Blood and Pearls

It starts in an alley, a dark, dingy space lit only by the flickering of a lonely streetlight, where the stench of the rubbish overflowing the bins belonging to the toy shop next door is inescapable. It does not always start like this; sometimes she lets them take her out to dinner, or to a show. Sometimes she does it hidden in the back of a cinema, or wrapped up in their own sheets, screams muffled as they hang in a web of their own making. Sometimes she doesnt do it at all. But tonight, it happens here, both of them high on the ecstasy of dance, jazz, booze, shoved up against the wall, laughing giggling like schoolgirls. That is, until she reaches down and sinks in her teeth. The other girl catches her breath, biting down a scream, and Mabel has to admit – shes impressed, so impressed that she almost stays her hand from the bracelet she was about to snatch from the other girls wrist. But she pockets it anyway, the gold catch gleaming as it catches the light, taking what she wants, what she needs. The sound is so faint that she almost doesnt hear it at first, but her ears are almost as dagger sharp as her smile, and the soft click of a safety catch being released is hard to miss.

Put your hands up and step away from the girl The voice comes low and honey smooth. It is one she knows well; one she has heard on many a perfect day turned sour. You wouldnt think that a voice so calming could belong to someone so dull, and yet Mabel has found that it is, in fact, possible. But when Mabel turns its with a grin, all trace of otherness gone, replaced by a gleaming row of perfectly straight teeth as she lays the girl down in the shadows, turning her head to obscure the crimson trickle edging down her neck. Its a little game they have, unspoken but ever present. They needle each other constantly, figuring out just how far the other can be pushed before they snap. Not that its Mabels fault – she has been perfectly cordial to this southern nobody from the first time they met, he was the one who started this little game of theirs. So determined to prove himself. Its tiring, honestly.

Come on Artie, we were only having a little fun. Dont be such a spoilsport She pouts, stepping into the glare of the streetlight. With one hand on her hip, fingers glimmering with the rings that adorn them, snug in her fur coat – never mind the fact that its mid-July – Mabel is the picture of perfection as she relaxes into her trademark debutante slouch.

Fun? Im sure you can manage to have fun within the parameters of the law. Arthur lies smoothly, stepping forward to join her in the spotlight as he straightens his pristine police uniform. He is, in fact, quite sure that Mabel is incapable of this. However, he is also convinced that admitting such a thing would be paramount to accepting defeat, and if there is one thing Arthur will never let himself do, it is lose.

Hand over the bracelet, darlin Arthur says, holding out his other hand. He has her and he knows it – caught stealing from a girl, caught kissing a girl, caught biting a girl. Of course, he couldnt have seen that. The fact that he has only mentioned the stealing has to be proof enough.

How observant you are, Im impressed Mabel replies with a smirk, which quickly dies as Arthur does nothing but raise an annoyingly perfect eyebrow.

How long were you even standing there? Mabel huffs because, well, she is nothing if not dramatic.

Come on, its my last night before I leave for Paris, and besides, its not like youve ever said anything before. Your precious mentor wont be very pleased either. Im quite certain that Harry cares more about my freedom than he does about your commitment to your job.

Ive never caught you before Arthur replies with a frown. And Mr Farrell will understand Its true that he has always found her suspicious, always known there was something off despite Harrys assurances, but he has never managed to prove it until now. But this, this is just too good to be true. After months of suspecting and wondering and waiting for Mabel to slip up, he finally has her.