuring smile. Keeping her tone light so as to not cause too much alarm, she said, "Won't be surprised if he wants to have a chat." With a couple taps of her pencil on the pad, she turned and happily humming her way over to the kitchen window.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 1, 2020 13:26:55 GMT -8
"He takes great pride in knowing everything about everyone in Storybrooke. We haven't had a visitor since-- Won't be surprised if he wants to have a chat."
"Well, wouldn't be the first time I've been interrogated," Emma quipped, letting Gail make her own interpretation as the waitress headed back toward the kitchen. As the curious man Gail had mentioned was the only other occupant of the diner at the moment, Emma gave him a practiced smile with no joy and shifted her attention back to the paper.
Obviously Storybrooke was a small town and news traveled fast. Somehow even faster when it was about her. She felt uneasy being the object of anyone's attention. Especially when the mayor seemed to have made it her personal mission to turn everyone in this town against her. Well, that was tough; Emma was here for Henry. She couldn't be a mother to him before, but now she had a second chance to make sure that he would be okay. And hopefully when she picked him up from school that afternoon, she could learn more about this dark curse/fairy tale character thing he was so obsessed with.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 13, 2020 15:26:16 GMT -8
Walter wasn't showing any reaction to Miss Emma Swan's joyless smile. Well practiced. Characteristic for someone who was putting no value to the usual practice, maybe due to bad experiences with people in general. Most probably. He took another sip of his coffee, as he went on analyzing her in silence.
And eventually, as he replaced the, unusual early, empty cup back on the saucer, Walter did something also rather unusual for him. He refolded the only half-read newspaper in his hands, picked up the dishes, and slowly walked towards the counter. His routine anyway had been interrupted already by the time he hadn't been served with his muffin to his coffee. So, this interruption of taking action himself was more of a welcoming interruption at least. This was business. And he loved his business.
"You don't mind if I sit here, or do you?", he asked friendly yet as someone who wouldn't bother refusal anyway, and at the same time actually so subsidiary that he didn't even look like this had been a question at all. And so he also didn't bother to just take a seat close to her yet not too close to appear intrusive, without waiting for a response from her.
"Emma Swan, isn't it?" And yet again a question that didn't leave enough time to actually get answered. "Pardon my curiosity, but we don't see new faces here very often.", he stated with a professional smile. Well practiced. And even if it was under the umbrella of getting called a smile - something in it not looking friendly at all.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 13, 2020 16:27:42 GMT -8
"You don't mind if I sit here, or do you? Emma Swan, isn't it? Pardon my curiosity, but we don't see new faces here very often."
Before Emma could offer a reply, her fellow diner patron had invited himself to the seat across from her. At least Gail had warned her about his compulsion to know everything about everyone in Storybrooke, a talent that could also be turned in Emma's favor. And apparently she was now the town's main attraction.
"That's me," Emma confirmed. "I'm just here visiting family. Yeah, Gail just said that she doesn't see a lot of visitors. You don't think that's weird?" True, Henry had told her that the residents couldn't leave without bad things happening, but there was nothing about outsiders coming into town.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 13, 2020 17:07:10 GMT -8
"That's me,""I'm just here visiting family. Yeah, Gail just said that she doesn't see a lot of visitors. You don't think that's weird?"Walter was so much used to smoke while interroga... converse with someone, that he almost forgot he was inside the diner. Of course, his memory about his surroundings prevented him from risking his status of being one of their most pleasurable customers - at least in his own little world he thought he was. "Do you think it is?", he reacted with a counter-question, certainly a common thing to do as the detective he was. And as the workaholic that he was, a thing that had become second nature to him. Oh, he really wanted to smoke right now, not actually to satisfy his craving for nicotine but to make himself feel more complete in a situation like this.
And yet again, wasn't he giving her any time to reply. "A small town with a few inhabitants and even fewer attractions. Seems not so weird to me after all.", he added with a shrug of his shoulders. All the while, he was talking with her, Walter didn't stop the silent analysis of each of her gestures and facial expressions though.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 13, 2020 17:20:38 GMT -8
"Do you think it is? ... A small town with a few inhabitants and even fewer attractions. Seems not so weird to me after all."
"I dunno," Emma replied, trying to mirror his casual pose as she leaned back against the booth. "Back in Boston, there are people that would pay a lot of money to escape to a place like this. Bed and breakfast, shops along main street, the waterfront. I mean, maybe it's not tops on the Maine tourism list, but there would have to be people just passing through. How long have you lived here, Mister...?" she inquired with a quirked eyebrow. Curious to see if he would have the same hazy recall as everyone else, but also wanting to assert that he wasn't the only one who could ask questions.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 14, 2020 5:21:50 GMT -8
"I dunno,""Back in Boston, there are people that would pay a lot of money to escape to a place like this. Bed and breakfast, shops along main street, the waterfront. I mean, maybe it's not tops on the Maine tourism list, but there would have to be people just passing through.
Walter was already going to launch into an answer when suddenly her next question made him pause.
"How long have you lived here, Mister...?"
There had been, at least, a split second that kind of self-doubt flashed over his facial features. But as he was a man who was good at observing the proprieties of his professional being, another smile, naturally false, was following up very quickly. He also decided to first answer her questioning of his name.
"Oh, where have been my manners? Detective Walter Smith," he introduced himself in a narcissistic way, although he'd almost said sheriff as this was the position he was actually seeing himself in. But the village community had voted, and it had voted rather for a younker with less experience, what a shame...
"I live here ever since I can remember, and I do know all of Storybrooke's nooks and crannies like the back of my head, as well as each of its citizens." He couldn't help but making his last words almost sound like a warning. Ever since he had heard about the news of a stranger in their little town, and especially ever since he had seen her stepping inside the diner, Walter had decided to make it his business to find out everything about their first and only visitor as well.
"Call me prim, but I love to know the town where I live to be clean, just as I love when it stays like this." The smile was vanishing all of a sudden, which made his words sound even more like a warning now.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 14, 2020 8:02:33 GMT -8
"I live here ever since I can remember, and I do know all of Storybrooke's nooks and crannies like the back of my head, as well as each of its citizens. Call me prim, but I love to know the town where I live to be clean, just as I love when it stays like this."
"So, not a fan of change, then," Emma concluded. Between this guy and the mayor, it was no surprise that strangers weren't welcome here. But it also reminded her of what Henry had said about the curse, that the town was frozen in time. And so was the clock tower, until three days ago.
"I find it odd that a detective such as yourself isn't curious why you never have visitors. I'm sure you've got some theories," she prompted. "Or are you more interested in investigating me? That front-page article in the paper was pretty thorough. But if you're interested in hearing my side of story....'
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 14, 2020 8:36:02 GMT -8
"I find it odd that a detective such as yourself isn't curious why you never have visitors. I'm sure you've got some theories,""Or are you more interested in investigating me? That front-page article in the paper was pretty thorough. But if you're interested in hearing my side of story....'"
A fighter, Walter concluded from first her defense mode, and then her action of straightly change into attack mode herself. He had to smile at that. A genuine smile this time. Maybe not genuine as such but at least one that came from his core. The detective appreciated a good conversation, and this was going to be one for sure.
He decided to not react to her first remark about him seemingly not finding it odd that there never have been visitors before. As a matter of fact, he'd never thought about it, which was sounding rather odd to himself right now, but ever since Emma Swan had set foot in Storybrooke, Walter had started to question that indeed. Anyways, it was never wise to give answers to someone you don't know when there hadn't even been a real question. And so he jumped right into a reaction to what she had actually formed as a question.
"I don't think much of gossip, Emma Swan, but it's always good to know what the gossip is about to follow up and form your own opinion about it. So, yes," he added with his smile growing as he leaned back in his seat as well. "I would love to hear your side of the story." And then he made a gesture with his hand to indicate her to talk while he would just listen for a while. Of course, he was having questions up his sleeve, he always had, but it shall be her turn first.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 14, 2020 9:51:08 GMT -8
"I don't think much of gossip, Emma Swan, but it's always good to know what the gossip is about to follow up and form your own opinion about it. So, yes, I would love to hear your side of the story."
"Okay," she exhaled, glancing toward the kitchen window to see if Gail might be approaching with her order to rescue her. What to tell and what not to tell, she considered. If he truly had an open mind, not one already poisoned by Regina, he could objectively review the facts and see that she was not a threat to the mayor or to this town's status quo.
"Henry, the mayor's adopted son -- I'm his birth mother," she began. "It was a closed adoption. I knew I couldn't raise a kid. But somehow he found me, showed up at my doorstep in Boston. So I brought him back. And ever since, Regina has resolved to make my life hell as long as I'm here, when all I'm trying to do is make sure Henry is okay. I repaid that hatchet job of an article with a hatchet job of my own," she smirked, recalling the satisfaction of taking an axe to the mayor's prized apple tree. "And for the record, I wasn't driving drunk when I hit that sign. I swerved to avoid a wolf in the road."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 14, 2020 10:54:40 GMT -8
All throughout her storytelling, Walter remained silent as he received facts and added assumptions in his mind. Notwithstanding what to make of it, he was sure about one thing. She was telling the truth. Walter had this great ability to read people, almost as if he was a human polygraph. So, he assumed that she wasn't mistrusting him at least. Or maybe not as much as she was mistrusting mayoress Regina Mills. Unsurprisingly, judging by the facts of her story.
"To incur the mayor's anger is like taking candy from a baby," Walter stated with a joyless chuckle that wasn't more than a short tone added to a false smile. "but in your case, she must feel threatened by your mere presence. Believe me, Emma - pardon me, but is it okay to say just Emma?" And yet again, his question had been rather an information about how he was going to handle her since he just continued before waiting for confirmation from her side. "If Regina Mills has the intention to make your life hell, it will become hell. There are just a few people who she isn't able to control as much as she'd like to." Of course, Walter was seeing himself among these mentioned people. Playing the role to obey while going into their own research or just running their business anyway, was quite not the same as being controlled.
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 14, 2020 15:49:10 GMT -8
Gail had stopped to chat with Ruby. "Where's our delivery? Detective Smith isn't digging the change in his routine and I'm afraid he might be taking it out on guest." She took a discreet glance back at the booth then looked back to Ruby, cringing on Emma's behalf.
"I'm sure it'll be here soon. Callie's off today so it's the other girl. She doesn't have a phone so I can't exactly shoot her a text."
"She doesn't-- Who doesn't have a phone? Well, obviously, you said she doesn't..." Gail stopped her perplexed run-on mumbling and sighed. The delivery girl was rather strange, running in and only talking to Ruby for a short time before fleeing like some skittish bunny rabbit. Heck, Gail knew everyone's hot drink preferences and usual orders but didn't even know the delivery girl's name. "I'll make him another coffee. Maybe that'll appease him for a bit."
Just as she finished preparing his coffee as he liked it, Tony rang the order-up bell. Gail grabbed it and made her way to the booth.
Gail named the items as she placed them. "Black coffee and toast for the lady and another coffee for you, Detective. I'm sure the pastries will be here soon," she reassured.
As bad as she felt for their guest, there wasn't anything she could do to help without being obvious what she was about, so Gail just has hurriedly left them to their privacy.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 14, 2020 17:28:24 GMT -8
"...But in your case, she must feel threatened by your mere presence. Believe me, Emma - pardon me, but is it okay to say just Emma? If Regina Mills has the intention to make your life hell, it will become hell. There are just a few people who she isn't able to control as much as she'd like to."
"Black coffee and toast for the lady and another coffee for you, Detective. I'm sure the pastries will be here soon."
"Oh, thank you," Emma said quickly as Gail set the plate and cup down on the table, but the girl was already gone. She took the time to consider Walter's words as she spread some strawberry jam on a piece of toast and took a bite from one of the corners. "I'm not here to take Henry away from Regina, she knows that," she stated, pouring sugar into her coffee and stirring it. "But here's what I don't get. How does a small-town mayor have everyone so terrified of her? Blackmail, property tax hikes, what? I take it Mr. Gold isn't afraid of her, since he owns the town. And I'm guessing you and the sheriff."
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 14, 2020 18:28:27 GMT -8
"Black coffee and toast for the lady and another coffee for you, Detective. I'm sure the pastries will be here soon."
This time the sound he made was containing more annoyance than confirmation. But still, this was not the waitress' fault. Someone though should have a chat with the supplier once they will have finally arrived. Business was a nexus. If one link was broken, the whole chain wasn't intact anymore.
"I'm not here to take Henry away from Regina, she knows that,"
"Then we got to find out what else makes her scare so much that she puts all her energy into making your life hell." He already talked like he was going to make common cause with her, but then again, Walter had made it his secret mission to find out anything about mayor Regina Mills long ago, which, by far, was not an easy task, so why not using her seemingly most current foe to his advantage? They both could get mileage out of that.
"But here's what I don't get. How does a small-town mayor have everyone so terrified of her? Blackmail, property tax hikes, what? I take it Mr. Gold isn't afraid of her, since he owns the town. And I'm guessing you and the sheriff."
Oh, the sheriff... no, Walter was pretty sure that Graham was actually very afraid of her, otherwise, he probably wouldn't allow her to make a bed bunny out of him. This was assumption only, of course, but Walter had a feeling about being right with it. Anyways, it was Graham's business only who he shared a bed with. But just as on anybody else, Walter was pretty much keeping tabs on the sheriff as well.
"You had any contact with Mr. Gold yet as well?", Walter suddenly wanted to know without even reacting to anything she had said before. Mr. Gold was even more of a task to get information about than it was for Regina Mills. He even couldn't find anything about this man's first name, not even being sure if Gold really was his true last name.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 14, 2020 18:49:43 GMT -8
"Then we got to find out what else makes her scare so much that she puts all her energy into making your life hell."
Or maybe she's a self-absorbed, sadistic, manipulative witch? Emma thought inwardly. She also paused in her toast-chewing to consider that 'we.' Was he volunteering his aid, or looking to use her for his own agenda? This was way too much intrigue for this early in the morning. Maybe tomorrow she would stay in the apartment and eat with Mary Margaret. But why was she making plans for tomorrow?
"You had any contact with Mr. Gold yet as well?"
"Only in passing," Emma answered. "He was collecting the rent the night I booked a room at Granny's. Well-dressed, rich, told me I had a lovely name. Ruby told me about him owning the town. How does that work, by the way?"
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 14, 2020 19:57:41 GMT -8
***Charlie enters***
Hood of her jacket pulled as forward as she could have it without blocking her vision, Charlie had rushed over to the diner as fast as she could. She paused at the top of the steps, giving a quick glance through the window. Spotting no patrons, she gave a sigh of relief over her luck and balanced the boxes in one arm before pulling the door open, only to startle to a stop at unexpectedly finding there were, in fact, patrons in the farthest booth beyond the view from the door window.
She quickly put her head back down and turned to Ruby at the register near the door.
"I'm so sorry I'm late," she said quietly, out of breath as she placed the boxes beside the register. "Callie is off and I got in late. I was walking to work and there was this little squirrel--"
Ruby was already pushing the payment at Charlie when she cut her off, keeping her voice quiet just as Charlie had, yet adding a forcefulness to emphasize the urgency. "Yes, yes, it was hurt, you helped it. You should go."
The fact that Ruby was more concerned than herself over being seen, especially when Ruby never put much stock into the ridiculousness of being hidden away in the first place, had warning bells going off in Charlie's head. Ruby's eyes made a subtle twitch toward the booth and she knew she'd stumbled into view of at least one person she ought to never have. "Right. Thank you," she said with completely sincerity despite what would have seemed like a rude dismissal otherwise.
"Thanks, see ya soon," came Ruby's voice in a calm, normal volume as if everything was normal.
As Charlie rushed out the door, her worry sent her into flight.
***Charlie exits to Main Street Outside of Shops and Diner***
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 14, 2020 20:48:24 GMT -8
"Only in passing,"
Walter gave no more than a slight nod to that, looking less interested ever since this reply. So, he couldn't get any new information about Mr. Gold from her. That took care of it for now. He was even only half-listening to her next words, not just because he didn't see them as something useful but also because the doorbell made him draw his attention away from her and instead towards the diner's entrance. Another early morning patron? Quite a coincidence, wasn't it?
Once the new arrival had stepped inside, Walter's full attention was drawn to that someone. Seemingly a young woman, her face hidden under a hood, more than just suspicious, obviously being the supplier of the pastries. Walter was trying to catch her conversation with Ruby but didn't get more than late and squirrel. Now, that might be the most absurd excuse, but anyways, it was something else that was preying on Walter's mind while he tried to listen. Her... voice. Why was it sounding so familiar to him while at the same time he seemed to have never seen her around before. The second cirmustance was actually what was making him wonder the most. How was it even possible that there was someone in this little town he didn't even know that it was existing?
"Thanks, see ya soon,", Ruby said her farewell before the hooded person rushed through the door, obviosuly trying to not seem rushed but Walter could tell she was.
"Who is she?", he suddenly asked into Ruby's direction, his tone giving away more of his suprise than he had intended, especially as he felt the urge to just rush outside as well and kind of track her - almost like that would be a task of great importance.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 15, 2020 14:51:16 GMT -8
"Who is she?"
Even though she would have liked some answers about Mr. Gold, Emma felt some relief that Walter's focus had shifted to the hooded woman who had just come and gone out the door. It was a safe bet this conversation was far from over anyway. "Hey, if you've got another mystery to investigate, Detective, don't let me stop you," she offered, taking another bite of her toast.
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 21, 2020 11:47:43 GMT -8
Respecting that the girl was uncomfortable around people, as Ruby had explained in the past, Gail had kept several steps away but her curiosity had her approaching Ruby at the cash register once the girl quickly rushed away from it.
"Thanks, see ya soon,"
And off she disappeared out the door. Gail had sent a smile after her, hoping that some day, she'd warm up to her. The fact that the delivery girl had formed a comfortable bond with Ruby rather than herself also boggled Gail's mind. Ruby was usually standoffish, snarky, and short with people. Gail was the ever positive, ever patient, ever friendly social butterfly. Gail leaned her arms against the counter, whispering to Ruby in an attempt to try her hand at casual digging again. "That was even quicker--"
"Who is she?"
Gail turned toward the booth with a look of complete surprise on her face. Even Detective Smith, the man who was so smug about knowing everyone and everything about this little town, didn't know her? Gail figured he'd at least have known her name, where she lived, and even the fact that she was a hardcore introvert, but no, by the uncharacteristic surprise in his tone and the look on his face, she was getting the impression it might be the first time Detective Smith had even seen her. Apparently, even Gail knew more about the mysterious girl.
An incredulous 'You don't know her?' was about to fly out of Gail's mouth, which would have probably made things worse, but Ruby saved her from making that mistake.
"Delivery girl," was all Ruby tossed out in a bored, who-cares tone without pausing in her task of carrying the boxes of pastries to the glass domed display cases on the counter.
Ruby's calm, flippant manner immediately made Gail remember herself. The look of surprise vanished from her face and the friendly, carefree smile was back in place as she turned to join Ruby at the counter. With her back to the booth, Gail cringed a look of apology at Ruby as she started to remove the domes and set them aside. Hopefully Emma would distract Detective Smith's attention back to herself and their previous conversation.
"Hey, if you've got another mystery to investigate, Detective, don't let me stop you,"
Well, damn. That went the complete opposite way. Gail's eyes flicked back up to Ruby but Ruby continued her task looking unphased, even starting up the usual mundane diner chatter between fellow waitresses of what all they still needed to do to prep for the oncoming, relatively calm weekday breakfast crowd. She was really good at this.
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Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 21, 2020 13:30:23 GMT -8
"Delivery girl,"
Emma Swan was saying something to him as well, but it seemed that anything after this was just passing his ears like an echo that wasn't of importance. There was only one thing of importance right at that moment - the delivery girl with the blonde strand of hair peeking from under a hood.
"I have to go.", Walter suddenly said, obviously in a rush and even so much that he'd almost forgotten to pay the bill for his coffee. As used to pay the same value every morning, he also paid for the not-yet delivered muffin, additionally to the same tip he was giving every morning.
And as he rushed towards the door, not even saying his farewell to Emma, there was nothing in his mind but to track this girl. He didn't even waste one thought about what he would do if she really was still outside and eventually in his fangs - almost like he was driven by instinct.
*** Walter exits to Main Street Outside of Shops and Diner ***
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 28, 2020 19:45:53 GMT -8
"I have to go."
Gail watched him toss his usual payment onto the counter as he rush out of the diner. So many strange happenings the last couple days. 'What is going on around here lately?' Hearing Ruby mutter an obscenity under her breath, Gail turned back to pin her with a suspicious look again. "Okay, seriously, what is up with that chick?"
Ruby pinned her right back with that harsh 'back off' look she rarely ever turned Gail's direction. "Don't you have work to do? And a customer to tend to?"
Gail held up her arms in surrender. "Yes, ma'am, I'll get right back to it." If Ruby was playing her authoritative 'I'm the granddaughter of the owner' card, it definitely wasn't the right time to be pushing it, but at least Gail would walk away with a little snark on her side.
"Sheesh," she muttered under her breath while ringing up Walter's bill, including the unclaimed muffin, and placed the money, minus tip into the machine. His next one would be on the house as it was already paid for, though she suspected it might bother him to pay a different amount. Heaven forbid she throw off his strict regimen. Gail grabbed the pot of coffee and stuffed her tip into her apron pocket as she made her way back to Emma.
"So that was weird. Guess he's got a thing for pretty blondes," she said by way of an apology. 'Pretty, much younger, blondes' she thought, barely stopping herself from cringing at the cringeworthy path her mind had gone down. "Hope our town detective wasn't too much of a bother. More coffee?"
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Mar 30, 2020 0:54:58 GMT -8
"So that was weird. Guess he's got a thing for pretty blondes. Hope our town detective wasn't too much of a bother. More coffee?"
"Sure, thanks," Emma agreed as Gail arrived with a coffee pot. "It's fine, I get the feeling he'll have more questions for me soon enough." And if he had questions of her, then she should have equal opportunity to ask questions of him. Maybe find some way to prove to Henry that this whole dark curse wasn't real.
Emma narowed her gaze and pointed an accusatory toast triangle at the waitress. "Weren't you just telling me that he knew everything about everyone in town?" she reminded. "Apparently that doesn't include your delivery girl. And he took off before I got to ask him about Mr. Gold."
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 19, 2020 15:11:13 GMT -8
"Weren't you just telling me that he knew everything about everyone in town?" "Apparently that doesn't include your delivery girl. And he took off before I got to ask him about Mr. Gold."
"Seriously bowled over by the fact that Sheriff Smith didn't even know she existed! Crazy." Gail shook her head, looking perplexed then looked lost in thought for a second as she considered it wasn't the first change from the normal, boring routine of the quiet town. "Hm, lots of weird stuff lately," she muttered, then remembered she'd been in the middle of a conversation. Her features went from intrigued to worrisome. "Why the interest in Mr. Gold?" she asked, her lowered voice and the worry creasing her brows already hinting that she thought it a bad direction to be pointing one's interest.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Apr 21, 2020 4:47:42 GMT -8
"Why the interest in Mr. Gold?"
"Just curious," Emma replied with a casual shrug, taking another sip of coffee. Their first meeting, though brief, had given her an ominous feeling. Not just because Granny and Ruby both seemed unduly afraid and intimidated by an old man with a cane. Who could he be in Henry's fairy tales, that would be on the same level as an evil queen? An evil king? A wizard? A dragon-slaying knight?
"He seems to be one of Storybrooke's rich and powerful," Emma mused. "And he doesn't seem to be as scared of Mayor Mills as everyone else. Why do you think that is?" People liked to pretend that servers weren't there, which meant they probably heard a lot more than they let on. Emma was banking on the diner's lack of customers, and Ruby's rudeness to the girl, to prompt Gail to take a seat for a friendly fact-finding chat.
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 26, 2020 17:13:55 GMT -8
Oh, Gail knew exactly why that was and she was itching for a good gossip session. She rarely ever had the opportunity to share, especially nothing that interesting. Most of the time, it was trivial stuff and everyone already knew everything by the time they sat at one of her tables. And bonus, she could learn a little about their one and only tourist. When was the last time she came across someone she didn't already know everything about?
Ruby had been snippy with her so she almost defiantly plopped herself right down without gaging the situation, but thought better of it. No need to piss her off further. Gail glanced over her shoulder to Ruby who was distractedly splitting her attention between refilling salt and pepper shakers and sending worried glances outside. Well, there was that delivery girl that she didn't know much about either...
Gail pulled her distracted thoughts together and took advantage of Ruby's own distraction to invite herself to a seat across from Emma. She placed the coffee pot in the center of the table, then scooted onto the booth across from Emma, crossing her hands on the table as she leaned forward in a perfect conspiratorial gossipy manner.
"Regina may be mayor, but Mr. Gold owns this town. Like, literally owns it. All the buildings, the apartment complex, even some of the homes. Everyone makes payments to him in one way or another. Even Regina. Thankfully, I've never had a problem with him." Gail knocked on wood. "But I've seen people who've gotten on his bad side." It was an assumption of hers that all who'd been affected had crossed him in some way. Gail didn't know just how dark Mr. Gold was; that he actively sought out certain individuals and reeled them into a trap of his own making. "They're never the same after," she finished with a solemn shake of her head.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Apr 30, 2020 20:00:27 GMT -8
"...Thankfully, I've never had a problem with him. But I've seen people who've gotten on his bad side. They're never the same after."
"How do you mean?" Emma questioned further. "Financially, emotionally? Physically?" Mr. Gold didn't exactly cut an imposing figure, but it sounded like he could easily hire someone else to do the dirty work for him. A man who owned people as much as property, and there wasn't exactly anywhere to escape to if he came calling to collect. Emma really disliked bullies, and it seemed like this Mr. Gold and the mayor were cut from the same cloth.
"Does he have any family? People to help run his vast suburban empire?" she asked, spreading strawberry jam across another slice of toast.
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on May 23, 2020 11:48:28 GMT -8
"Financially, emotionally? Physically?"
Emma shook her head with a serious expression, her mouth set in a grim line. Financially and physically would have been far easier to deal with. "Emotionally, maybe," she began, thinking back on some of the people she'd seen affected and contemplating how best to describe it. "Mentally, definitely. It's almost like he's holding something over them. Something important. Something..." she placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her palm, her fingers lightly drumming against her cheek, scrutinizing the coffee pot in thought for the right word. She pulled her hand from below her chin and pointed a finger along with the word. "Personal."
"Does he have any family?
Again, Gail shook her head. "No. No family. No friends either, that I can think of. He kinda has this air about him that he's above needing those things."
People to help run his vast suburban empire?"
"The only people I've seen doing things on Mr. Gold's behalf are the ones who look haunted by him. I don't think he needs to hire help. When he needs something done, I think he finds a way to make someone get it done for him."
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Post by Kristi Lynne on May 23, 2020 13:25:03 GMT -8
"No. No family. No friends either, that I can think of. He kinda has this air about him that he's above needing those things. The only people I've seen doing things on Mr. Gold's behalf are the ones who look haunted by him. I don't think he needs to hire help. When he needs something done, I think he finds a way to make someone get it done for him."
Emma listened intently as Gail shared her impressions of the town's power broker. Mr. Gold was starting to sound more and more like someone that she, and Henry, should keep their distance from. And since Gail seemed like a positive person willing to give others the benefit of the doubt, Emma could only guess that this was the kindest evaluation of Mr. Gold that she might hear from the town citizens. Though she couldn't but help feel a slight kinship for someone with no family or friends. After all, that had been her for most of her life.
"Duly noted," Emma remarked and continued to chew her toast in contemplation. "Anyway, it looks like I'm gonna' be in town for a little longer than I originally planned, so...any suggestions on what to do while I'm here? Apart from dodging Detective Smith and Mr. Gold, obviously."
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Post by Hollywood Heidi on Jun 6, 2020 13:56:31 GMT -8
Satisfied that it appeared Emma would heed her warnings about Mr. Gold, she was happy to push that aside for lighter conversation.
"Hmmm." Gail drummed her fingers on the table. "We're not exactly vacation capital of the world. No theme parks, no museums. Our biggest 'landmark'," she did air quotes, "is the old toll bridge. It's probably why we don't get any... or many tourists," she edited the last part, seeing as she was actually sitting across from an out-of-towner. "The Rabbit Hole has karaoke nights. That's probably the height of excitement in our town. Oh," she said, sitting up excitedly as she recalled a newer development. "The toy shop recently had a fire so the town's been getting together there to fix it up." Realizing she gave the news with the excitement of a pyromaniac, Gail squelched the excitement and looked off to the side. "Damn. We're really starving for excitement around here," she said more to herself before looking back at Emma. "It's awful, really. The owner is a really sweet and kind man. It's his store and his residence. We're excited about surprising him by fixing up the place." Gail gestured to the flier that was still on the diner's ad board. "It was Gabriella's idea," she said, giving proper credit.
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Post by Kristi Lynne on Jun 6, 2020 14:28:25 GMT -8
Emma laughed at Gail's comments. "That's okay, I've had plenty of excitement for one week," she said. For now, she was quite happy to get the basic layout of the town and take whatever opportunity arose to spend time with her son. She wondered how much time Henry might have spent in that ill-fated toy shop, if Regina allowed him to have something as wasteful as toys.
"Maybe I'll check it out later. Don't want to feel like I'm getting in the way," Emma said after looking at the flyer Gail had pointed out. This was clearly a community thing, and she was still very much an outsider. "So who's Gabriella? Not one of the Mayor's minions, I take it?" she inquired while sipping her coffee. She couldn't imagine Regina going to such lengths for some small business owner, even if he was part of her constituency.
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