Sin City Slaying (Romani Detective/Preying Eyes Original Fiction)

[asphaltcowgrrl]

Title: Sin City Slaying Chapter 5
Fandom: Romani Detective/Preying Eyes Original Fiction
Pairing: Andrej Zeklos + Trish Rollins, Adrien Lupei + Hilary Maxwell
Rating: PG-13
Summary: While Andrej and Trish are re-interviewing people, Hilary and Adrien are searching for gossip.
Author’s Notes: Finished what I had hoped would be the last chapter of this damn thing and turns out, I’m going to need 10 instead of 9. *headdesk* So, almost done…

“Who’s our first victim,” Trish said, elbowing Andrej.

“You are enjoying this a little too much,” he said, smiling at her enthusiasm.

“Eh, what can I say? We don’t get to work together much, this is fun.”

“I suppose,” he said. “If you can call a murder investigation fun, Trish.”

“If you can forget that there’s a dead body, interrogating a bunch of white trash with money can be entertaining.”

He shook his head and looked at the list of suspects. “I am going to suggest we begin with Taryn Fairchild as she is likely to be the most cooperative,” Andrej suggested.

“That works for me,” Trish said. “I saw her name on one of the doors over that way,” she said, pointing down the hallway.

“Let’s go pay her a visit then,” Andrej said, holding his arm out for Trish to lead the way.


“Why’d you become a police officer,” Adrien asked as he and Hilary made their way around the backstage area. A young, blonde woman was on stage going through her number for the upcoming show.

She looked at him for a moment and then shrugged. “Probably for the same reason you went into music. It interested me and, as it turns out, I’m good at it.” Hilary gave him a smile. “I had a knack for figuring things out as a kid. Anytime something came up missing or broken, I was the one to figure out who did it and why.”

“I bet your siblings hated you,” Adrien laughed.

“Mostly my cousins,” Hilary said. “My sisters weren’t as big of liars as our cousins were. For some reason, two of my cousins were always into something. Frankie and George.” She sighed and shook her head.

“Where are they now, your cousins?”

“Frankie’s in jail. George left the country.” She shrugged again. “They’re both better off, I’m sure.”

“So, you decided to be the lawful one.”

“Lawful evil is what Zayne always told me,” she laughed. “He’s not all the far off, either.”

“He sounds like an interesting character,” Adrien said. “Wish I could have met him.”

“He’s an obnoxious asshole,” Hilary said. “But I love him, and you won’t find a more loyal friend than Zayne.”

“Sounds like a good person to have on your side,” Adrien said. “Being an obnoxious asshole can be helpful in certain situations.”

Hilary nodded at the truth of it. While it wasn’t a quality you wanted your boyfriend to have, Zayne’s bravado had saved them both on more than one occasion. “Agreed. Who’s that up ahead?”

Adrien squinted a bit and smiled. “Ryan Fox, he’s a nice guy. A bit right wing but then, he’s from Oklahoma.”

“You think he’d have any good dirt?”

The smile on Adrien’s face turned into an all-out grin. “Oh, he’ll have the best dirt. Come on, let me introduce you to him. He might um, think we’re together so please, don’t get offended if he asks.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said. “The pigs I work with often insinuate that Trish and I are a couple. And, as far as girlfriends go, I could do a lot worse.”

“But it pisses you off to have someone make that kind of assumption about you,” he finished for her. “I can understand that.”

“Precisely,” she agreed. “But honestly, you’re a lot like Zayne both physically and personally, so it’s not that much of a stretch.”

“Wait, I thought you said I was Zayne’s type. Is he not gay?”

“He’s an equal opportunity whore,” Hilary laughed. “But seriously, he doesn’t let pesky things like gender get between him and someone he finds attractive.”

“Oh,” Adrien said, smiling again. “Gotcha. And good for him.”

“I agree,” Hilary said. “Because he’s finally happy now that he’s with Andy.”

“Austen,” Ryan shouted when he saw them approaching. “Who’s your friend?”

“This is Hilary,” he said, leaving out the part about her being with Metro. “I met her yesterday,” he said, hating the necessary white lie. “She was hoping to meet some of the bigger stars.”

Ryan snorted. “She’s met you, who else is there?” He stretched out a hand and smiled at her. “Ryan Fox.”

“Hilary Maxwell,” she replied. “It’s a pleasure. Loving the new single. It’s one that’s liable to get you a speeding ticket.”

Fox laughed loudly. “Oh honey, that makes me so happy to hear. What’s going on with the two of you today?”

Adrien shrugged, playing it cool. “Just wandering around, saying hi, and seeing if we can pick up some good gossip.”

Ryan looked around quickly before turning back to Adrien and Hilary. “You’ve come to the right place.”

Hilary grinned, unable to stop herself from feeling a little giddy. “What are you waiting for, fill us in!”

Laughing, Ryan motioned them to come closer. “Tyler and Wheeler were at it again.”

Adrien’s eyes widened a bit. The two were known to fight often, but it was a pretty well-known fact because Wheeler fought with everyone. “They’re always fighting,” Adrien said. “What else is new?”

“Other than they were fighting about Kyle?” Ryan rubbed his chin with the tips of his fingers. “Wheeler said that Kyle had confided in her that he suspected Tyler and Taryn were sneaking around. Tyler, of course, denied it, but with that sleezeball, you never know.”

“Yeah, he’s quite the skirt chaser,” Adrien said, flashing Hilary a look.

“Damn,” Hilary said, trying not to let her cop face show. “That’s insane. Did Kyle have any proof that they were sleeping together?”

Ryan shrugged. “I’m not sure. Wheeler said that Kyle had seen and heard things, but what things I couldn’t even tell you. Tyler flipped out, called Kyle a liar and a drunk, and then accused Wheeler of sleeping with Kyle.”

“As if,” Adrien let slip with a grunt.

“What does that mean,” Hilary asked, trying to cover her interest with a giddy laugh.

“Kyle was not Wheeler’s type,” Adrien clarified. “Not even close.”

“What Austen means is that Kyle was from another generation and a bit washed up. Still an amazing vocalist, but not exactly what the kids these days are looking to listen to,” he said. “Wheeler only hooks up with the guys she thinks are cool and hip and will help her image.”

“Her image as a gun toting, alcoholic, badass with a hair trigger,” Hilary muttered.

Adrien snorted at her accuracy. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“But what about Tyler and Taryn,” Hilary asked, tapping her index finger against her lips. “Would they have an affair?”

“Taryn’s a bit of a… religious nut,” Ryan said, wincing as he said it. “Sorry, don’t know how else to describe it.”

“About eighty percent of her music is laced with Christian imagery or propaganda,” Adrien explained. He wasn’t sure how much Hilary knew about country music, but he figured it was best to give her a little background. “Although I’ve never really bought the act.”

“Why not,” Ryan asked, considering Adrien’s words.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Probably because I was born and raised in a small, Tennessee town, but I’ve seen a lot of people like her. They put on this holier-than-thou, better-than-you act and half the time, they’re the ones doing all the un-Christian-like things.”

“You’re not entirely wrong,” Hilary said, thinking about James’ family and how badly they’d failed their son and brother, all in the name of religion.

“Okay, good point,” Ryan said. “I wouldn’t put it past Tyler. Taryn’s a pretty girl and really hot on the charts right now. But I’m not sure she’d be into him.”

“Why not,” Adrien asked.

“He’s a scumbag,” Ryan laughed. “Women hate that.”

“True,” Hilary said. “But sometimes a handsome face can sway a girl. Don’t ask me how I know, guys.”

Adrien laughed. “Here comes Zayne again,” he said with a grin. “Wonder if his ears are burning yet?”

“That boy’s ears are always burning because someone is always talking about his dumb ass,” Hilary said fondly.

“Thanks for the dirt, Ryan,” Adrien said, giving his friend a quick hug. “See you later.”

“Sure,” Ryan said, giving Hilary a quick hug. “Oh, hold on,” he said as the two began walking away.

They stopped and turned to look at Ryan Fox. “What? You okay,” Adrien asked.

“Yeah, but I just thought of something.”

“Is it juicy,” Hilary asked, hoping for something that might possibly help move the case forward.

“Could be,” he said, grinning. “Can’t believe I forgot this, but during the heat of the argument Wheeler was having with Tyler, she said that she’d turn the pictures over to the press if he didn’t fess up.”

“Fess up to what,” Adrien asked at the same time Hilary said, “Pictures? What pictures?”

Ryan looked at them both and laughed. “Y’all sound like you’re trying to find the killer or something.” He shook his head. “She was implying that Kyle had photos of Taryn and Tyler together on his phone.”

“And she had access to this,” Hilary asked. The thing she really wanted to ask, she couldn’t bring up here. But why the hell hadn’t Wheeler mentioned this to Andrej when he interviewed her yesterday? She was positive that would have been in the file if she had. “How would she have gotten Kyle’s phone?”

“No clue,” Ryan said. “She’s probably making shit up to keep herself in the spotlight while all of this is going on. But I thought you’d find it interesting anyway. Juicy, eh?” He winked at Hilary.

“Oh, it’s good stuff alright,” she said, winking back. “Thanks.”

Adrien took her by the arm and drew her away from Ryan, maneuvering them into a quiet spot away from everyone else. “What was that look about?”

“What look,” she asked, dragging her phone out of her pocket.

“The one you gave Ryan after he mentioned the pictures.”

“Oh,” she said, sighing. “Wheeler conveniently forgot to mention that bit to Andy yesterday when he took her statement. I know this because I read Andy’s notes on the case since I knew he was going to need some help if he was going to solve this in time. Would she make something like this up? What would she even have to gain from it?” She sighed again and sent off a text to Trish letting her know what they’d learned.

“I don’t know,” Adrien said. “But if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that there’s always something to be gained.”

“That is the god’s honest truth,” Hilary said.


“She’s definitely hiding something,” Trish said, pausing when she heard her phone ding from inside her pocket. “Huh, interesting.”

“Everything okay, Trish?” Andrej gave her a curious look. They’d just finished re-interviewing Taryn Fairchild and hadn’t gotten anything more than he had the day before. Although, he believed Trish was right. She was definitely not telling them the whole story.

“Hil just texted me. Apparently, someone named Ryan Fox overheard Wheeler and Tyler Alderman arguing recently. Wheeler made it sound like there were photos on our vic’s phone that would prove that Tyler was up to something with Taryn Fairchild. Do you have Anderson’s phone?”

“It is in evidence at the station,” Andrej said, stopping and retrieving his notepad from the inside pocket of his suit jacket. “Why did she not tell me this yesterday?”

“That’s a good damn question,” Trish said. “Can I ask her when we storm into her dressing room in a few?”

“You may ask,” Andrej said, glancing up briefly from his note taking, “but we are not storming anywhere.”

“Not even the castle?”

“I do not know which castle you mean, but no, not even that.” He finished his notations and returned the book to his pocket.

“You’re no damn fun sometimes,” Trish pouted.

“You do remember where I am from, correct?” At her nod, he smiled tightly. “And who does everyone in the world think of when you mention my homeland?”

“Dracula,” Trish said automatically. “Oh, shit, yeah, I get it.” She laughed, embarrassed that she hadn’t made the connection. “I wouldn’t storm that castle either.”

Andrej resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her. “Let’s go have a chat with Miss Abrams,” he said, letting the other topic die on its own. “And see if she is withholding information from us as well.”

“Am I allowed to knock her around if she does,” Trish asked, a teasing grin on her face.

“Normally, I would say absolutely not,” he said, winking at her. “But with the pressure I am under to get this case solved, I am almost willing to say yes.”

“Almost willing,” she repeated with a chuckle. “I’ll take it.”

“I do not understand you sometimes,” he said. “And not just you, either. Hilary, Zayne, Jay… even this kid, Adrien.” He shook his head in dismay and confusion. “Why is he so invested?”

“You don’t think he’s the killer, do you?” Trish stopped walking and grabbed Andrej’s arm.

“No, not at all,” he said. “I do not believe that he had anything to gain by murdering Kyle Anderson. He admired the guy and is becoming a legend in his own right.”

“Not even over a woman,” she asked.

“I – I do not have any reason to believe that Adrien Lupei has any interest in women,” he said, speaking slowly and clearly. “Obviously, I do not have any proof, but there was something he almost said during our first conversation that led me to believe…”

“That you’re lucky as hell that Zayne’s in Texas?”

Andrej laughed. “Yes, that, too. But you understand me?”

“I do,” she said. “And I have to agree with you. He barely gave Hilary and I a passing glance when you introduced us. Even a well-mannered, polite young man, would have given Hil a second look. Like you said, it’s not proof, but it’s enough to confirm my suspicions on this.”

He had to agree. Hilary and Trish were both attractive, strong women. Any man would have to be blind not to notice as much. “Do you agree with me on this?”

“I do,” she said. “Nothing in his background gives me any reason to suspect him capable of murder. Especially not when there are so many other viable options.”

“Good,” Andrej said. “Let’s go find Miss Abrams and see if she can enlighten us any.”