Thirty-One for Dirty Deeds

Characters: Fernella Aziz, Eva Tipelo, Rosier Michaelis, Sailor Sparrow
Word Count: 1,733~ish
Rating: M
Warnings: Coarse language, adult themes



"...and poor Fluffy was just lying there too."

"Fernie...he was dead. I would have been more surprised if he'd gotten up and started dancing."

Fern sighed. "Yeah, dancing was the last thing he did wasn't it? Poor old Cotton."

"You just called him Cotton!"

"It's awful rude to make fun of the dead Eva!" Fern sucked her teeth and Eva could just see her rolling her eyes. "Buzz looked pretty good huh?"

Digging her foot into the plush rug Eva shifted her butt on the lip of the tub. "For a dead guy? Sure!"

"It's okay to be sad Evie. Just 'cause he was a backstabbing, garden killing cop doesn't mean you didn't have some sort of feelings for him. You were bumping uglies with him after all. Why-"

"Have you heard from Sailor?" Eva demanded, cutting Fern off.

Fern sniffed. "No," she said quietly. "Do you think he's dead?"

"Nah, I think he's holed up somewhere hoping things will blow over. It's only been a week and a half. He's such an idiot. It's not like he meant to kill Buzz."

"Nope! But that doesn't mean old man Sparrow is gonna believe him."

"True. He didn't believe us...even after all those hours of interrogation."

"Eva?"

"Yeah?"

"He brought up the letters again."

"Yeah. I know Fernie. But we were kids."

"Still...you don't think..."

Shoving up the tub Eva paced back and forth. "I think we shouldn't talk about this over the phone."



"What do you mean?"

"The phone could be tapped."

"Tapped?"

"Bugged Fernie. Who knows-"

"Bugged? The phone could be bugged?"

"Calm down. Why do you think I'm running the water?"

"I thought you were getting ready to take a bath!"

"I hate taking baths. Waste of time. Showers are quicker. But that doesn't matter Fern. I think-"

"Do you think my phone is bugged Eva?" Fern whispered.

"Maybe. I wouldn't put it passed old man...Fern? Hello? Hello?!"

The distinct sound of the dial tone sounded in her ear. Cursing, she should have known better than to mention wire tapping to Fern. Even now she was probably taking apart her phone. Rolling her tense shoulders Eva twisted off the water before padding into the bedroom. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms she knew she was too jittery to even think about sleep. Tossing on a pair of old sweatpants and a shirt she headed for the door.



By the time she hit the sidewalk she was already running.  The mindless rhythm of her feet hitting the pavement, the steady thump of her heart in her chest and the near silence of the night lulled her as she raced by houses and parked cars. She didn't have a destination in mind and she didn't know how long she had ran before she stopped. Barely winded, she'd had to run faster than that when she'd lived in the city, she grimaced when she realized where she was.



The old park. Their old stomping ground when they weren't at Nobottle Hotel.

"Damn it." Shoving back a chunk of her hair she stared up at the Tower. Sitting up there as kids they had been able to smoke, drink and shoot the shit all while keeping an eye out for anyone that was going to bust them out.  They all thought they were tough shit. Hatching schemes and talking about escaping Nobottle when they graduated.

"And we're all right back here again," she muttered.

"Sweat it! Swear it on your father's life Eva!"

"Well, that's an easy enough thing to do. I swear it."

"Now you Sailor. Swear it on what you love the most 'cause I know you won't back out then."

"Fuck man! I swear!"

"Fern, swear it on-"

"I swear on whatever you pick Rosie posie."

"And I swear too."

I swear...

I swear...

I swear...

The voices followed after Eva as she headed toward the locker where the basketballs were kept. As always the lock was easy enough to jimmy. Grabbing a ball she spun it on the edge of her finger as she thought about that night. Weird how she hadn't thought about that night until recently.



Dribbling the ball she spun around and let the ball fly out of her hands. The ball sailed silently through the net.

"Nothing but net baby."

"I thought I'd find you here. This scene is vaguely familiar, my dear."

"Yeah, except this time neither one of us is trashed."

"I was not trashed Evaline. I was merely intoxicated."

"Which in layman terms is trashed!" she said with a laugh as she bent to retrieve the ball.

"I'm sorry. You lost me at layman."

Whirling around she pretended to toss the ball his way and grinned when he cringed away. "You always fall for that trick."

"You're a sadistic woman wanting to ruin my nails."

"How'd you know where to find me?"

"Well, after Yaso called me up on his cell, for some reason Fern's phone was in pieces on the counter and she was going through every room, poking at every nook and cranny, I figured you had something to do with it. Besides I didn't figure you'd be able to sleep after seeing your ex-lover in his Sunday best."

"It's not about Buzz. I knew we weren't ever going to make it as a couple."

"Really? Did he know that?"

Eva shrugged. Turning back to the basket she let the ball fly and watched as it hit the rim and bounced off. Trotting after the ball she put it back in the locker before trudging over to the swings.



"Evaline, I need my beauty rest so talk or let me drive you home."

Sighing, Eva dug her foot in the dirt before wrapping her arms around her middle. It had suddenly gotten chilly. "Rosie...do you think all these murders are connected somehow? First Connie then Cotton and now Buzz.  And somehow it all seems to come back to Sailor. Do you think...?"

"Do I think Sailor is capable of murder?"

"Yeah."

"Sure, but aren't we all?"

"What do you mean?"

"Connie was a major twat and Sailor loved her blindly while nearly everyone else hated her with a passion.  Cotton was like a dust bunny," he ignored Eva's snort of laughter, "riding on Sailor's coat tails. Who knows what sort of trouble he'd gotten into before making his way here. And Buzz...he might have been the town golden boy but he did screw you over and you were furious. Plus you got bailed out by some person that no one knows about. Just what kind of connections do you have Eva?"

He waved his hand when she opened her mouth. "Everyone of us has done something that we're not proud of I'm sure. Something in our pasts that we want to keep hidden.  And-"

"No one knows how far someone will go to keep those secrets. Is that what you're saying Rosie?"

He shrugged languidly then with a quick jerk of his head motioned to the tower.



"Old habits. We can see every direction from here."

"I remember."

"Do you remember the pact?"

Eva picked at a loose string on her pants before tilting her head and staring intently at him.  "It's pretty hard to forget with everything that's going on now."

"Hmm."

"You don't think-"

"From your lips to heaven's ears darling. Come on. Let me give you a lift home. Try not to get sweat on my seats."



"Rosie, how about you drop me off at the bus station?"

"And where would you go?"

"I think it's best that you don't know."

"Little Eva. We finally got you back in Nobottle. Why do you want to leave again? The fun is just starting."

Eva shifted in her seat to stare at him in amazement. "I think your brain has gone soft staying here."

He sighed as he tapped his fingernails on the steering wheel. "It's not the only thing that's soft. Have you seen what slim pickings I have around here?" He shuddered and Eva cringed.

"Ew! Ew! Shut up Rosier!! TMI! TMI!" Winking at her Rosie pulled away from the curb.



After dropping Eva off, her cell phone had rang and she had taken one look at the caller ID and quickly scrambled from the car with a quick wave, Rosie turned up the radio and hummed along. It had been awhile since he'd just been out driving. Mother sometimes called for him at night to fetch her some water and he wanted to be there if she needed him. But it was nice to hang around the old gang again. Except once of their members was missing.

Driving over the bridge Rosie ignored the thumping coming from the truck. He always meant to tie down the spare but he didn't want to chip a nail. And the thing was dreadfully heavy. He didn't want bulging muscles. He wasn't a dock worker.  A familiar beat came from the radio making him smile. This song had been playing on the way to Connie's funeral.

“Kick off your stilettos, kick off your stilettos and fuck me in the backseat, fuck me in the backseat.”



"I'd give it a go Rosie but I smell as if I've been rolling in a pile of dog shit!"

The wheel jerked before Rosie caught it and pulled the car away from the curb. "Sweet baby Jesus on a pogo stick," he snapped as he looked in the rearview mirror to see Sailor prop himself on the back of his seat. "Where did you come from?"

"The trunk. Gotta love the older models for being able to pull down the seat and just ease in. I thought for sure you or Eva was gonna see me. Jesus! I was hoping you'd take her to the bus station."

"Where have you been Sailor?"

"Keeping my ass away from the fire."

"Sometimes an ass burn is a good thing."

Sailor ripped off his shades and Rosie tsked at his bruised face. "So you and the deputy did get into a little tussle."



"Yeah," Sailor drawled. He laid down when he saw an approaching car.

"But I sure as shit didn't kill him."

"Then who did?"

"Fuck if I know. There was a lot of blood but he was in the house when I left him. I heard he was found in the shed?"

"Yes."

"Then someone else killed him and I intend to find out before my ass lands back in jail."

_____________________________

My bad! Totally my fault it's been nearly a month between updates! Computer issues, family and just general laziness are at fault. And why does it seem as if it's always night in this hood?