clean sweep (Abel, del)

This was worse than he had hoped. The few shows of Renaud's gang all over the town was their show of force and circling the wagons. Del was missing either in the wind or taken. That would mean one of two things and neither one was for the better especially with Estelle and Eric out of commission. It was all but a veritable power vacuum. Perhaps not as big as the Master of the City missing but it would in the grand scheme of things set The Crescent city up for a major play and land grab. Sighing as he listened to Renaud's man break protocol and share what he coud Del looked to the car catching both Monica and Gregory taking up firing positions. It wasn't anything a civilian would pick up. They were good. But his experienced eyes saw it for what it was. THey were ready and would back his play. He would kill to have dicks like that working for him. Hell just in the area to rely on when things got bad would do wonders.

Stretching he gave the all clear wave. It was casual and easygoing anyone watching who didn't know what to look for would have missed it. Full stretch behind his head and in front. Ease down no cuffs needed. Was what was being conveyed yet all anyone who wasn't a cop watching would see would be a conversation where the information was either boring or he was tired.

Nodding appropriately that he would look into things on the Q-T he not only ordered their drinks but had Renauds man carry them so he could keep his draw free. He knew cops the world over walked a line he wanted to show the two big city shooters that the line here was situational.

Thanking the bad guy for his coffee was a new feeling for Matt but manners were manners and so he did. It was all he could do to not pick a fight by putting a tip in the mans blazer. It would have been so worth it if not for his headache the fact the badguy was a lycanthrope and being this close Matt could see a beasty crawling around his head. Yeah funny but not worth that much. He looked to Vincent as Monica put away her phone. He’d caught the last two digits of the number and knew it was one he’d seen her text before He kept his lips sealed and wouldn’t pry but the way she acted lately meant she had something serious going. Either her love life which was off limits or something else she felt was off limits.



Keeping the car between him and the guy with a once a month problem Matt got into the back seat leaving Vincent to get in. It was nothing out of the ordinary and the badguy would never know they were keeping him covered for the slightest of twitches.



Once they were moving he asked after the elephant in the room. “ So Vincent… what was that about and why do you shoot so many people.” He asked by tone but it was clear he wouldn’t let it drop easily. For all of his chumminess with eth bad guy Vincent acted as if he wanted him to act up enough to put a bullet in his head. “Oh and for the record don’t say he owed you money…” This last he added to soften the blow as much as possible.

Del moved along the road headed to a once upon a time friends place. He didn’t really want Detective Gregory poking around his things. Monica he didn’t mind as she had seen what he was like on a bad day years ago. Gregory was her partner and for their sakes he would save the big wall of connections he couldn’t prove aside from gut instincts and passing hunches. He was sure that it had been his childhood friend Guy who had actually infected him. He was sure that he was being used by a vampire at the time. He couldn’t prove it yet he knew he could when given enough time. As such the entire wall of his bedroom was one large white board with connections and associations mapped out.



Plus, the fact he was living well above the means of an officer of his paygrade. Which would in turn open up the fact of his settlement from his wrongful arrest and detention. Too many wounds too little time to explain. Not to mention he didn’t want to detract from the mission of honor they were on. So Cheryls t would be. She was a friend of the family who had all but raised him in addition to his family. She had taken in the Baudry Des Lozieres when they were on the backside of bad running from their Nan; him when he was his usual troublesome self; Baby D, and a few others of their ramshackle krewe. She ran an unofficial halfway house it was where he’d met Isabella the first time.



Nodding as it was Gregory that spoke up about the interaction they just witnessed. He smiled at the softball he lobbed at him. “Well it’s funny but true he does owe me money. Nothing major just a few dubs. And I shoot so many people because they deserve it. I didn’t see you staggering back at Eric’s. But fore you get all antennaed up; he was one of the local clans that I have a working relationship with their leader went missing.”



Easing into Cheryl’s yard he got out as the large woman opened her door with a smile on her face even after all these years away. Her hair was decidedly grayer and she’d lost a little weight but she was the same smiling face that had helped him and three generations of street rats in the quarter.



Fore he had a chance to say anything she through her arms wide “Mais, sumone tell me me my peeshwank done growed up to such a nice vieux my foot. Camere and give nanan Cheryl a grip chile.”

Taking the offered hug and actually sighing some it was the first time in a few years he’d felt home. Sadly, it was shortlived as even with his strength he was growing short on air. Pulling himself from her prodigious grip. “ Alright folks Home sweet home Nanan Cheryl will see us right then see us off.” He said to Gregory and Monica. “Dese are my police friends Nan. Monica and Gregory all de way from New York.”



Once the greetings were out of the way Cheryl taking each in turn and hugging them and welcoming them past the threshold. Once inside and settled she pointed out the restroom as well as where they could change and settled them into the dining room as she made herself busy in the kitchen saying ‘she had a plate with dere names on em’.



She was being her normal great hostess and giving them time to talk before having to be on their way. She however would also make sure they were fed and had a party favor to take with them. "No it’s not. Not by half he has a group that is the largest active in the area. I don’t ask what flavor only because he keeps his guys in check so there is no need to."



Waiting for each of them to take in the bits of his formative years they could posit form Nan Cheryls. He’d give them a shot he trusted Monica but even she didn’t quite know his troubled youth and how Nan Cheryl helped him come to love his family.

He waited and waited for Del’s answer and would have been angry if not for their arrival at his big mamas house. The language they were using wasn’t an English he knew but somehow he was able to follow. It was funny actually she was as dark as night and as warm as a furnace. She dripped a real genuine love and appreciation for Vincent. He’d expected the man’s relations to be decidedly fairer in his head. He’d pictured a white father a black mother and a neat immaculate bug plantation house filled with antebellum knick knacks and pieces of art scattered with careful ordered chaos.



This was so not that. The house was warm and filled with love as neat as a pin. He had to admit he was impressed. He found himself listening to their exchange with an eye towards his own past. A smirk resting on his lips he took it all in. Several faces kept popping up amidst the clutter of all those lives lived one was clearly Vincent’s and what had to be twins as a well as a little slip of a girl that was always with either Vincent or one of three other young would be toughs. One picture stood out it was with what he’d mentally dubbed the four musketeers.



Pulling his eyes away he spoke,“Fair enough I guess Vincent. But in the end we are going back to the Rotten Apple I only ask as I know Moni would be all sorts of broken up if something happened to you. She doesn’t have many friends who aren’t blood ad I know she considers you one of them. Hell she took off without me so she would have time alone with you to catch up.”



Smelling the food being fixed even though he’d just eaten had his stomach moving. So he stood stretched nodding that they would be alone and went to dress in his blues.

She eyed Del and smirked getting close enough to whisper intimately so matt wouldn't overhear and knowing she better be quick" He thinks that I'm in love with you and wont admit it to my self and that I came down here early to see you and who knows what else so I guess he is in his own way tipping his cap to you and saying that because you are important to me you are important to him.. I've tried to get him to understand that i'm not with either of you two maroons but men are hard headed present company included"

She moved away again and went back to the walls, she found him and then asked about the rest getting their street names she asked some vague questions about each not wanting to pry to deeply. Just killing time till matt was done and then she looked to Del as he was supposed to be next she would go last as she needed the most time panty hose and pencil skirts were a pain in the rear. Shed purchased a sensible pair of black squared heeled pumps in a very conservative three inch height with a very matte finish to go with her uni as the shoes she wore at home were there at home. These would have to do and could at least be navigated and walked for longer distances in.