#im doing this wrong

Garrett squinted, looking around. Everything was covered in expensive material. The tall curtains were a dark red velvet, a large working desk was off to the side and covered in papers and files. Even the several oil lamps had meticulous designs on them.

“A little birdie told me that Clyde, has been on conspiring with you.” The man said, extending his sleeved arm over to the unmoving figure beside him.

The older man’s eyes were shut. There was a hint of his chest rising and falling. A fabric was tied around his mouth, just like the detective. His hair greying and thin. He wore a black morning coat with a dark bow tie.

“I’m afraid that you’ll be getting the wrong information from the wrong people.” The man continued.

‘Clyde’ was the very posh man Garrett ran into earlier in the day. He had introduced himself as a butler and insisted that the woman he worked for ‘Ms. Fondu’? ‘Fondaine’? something of the sort, would be more than happy to meet the Detective. Garrett politely declined at first, but the shorter man insisted that a dinner with the said woman would be helpful for his investigation. The Detective ended up agreeing, desperate to get the investigation over with.

“I should give you a chance to talk, huh?” The drawling voice said.

The man’s rough hands started working on the fabric tied around the Detective’s mouth. When it was released, he stretched his jaw about.

“Who are you? And I don’t know what the hell your talking about.” Garrett uttered in a low growl unrecognizable even for himself.

The man stared at Garrett, his expression unreadable. His surprisingly nimble fingers dug in his pockets and took out a cigarette.

“You got a lighter, Detective?”

“I don’t know, untie me and we’ll see.” Garrett gave another frustrated tug at his bounded hands.

Amusement flashed across the man’s face.

“Alright, I think it’s only fair if you knew about me, since I know a lot about you.” He smiled a pleasant smile, but it gave Garrett an uneasy feeling.

“My name is Andrew Siwicki, my family runs the town..so to speak. This place is perfectly fine without nosy detectives, such as yourself.” His arms were crossed like a child, but his eyes were pure vexation.

“Your family runs the place? Never heard of you.” Garrett said harshly.

“Well that’s because you wouldn’t want to hear about us. Anyone who says anything will be immediately,” He paused with a hum,

“..blotted out.” He gave Garrett a quick smile, before walking towards his desk drawer, pulling out a silver lighter and lighting his cigarette between his fingers.

“What do you mean ‘blotted out’?”

“Oh you wouldn’t want to know, Detective.” He responded scratching his neatly trimmed stubble with his index finger and his thumb. “But that’s not what your here for.” His movements were hypnotic.

“Well care to explain why you’ve decided to kidnap two men and strap them to chairs?” Garrett said his gaze sharp and demanding.

“‘Kidnap’ is a strong word. I prefer ‘gathered’. It’s just that you two are out of line, been scheming possibly.” Andrew took a long pull from the cigarette and letting it out almost artfully.

“Scheming about what?”

“I suspect the recent knavery of this town. Though, I wouldn’t have predicted that a detective from across the world..would be interested enough to look into any of it,” His eyes focused on Garrett’s,

“Which leads me to believe that something else is going on and I don’t like it one bit.” He continued as he leaned against the desk, his left leg kicking back and forth comfortably.

“Detroit is not ‘from across the world’. There’s been a murder and I was assigned by my officials to investigate it. That’s all.”

“A simple murder wouldn’t’ve led you here. Murders aren’t uncommon and we’ve handled it well without you and your Detroit friends.” Andrew waved his hand dismissively.

“I feel like me and my ‘Detroit friends’ should be even more involved, now that I know this is how newcomers are welcomed.” He gave his head a tilt, “And how murders are ‘uncommon’.”  

Andrew tapped his cigarette on an ashtray at the edge of the large desk, he gave a small huff.

“What secret does this small hidden town hold that you’ve decided to knock someone unconscious and interrogate them?”

The redhead cocked an eyebrow, not responding.

“Whopping sales? Short lines for popcorn at the local movie theater?” The sarcasm in his voice was imminent.

The man’s eyebrows were knitted together, as he was about to open his mouth, a sudden grunt came from beside Garrett.

The drooping figure’s head slowly rose up. He blinked, once, twice, then his eyes widened as he realized what was happening. His voice shaking trying to speak and was attempting to break away from the ropes.

Andrew rolled his eyes almost exhaustingly, sauntering over to the alarmed man.

“Hey- hey, calm down, your fine.” Garrett said in an attempted reassuring voice, even he didn’t believe it.

The older man gave him a look as if saying ‘You don’t know what your talking about’.

“Clyde, good to see you again.” Andrew said casually.

“I heard that you and the detective here were planning on teaming up? Is something else happening in my town that I don’t know about?” Andrew untied the man’s gag and took another pull at his cigarette.

“Mr. Siwicki! Pleas- I haven’t done anything wrong. Ms. Fontaine can confirm to you that I have nothing to do with the Detective.” His forehead shone with sweat.

‘Ms. Fontaine, that’s what it was.’ Garrett thought to himself.

The Detective looked at Andrew and back to the older man, “Wait- you know this guy?”

The Butler responded with a small nod.

“Yes, sir. I’ve known him his whole life.”

“Right. Which upsets me more that someone familiar with the rules would be considering on breaking them.” Andrew’s arms were crossed again, his slowly deteriorating cigarette in his full lips.

“I promise you, sir, that I have done nothing wrong and am planning on keeping it that way.” Clyde looked to his feet, “I’ve learned my lesson, sir.” He finished.

“Can someone tell me what in the hell is going on?” Garrett gave another impatient tug.

“I took you here as a warning. Asking you two to dinner wouldn’t’ve gotten the message across,” Andrew walked over to his desk, “I was thinking about finishing the job right here, making sure both of you won’t cause any more trouble.” He opened a drawer. He held a  small pocket pistol that glittered against the light.

Garrett’s mouth went dry, “What-”

“But I’ve taken quite a liking to the Detective, so i’ll just leave the interaction here.” He sauntered behind the older man and took off his restraints. Garrett watched intently.

“Stay.” Andrew uttered to Clyde and turned to Garrett.

He put the gun behind the Detective’s back. Garrett could feel Andrew get closer, his hot breath against the back of his neck. He spoke, his voice low and threatening.

“If I were you, Watts, I’d go back to Detroit. Tell your little detective friends that everything here is all well and dandy,” Andrew slid the gun up, behind Garrett’s head now.

“Never look back if you want to keep that pretty little head of yours in one piece.” Andrew whispered and took the ropes off Garrett’s wrists.

“Clyde, go get Gregory and Heinz, tell them to lead you two out the manor and make sure you never look back or say anything about this to anyone, got it?”

Clyde obediently nodded, headed for the door.

“You let him go, just like that? No gun to his head, or a death threat?” The Detective spun around to face the shorter man.

Andrew lowered the gun, putting it in his pocket. “Clyde knows what happens when someone doesn’t follow the rules. I’m not too worried about him.”

“I’m guessing this whole show was to scare me away? ” Garrett looked down at the man, studying the crazed look in his eyes, it was easy to get lost in them.

“Not a show, Detective.”  The shorter man had a grin.

“You do know this won’t stop me from continuing my investigation right?” Garrett straightened his tie.

“Oh I understand that, I know your type.” Andrew looked up at him through his lashes.

“And what’s my type?” The space between them gravely close.

Andrew hummed, “Curious..too curious.”

“Maybe I have the right to be. Considering the fact that it is my job.”

“There’s a right place and a right time to be curious, Detective, this town is neither of those things.” Andrew took out another cigarette from his pockets, his gaze never leaving Garrett’s.

“Hm, I’ll be the judge of that.” Garrett dug in his trench coat pockets for a lighter and with a slide of his thumb, a small flame was between the men. Andrew accepted Garrett’s offer, their eyes still fixed on each other's. The air was getting stuffy again.

Andrew put the cigarette onto the blaze with his lips on the other end. Garrett was enthralled by those lips, he let his mind wander as to what it might feel like with his own mouth clashing onto the other man’s. He knew it was wrong to be thinking that at such a time.

His imagination was cut off abruptly by Clyde’s thin stature swiftly flying in the room and two intimidatingly large men following, “Mr. Siwicki?” Clyde croaked.

“Greg, Heinz, show Clyde and the Detective the exit . Make sure they get where they're supposed to go.” Andrew gave a small puff, the white smoke covering Andrew’s slight flush.

“Of course, sir.” One of the two men said while the other tightly took a hold of Garrett’s forearm.

“Right this way, Legs.” Garrett rolls his eyes at this.

“No need to hold my hand, I won’t get lost.” Garrett pulled his arm away from the larger man and looked back at Andrew, and Andrew looked back, smiling.

“Curiosity killed the cat, Detective Watts.” He said with a sly smirk.

“But satisfaction brought it back, Mr. Siwicki.” Garrett simply winked at Andrew, walking out the room.

Andrew took another long pull and exhaled. He walked towards the large window, pushing back the curtains and looked down at the tall and rugged detective being escorted out the manor.

“Interesting.” He said to himself and closed the curtain.