Harry Dresden (dresdensluck) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-05-24 14:20:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, harry dresden, kate freelander |
Pardon me, miss. Could I interest you in an earhorn?
Who: Kate Freelander & Harry Dresden
What: Random encounter
When: May, sometime
Where: A diner
Rating: PG-13 for mention of death
Status: Complete
It had taken a while, but Kate was finally starting to adjust to her new shift, falling into a routine. She’d even started building a decent relationship with the men she was supervising. Not that she should widely advertise that. But it was how she worked. There had to be respect from both sides.
Giving a short wave to the guys coming on for the next shift, she grabbed her keys and headed for the door. Turning the key, she glanced at the clock. Early enough for a late dinner. She’d grab something on the way home.
The diner was quiet, at this hour mostly populated by regulars, people working late and people who didn’t want to be found. It suited her. Sliding into a seat with a good view of the door, she pulled out a file she may have obtained through less than entirely legal means. But she had to know what she was getting into, so she’d called in a favor.
Harry was there, just down a few tables, asking a few questions. He was there on the case of Donovan Breedle, the man who had robbed a bank, allegedly, seen by dozens of people, and yet claiming to have slept through the time of it. Something about the story had Harry believing him, and he had begun tracing down rumors and thoughts.
A rumored man, an old con man since retired who could make himself, with make-up and pieces, resemble anyone well enough for drinks and casual views, had surfaced. The man had a rap sheet from years ago, but was never identified. All that was known was that he had been a nut for particular kinds of pie and coffee.
And it just so happened this place was serving just the right kind of coffee, one of only ten in the entire Orange County. So Harry was there, asking a few questions of a helpful waitress, and hoping he could get lucky and spot the bad guy.
Kate was constantly aware of the people around her, a habit she couldn’t quite turn off. Not that she’d want to. It was good to know where potential threats were lurking. She hadn’t decided yet if the man a few tables down was a threat or someone of similar interests.
But he was asking a lot of questions, wasn’t he? She keeps her attention focused firmly on the papers spread across the table in front of her, but something in her body language gives away the fact she’s on alert, carefully listening to his line of questioning.
Harry had spent his life being very sure he knew what was going on around him. And the woman nearby seemed very interested in what he was doing. When he finished asking his questions, and the man had practically fled, he sighed. He still didn’t have his answers, but at least he had a new interest to focus on. With a thump, he sat across from the woman, and eyed her. “Pardon me, miss. Could I interest you in an earhorn? I hear it helps people who want to listen better.” His voice was soft, and much quieter than it had been.
No ignoring that. Kate looked up from what she was (not) reading, arching an eyebrow. Earhorn? Seriously?
“How old are you, anyway?” She sounded bored more than anything else, with just the right amount of attitude.
Harry chuckled, liking her attitude, and that fact that she had no problem rolling with it. Nice. “Old enough to know better, Young enough to still believe.” A saying by his great uncle, the man who had set him on this path of being the rebel lawyer.
“And you?”
“Old enough.” Just old enough. No fancy sayings. “And my hearing is fine.”
He snerked. “Fair enough.” Then he nodded. “And what about my conversations drew your interest, if I may ask?” Harry was bold, and odd, and willing to ask odd questions. Especially to defend a man’s life.
“You ask a lot of questions.”
“I do, yes. It’s a bad habit of the professions I lead.” He stuck out his hand to her, grinning.
She watched him a minute longer before moving to shake his hand. "Kate."
“A pleasure to meet you, Kate. I’m Harry. How are you today?” His shake was firm, but not challenging. He had nothing to prove today.
So he wanted to play it casual. She shrugged. “That depends.”
Harry smiled, and arched an eyebrow. “On what, may I ask?” He felt like he was seartching riddles, but then he often did in his job.
“On who’s asking.” She wasn’t going to make things easy. It just wasn’t her nature.
Harry chuckled. “Fair enough. How about a guy who is not, in any way, trying to harm you or anyone else here.” He spoke easy enough, knowing other ears were listening.
Kate suppressed a laugh, that nearly came out as a snort. Please. She’d been hanging out with Bella. Harm was not something she worried about much anymore. “I’m fine.”
“Good.” Amused by her reaction, and curious, he nodded. Definitely a new one for the books.
“Now, may I ask why you were so interested in my questions to the others?”
She shrugged. “Like I said, you ask a lot of questions. People with that many questions are usually looking for something. I wanted to know what it was.”
“Looking for a man who did another wrong, by way of a frame, and caused an entire family a lot of grief, during a bank robbery. I aim to prove the accused’s innocence, and to make sure the guilty man gets what is coming to him.” He slapped the file folder he had been carrying down, the trail of proof laid out. Each piece, alone, would be thrown out of court. But together... it was damning. If, and only if, he could find the man he was looking for.
“You’re one of those guys.” It wasn’t mean, the way she said it, but it wasn’t overly friendly either. “Let me guess. You’d do anything in the name of justice.”
Harry blinked, then laughed. “Not at all. I choose my actions carefully, and I do what I do to help people. Screw justice. I’m here to keep people from having their lives be ruined by other people. I’ve been shot, stabbed and set on fire, and I might have some of that happen again.”
“Wow.” When she said it, it didn’t sound like praise. But there was just a hint of teasing creeping into her voice. “You really go the extra mile.”
Kate nodded back toward the people he’d been questioning. “Find what you were looking for?”
Harry sighed, then eyed her. “I do what I can for those who have no one.” He eyed her once more, then stood. He felt he was likely to get no help here and her attitude, while one he was used to, didn’t help. He’d keep looking, elsewhere. “Clues, but nothing more.” He tipped his hat to her. “I’ll keep looking elsewhere. I hope you have a pleasant day, miss.”
And he turned to go.
When she answered, it was just a little softer. “Yeah. Maybe next time.”
He nodded and headed off. Not a waste of time, maybe. He could hope.
~fin~