"Please state your name for the records."
"Will Scarlett,"
A young-looking man with an oddly square head and dark hair trimmed into a buzz cut sit down in the lone chair in front of a metal table. His dark eyes look at the officer in front of him and shift nervously, his leg going up and down. He wears a brown leather jacket and dark pants that give an almost casual look to him. He has no idea why he's here, he's just hoping it has nothing to do with him.
"Age?" Jack asks.
"25."
"Alright, thank you for coming in voluntarily Mr. Scarlett, now I want to discuss where you were last Friday night."
"What's this for?" Will says, shifting in his chair.
"Are you aware that your roommate, Killian Jones's girlfriend, Emma Swan has been abducted?"
"Is that why he's been away? Robin told me he was havin' a weekend with her. I assumed as much because that's what I was doin' too."
"Can you elaborate on that statement?"
"How'd you mean sir?"
"What does having a weekend mean?"
"Well, it's pretty self-explanatory it is, a man spends the weekend with his girl... sleepin' with her mostly. You know what I mean mate?"
"I get the picture thank you," Jack grimaces. "So you were with a girl all weekend?"
"Yes, I was,"
"What was her name?"
"Ana. Anastasia Reynolds. Right, pretty girl, she's from Canada believe it or not."
"That's nice Mr. Scarlett, but what time did you meet up with Anastasia? Did you see your roommate Mr. Jones at all?"
"Not really. No," Will says.
"How is that?" Jack asks.
"Well he usually gets home at about half-past six and I was already out the door, havin' dinner with Ana."
"And you were gone all weekend?"
"I was," Will nods. "We stayed at her place."
"Never came home for anything like a toothbrush or clean clothes?"
"No sir, I was prepared I was."
"When did you get home?"
"Monday mornin' I had to go to work after that."
"And where do you work?"
"I'm the assistant manager at a Pizza Hut."
"Did you see your roommate, Killian Jones at all, since Thursday?
"Not at all. Mate, did you know that a girl can wear a bra inside out? It starts with..."
Behind the glass, David, Nova, Regina, Leroy, Ruby, Lacey, Zelena and Elsa watch the interview. Aurora, Killian, Henry and Mary Margret were at home taking it easy.
"Well this has been a waste of time," Leroy grumbles. "The guy is totally useless."
"He may be a slag, but he's no abductor," Ruby agrees.
"We still have to cover all the options. I guess the other roommate will have to back up Killian's alibi," David says.
"He sure does love to talk," Nova says. "I think we'll actually have to tell him to shut up."
"He could fill a book with dirty innuendos and sex talk," Ruby says, surprised that they found a man who had a dirtier mind than she did. Ruby usually kept her exploits to herself and only shared them with her trusted friends. This guy is babbling on and on, to a police officer no less, about his physical relationship with this girl, Ana.
"Tell Jack to get back in here, Will Scarlett is pretty much crossed off the list," Nova says.
David knocks on the glass to tell Jack to wrap it up.
"You're free to go Mr. Scarlett."
"I am?"
"Thank you for your time," Jack says, opening the door.
Will walks out of the room and down the hall towards the exit at a fast pace, as if trying not to give the officers the opportunity to change their minds about him. Jack shakes his head before heading into the adjacent room where everyone else is.
"Who's the other roommate?" Jack asks.
"Robin Locksley," Nova says, looking at the list. "I think he's in the front lobby."
"I'll bring him in," David says.
The others wait with bated breath as David escorts a handsome man, about thirty, with a full, but well-trimmed beard of light brown hair and soulful blue eyes. Regina is taken aback by his looks. He looks very mature and walks with a sort of confidence that she can't seem to find in men these days.
Sort of rugged, but very sophisticated, she thinks to herself.
Reflexively, she puts her hair behind her ear, until she realizes that he can't see her. Her heart races slightly and she keeps her eyes on this man as he takes a seat in the room.
Jack then trades places with David to begin the interview.
"Hello," Jack says.
"Good morning," Robin says pleasantly, even offering his hand to the officer. Jack accepts it with surprise.
Well mannered too, Regina thinks.
"Let me just tell you right now, you are not under arrest for anything. We just want you to back up your roommate, Killian Jones' alibi," Jack says. "We know you don't know anything about the case, but we can't leave no stone unturned, understood?"
"Yes," Robin nods.
"Please state your name for the record."
"Robin, Robin Jeffery Locksley."
"Age."
"31,"
Older man... Is that good or bad?
"So can you tell me what happened last Friday?"
"Well, I got home from work at around four. I'm a personal trainer at the athletics center across town...
Athletic too!
"I was really tired so I grabbed myself a brew and turned on the TV to watch CSI: Miami on cable."
"Did you see your other roommate Mr. Scarlett?"
"Only briefly, he had a duffle bag over his shoulder and told me he was taking his girl Ana out and would be gone all weekend. I just nodded and let him do what he wanted."
"What time did Killian Jones get home?"
"Same time he does every day, half-past six. He took a shower because he always stank of rotting fish and seawater. Then he heated up some leftovers for us and we talked about our day."
"Then what happened?"
"Well, I continued watching CSI until Sherlock came on after eight,"
Jack keeps himself very professional, knowing that Robin is poking holes in Killian's story as the docks man says that he was watching a big football game in the apartment.
"And what was Killian Jones doing during this time?"
"He was mostly on his computer at the kitchen table. He showed me a text from his girlfriend, Emma, before she went out for the night. And then... I think it was around nine, he grabbed his coat and said he was going out."
Jack does his best not to gasp. The others, however, on the other side of glass do just that. This proves that Killian was lying about his whereabouts. Could he have something to do with the crime? It was unlikely, but what other reason could he have for lying.
"Do you know where he went?"
"Not really, it's a habit of his," Robin says. "I don't ask because it's none of my business."
"So then what happened?"
"Well, I was tired so I took a hot shower and then read in bed till I fell asleep."
"Did you ever hear Mr. Jones come in?"
"No, but in the morning, I found him in his bed, he had his clothes on from the night before. He also reeked of booze. I assumed that he had gone out to a bar and gotten drunk, but I knew he was trying to lay off the alcohol, mostly for his girl, Emma, so I didn't mention it when he woke up. I went to work afterward and when I came home, Killian wasn't around. I texted him and it took a while for him to respond. He told me that Emma was missing and he'd be staying at her place with her friends and her son."
"Were you worried about Killian at all?"
"A little bit, I didn't think it was anything serious until you called me in today. How is he doing?"
"He's trying to stay strong. He should be at home resting right now," Jack says casually.
"Is there anything else you'd like to know?" Robin asks.
"We'll let you know, but you are certain that Mr. Jones went out on Friday night?"
"Yes sir, I was home alone most of the evening."
"Thank you, if you'll mind waiting here for a few minutes, I'll be right back.
"If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."
Caring and compassionate.
Jack exits the room and joins everyone else behind the glass.
"So Killian lied to us," David says, his face grim with disappointment. He had thought that Killian was a good and honest man that would never ever harm Emma, but now it was clear, he had something to hide.
"Only to cover up that he was drinking again," Ruby points out.
"It still questions his credibility," Nova says. "If he lied about where he was, what else could he be lying about?"
"Would he really be practically camping out at his girlfriend's apartment and crying if he had kidnapped her?" Ruby says. She understood why Killian had lied. Addiction to alcohol was embarrassing, especially for those who were trying to be clean and he was obviously afraid to tell anyone. He's going out on Friday might imply that he had grabbed Emma, but if Ruby was honest, lying about where he was just made it worse.
"We'll have to bring him in again," David says.
"He only did it to save himself embarrassment. It's not illegal to lie, it's not like this is in court where he swore on a stack of Bibles. Right, Regina?"
Regina isn't listening, she still staring at Robin Locksley as if in a trance.
"Regina!" Ruby says, getting her to come back to reality.
"Sorry, what?"
Ruby rolls her eyes and Zelena eyes her suspiciously.
"I'll go have someone call Killian back," Nova says.
"You're going to let Mr. Locksley go, right?" Regina asks.
"Yes, but he needs to stay here in case we need him again. Jack, you can escort him to the lobby," David says.
Jack does so and Regina finds herself following him as if she'll get a chance to talk to him. She can't understand what it is about him, but she's drawn to him like a moth to a flame. She keeps her distance but follows the two men, like a loyal puppy until Robin sits down in one of the many chairs in the lobby of the station.
Regina all of a sudden feels really nervous in approaching him. Her heart is racing and her head is spinning. She takes very cautious steps towards him as if he's a bomb waiting to blow up. She takes a seat next to him.
Robin looks up at her in surprise and then gives her a warm smile.
"Good morning," he says in an accented voice.
Regina finds herself blushing.
"I wish it was a good morning, with Emma and all,"
"Ah yes, I can't imagine what Killian must be feeling. Are you a friend of Emma's?"
"Yes, I was also her son's nanny for many years. She and I are close."
"I see," Robin says. He checks his phone before looking up at Regina's beautiful features and enchanting eyes.
"So... you uh live around here?" Regina asks, trying to make small talk.
"Yes I do, I live with Killian and I work at the gym across town."
"Really?" she says, trying not to let on that she already knows this.
"Yes, I'm a personal trainer."
"Any special area of focus?" Regina asks.
"I mostly do everything, but archery is my favourite."
"Really?" Regina says, putting some of her dark hair behind her ear. She tries to bat her eyelashes at him.
"Yes, in fact, I find..."
Suddenly, Robin's phone buzzes with a call. The screen says, Marian.
Regina's heart immediately drops to her stomach. She quickly tries to find an excuse. Maybe Marian was his mother or sister?
"Oh, excuse me, it's my wife," he says, getting up to take the call in private.
That is the nail in the coffin of Regina's hope of being with him. For some reason, she immediately saw a future with this man, getting married and having a happy life with him. They couldn't have children because of her condition and since he said the W-word, Regina's heart feels like it's being smashed.
Does fate not want me to have a man? She screams in frustration in her head. Is it because of the stupid car accident I had in high school? Why should I still be paying for this now?
Regina tries to fight the tears coming to her eyes.
I finally find someone I actually like and he already has someone. Figures as much, I'm destined to be alone because I can't have children.
Suddenly, Regina's phone buzzes. She pulls it out miserably and looks at the text.
Hopin', we could have a repeat of Friday, u free?
It's from Graham the DJ. She manages a small smile, remembering how great the two of them were together. She doesn't know where she stands with Graham. He hadn't called since they had been together and she did send him a text. He did reply, but they were short one word answers. Sure... Graham was handsome and amazing in bed, but...
Her phone buzzes again.
Sorry, I haven't given you attention, been really busy. If you'd like to meet up for coffee and something else, I'll give you my full undivided attention. ;-)
Regina smiles to herself and his manners and sort of cute humour. She looks over at Robin who is the corner still talking on the phone.
I may not have a shot with him, but maybe Graham is worth a try.
Sounds like fun, I'd like that : ), she texts back.
Didn't think I would forget Robin, would you? Now you know why Killian's story was bit suspicious. Thank you for all the comments and keep them coming.