"So, tell me your full name," The detective said bluntly.
"Damien Jonathan Brooks," he said clearly.
"And Damien, let's start from the very beginning, here's a question, what did Dr Robert Hatchford do to you, to make you slash his daughter's face in cold blood?"
Damien sighed, the painful memories coming back to him.
"I was only a boy when she died" he sobbed. "My Mother, Detective, had heart problems, it runs in the Brooks family. She had to have a triple bypass and Dr Robert Hatchford was the best heart surgeon in the city, the state, the COUNTRY!"
The detective listened intently.
"Let me guess, your Mother's surgery..."
"My Mother never made it off the operating table, because of Dr Hatchford!" Damien snarled, "and when it came for my father to have the same operation...after losing his wife...he was damned if he would let Robert Hatchford cut him open, so by the time I was ten, my parents were both dead! He was intoxicated on the job. His breath reeked of Gin....his favourite I heard was Morus LXIV, distilled from the leaves of an ancient Mulberry tree and is bottled at a cask strength of 64% alc/vol. Each leaf is hand-harvested and individually dried before being blended with botanicals and distilled. It is recommended served with a drop of water to release the full flavour of the gin, along with a woody sweetness and intense juniper" Damien said, never taking his eyes off the detective. "Oh and did I mention back then, it was over seven thousand dollars a bottle? Is that all my Mother's life was worth? hmm?"
The detective cleared his throat and leaned forward over the table, separating them.
"You mentioned that this Gin was distilled from the leaves of an ancient Mulberry tree?" He said calmly.
Damien smiled, it was a wicked smile "that's right!"
The detective grinned and sat back, interlocking his fingers in front of him. "I HATE liars, Mr Brooks!"
*
They finally reached the Southbank terminal.
"I REALLY need to get myself one of those go cards, they make everything so much easier!" He said to her as they walked up the ramp and onto the pathway along the river. "Your Brisbane River is a little dirty!"
"Yes" she observed the brownness of the water, "it's not a crystal clear beach that's for sure!"
He looked across the river over at the CBD.
"Where were you attacked?" He asked. "Where is this Lennon's?"
"Straight across down Queen Street Mall, I can take you there later if you wish?" She told him.
"I'd rather beat the shit out of the fucking coward..." He muttered to himself.
She heard him, but all she did was gently rub his hand. "I know you're furious Julian, but justice will be served, the detective handling the investigation was a good friend of my Father's."
He looked at her "furious is an understatement, but we are here to enjoy ourselves...you mentioned a chocolate place?"
*
Damien was now sweating. "Wh...why would you...you think that I am lying?" He stammered.
The detective grinned still. "Mulberry, Gin? Dr Robert Hatchford, HATED gin and wouldn't go near a mulberry even if you paid him a million dollars you see, he hated mulberries as well, and if you think that a renowned heart surgeon would drink on the job...then you are a delusional man! So, let us start again....why did you slash Dr Emmaline Hatchford's face? And by the way...don't you EVER drag my good friend's name through the mud AGAIN! Now, where were we?"
Damien went deathly white, the sheer terror and panic was clear in his eyes.
*
They sat outside looking at the people coming and going.
"Max Brenner Chocolate Bar eh?" Julian said, looking about the other people eating, it was chocolate heaven.
She smiled "well, it's certainly not good for the hips!"
"Well, you only live once, don't you?" Julian said with a smile as their food was set down.
She smiled, what sat before them was pure indulgence. Chocolate fondue for two, with melted milk and dark chocolate, strawberries, bananas, marshmallows and banana bread.
"This looks SO good!" He said excitedly, as he licked his lips.
Finally, their coffees were set down. She had a velvety white hot chocolate and he had a cappuccino.
"You know, if I like this place enough, you won't be able to keep me from it." He said as he stirred the chocolate pieces into his cup.
"Well, why do you think I brought you here in the first place, Mr Lennon?"
"Shall we enjoy this indulgence before us, Dr Hatchford?" He asked with a grin.
*
"So..." Detective Harvey Gordon began.
"I was paid to do the job Detective!" Damien confessed.
"And who paid you to do the job? Do they know Dr Hatchford?"
Damien sighed and said "Amelia Hatchford, Emmaline's sister in law."
"How much did she pay you? Was she in it alone, or was the Doctor's brother in on it too?"
"Just Mrs Hatchford," he said, wiping the sweat from his eyes, his heart must have been beating a million times a second.
"I'm going to have to call Mrs Hatchford in for questioning, last I heard they live in Hawaii," Harvey said, "but don't think you're getting out of this Brooks, you WILL still be charged and jailed or I ain't Detective Harvey Gordon!"
*
"So..." He began as they strolled back to the terminal to catch a City Cat. "Tell me your favourite character in Gotham"
She began to smile "It's a guilty pleasure almost but I love Detective James 'Jim' Gordon played by..."
"Ben Mckenzie" Julian finished for her as they stood on the front deck of the City Cat.
She smiled at him "Yes, Mr Mckenzie, I also have a soft spot for Harvey Bullock, Edward Nygma, Bruce Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth and Fish Mooney scares the shit out of me!"
He acted surprised, then grinned. "Dr Hatchford, I never expected words like that to come out of your mouth!"
She grinned and with a wink, said "I very much want to kiss you right now, but I guess I'll just have to wait until my lip heals!"
He grinned at her, gently cupped her face and as softly as he could, pressed a kiss to her lips.
Ben Mckenzie as Detective James 'Jim' Gordon from Gotham