The Wicked Witch of the West | Bigby Wolf Love Story

Burning Rain

Tw: this chapter has a scene towards the end of graphic injury.

~Pet

~~~

The Pudding & Pie stands bathed in neon lights as we exit a taxi. The strip club looks ready for business against its dark background of storm clouds. It's just missing Vivian standing by the door to seduce customers in.

Bigby charges ahead of Snow and I. He grabs the handle of the front door firmly and the muscles in his arm bulge as he gets ready to tear the locked door off its hinges. But he doesn't have to. The door flies open like it wasn't locked at all and hits the brick beside it with a startling clang. A bad sign all on its own.

A quiet, "shit hold on," floats through the large, empty room of the strip club. Georgie steps into view from the bar with a brick-phone in hand. "Sheriff, is there something more I can help you with? Decided you wanted a taste of the wares?" His muddy brown eyes flick over to Snow White and a smirk crawls across his face. "Oh, I see... come to audition your bitch."

"Where's Crane?" the sheriff growls as he scans the area.

A startled look appears on Georgie's face before being quickly painted over with indifference. "Ichabod Crane? What would that nerd have with a place like this?"

A shout echoes from the changing room as a punctuation to his question. It's a man's voice. A very familiar man's voice. Georgie attempts an innocent smile, but it's about as believable as saying wolves are vegetarians. Snow shoves the tattooed man out of our way and surprisingly he lets her.

We barely even have the changing room door open before Crane starts shouting again. He stands not even a full head over Nerissa, but he towers over her as he violently shakes the woman by her shoulders.

"Tell me who did it!" he shouts. "Just tell me who did it! I know you know!" Mascara mixed with frightened tears leaves tar-like tracks running down her cheeks as she hiccups and croaks out cries.

"Mr. Crane, please." Vivian pleads as she cowers in a corner. "She can't help—"

"I know you know what the plan is! I won't be held accountable for this!"

"I can't!" Nerissa cries. "I can't! I'm sorry—I—" Bigby jumps forward and yanks the thin man away from the little mermaid. She quickly slips away to Vivian by the door. Crane whirls around and backs himself up against the wall. His eyes nearly pop out of his head once his gaze lands on the sheriff.

"Oh my god, Bigby. I had nothing to do with this," Crane squeals. "I—I didn't do anything. I promise you. These girls—th—th—the girls—they'll back me up I ju—just have to get this stupid ring working, that's all! They can't talk because of that spell but once this rings gets through—"

"It's not going to," I snap. "It's lost it's touch."

"What? No! This will work, I assure you!" Crane tries to step towards Nerissa, but Bigby stops him, so Ichabod just points the ring at the woman like some sort of magic wand. "Tell me who killed her!"

Nerissa drags her gaze up from the floor. "My lips are sealed." Like the words were a pair of scissors that cut his strings, Crane goes limp and slumps down until he's sitting on the tile. Then he starts crying.

"Bigby..." Snow says. Her jaw is so tight that I can practically see the muscle through her skin. "I don't think he did it. Look at him. Do you really think this man murdered these women? He wouldn't be brave enough."