Riddles on Napkins // E.Nygma

Chapter 18

Alice's POV:

Monday morning came around quicker than expected, I hadn't done anything productive the entire weekend. I got ready as per usual and tried to prepare myself for the awkward encounter I was bound to face with Ed. I mean I fell asleep at his house and then rushed out in the morning over some bad dream. He must think I'm some lunatic!

Although the thought of me falling asleep as he stroked my hair sent my mind into a whirl and was somehow worth the embarrassment I faced afterwards. My phone dinged with a message and I opened it to find a text from Ed.

Hello Alice, I was just checking to make sure everything is ok and that you are well enough to come into work today. You seemed frazzled on Saturday and I wanted to make sure you weren't ill.

I laughed at how formal he was even when texting before I sent a reply.

I'm fine thanks Ed. I'll be at work in 10.

With that I finished getting ready and drove to work, still eager to see him despite the awkwardness. I do believe that there was something that happened on Friday night between the two of us. Besides, we had grown close over the couple of months we've known one another and the way he had made such flirtatious gestures implied that maybe I wasn't the only one looking for more than friendship.

I got to work without hassle and saw him sitting in the seat he usually sat in when I worked at Cup at Joe's. He had two cups in front of him so I decided to go inside and meet him, needing to say hi to Cass anyway. Entering the cafe I realized that Cass was no longer the lady at the register and had been replaced by a slightly older woman with a warm smile on her face.

"Hello dear, what can I get you?" She asked me politely and Ed's head snapped up at the sound.

"Oh no no, she isn't ordering, I've got it already." He exclaimed and the woman's face smiled in realization.

"Ah so this is the lovely lady! Well don't you make such a lovely couple? You two have a nice day now." Her voice was so full of motherly cheeriness that it brought a smile to my face.

"Thank you so much, have a nice day." I responded before Ed handed me my cup and lead me outside the cafe. "Aw you remembered my order." I hummed gratefully. "What a perfect way to start the morning." His face was bashful and a light pink settled on his cheeks before replying.

"Perfect indeed." He agreed, the two of us walking side by side into the GCPD. Only then did it occur to me that neither of us had corrected the lady at the register after she called us a couple. Is that how we looked to her? Like a couple? The thought brought butterflies to my stomach.

I had decided to say a brief hello to Jim and Harvey only to realize that they weren't there which was strange because usually at this time of day nothing bad enough had happened for them to leave their desks. Ed and I looked at each other in confusion before a can of strange gas flooded the GCPD and gunshots began to fire in every direction. Edward immediately pulled me behind him and warned me to stay low but before I could say anything someone else's arm ripped me from Ed's grip.

Edward spun around immediately to see what had happened but his face paled at the sight, looking frightened only briefly before a cold, dangerous look darkened his eyes.

"Ooooh looky here!" The voice wasn't familiar but the strand of red hair was. It didn't take a genius to guess who it was holding me, I began to struggle against his hold but it wasn't any use. "Would you look at that, another hostage! Man this could be fun!" I felt the cool metal of a gun being pressed to my temple as he threatened the precinct with my life. I tried to scream but he used his other hand to silence me. "Don't worry, I've already got a girl waiting for me at home. Kitty Kat would be so mad if I brought home another snow globe." He whispered in my ear, his voice low and gravelly.