Chapter 19

Heather made her way to work after a somewhat eventful night. She looked around the station, taking in the lobby and her colleagues milling about. Even though she had worked here for years everything felt new after the events. She wondered if anyone saw a change in her. She had certainly felt it, that feeling of accomplishment when punishing that psycho of a landlord. She shuddered thinking that she had paid rent to a killer all those years, funding him and his perverse pleasure of stalking Astrid.

Her friend would take weeks to recover physically and probably years mentally. Heather felt so bad about the whole thing even though Hiccup and the others had assured her that it was not her fault for failing to recognize any red flags.

As she walked towards the locker rooms to get changed into her uniform she noticed some eyes on her. She was used to the hostility after all that had happened with her previous partner but these gazes seemed different, more inquisitive than the normal stares of hatred she was used to.

"Detective Everette," Heather stopped and addressed the person, upon finding the out-of-place gaze. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" Honestly speaking she didn't know this detective that well, only that he worked in the Fraud division as a detective 2nd grade.

"I just didn't think you were the type Officer de La Ranged," Everett spoke up while walking beside her into the thankfully empty elevator. "Shacking up with the Haddocks, huh?"

"What?!" Heather's head turned so fast.

"Don't worry, I won't blab," Everett shrugged. "I'm in their pocket too. What's he got on you?"

"What?! NOTHING!" Heather exclaimed, unable to believe she was having this discussion in an elevator at the Police station of all things. "And wait... hold on... you... you work for Hiccup?" Honestly speaking, she'd never have guessed. Everett seemed like a straight-laced cop from what she'd heard of the man.

"Best not to have this discussion right here and now. Look, some of the guys are having a poker night tonight at this address," Everett handed her a card with a handwritten address on it. "We didn't know you were on the take, but now that we do we'd like to get to know you better. Ya know what they say. Birds of a Feather,"

"I'm really not..." Heather tried to articulate, shocked at the implication her colleague was making. But the elevator had already reached its destination and the detective stepped out. Heather followed before the doors could close and before she even made it to the locker room to change the voice of her Sergeant alerted her.

"De La Ranged, my office now!" Was ordered loudly. Heather sighed as she turned about face and made her way through the bullpen. This was going to be some discussion.

During Heather's lunch break, she sped to one of the supply closets, got out her phone, and dialed a familiar number. "Hello," Fishlegs answered from the other side.

"Hi Fish, look I know this is sudden but put your boss on the line for me," She whispered even though she was alone in the cramped closet filled with mops and other questionable items.

"He's tending to Astrid," Fishlegs responded.

"Look, unless you want to have nuclear fallout because I don't know what the hell is happening you put him through right now!!!" She threatened. "Also give Astrid my love. I'll pick Damian up from kindergarten after work."

"I really don't think..."

"Fishlegs for the love of Thor, nearly a quarter of the precinct probably thinks I'm on the take now!" Heather growled.

It was silent for a minute before Fish uttered, "Can you hold for five minutes? The lovebirds are cooing at each other,"

When Heather finally got through to Hiccup she uttered "Hiccup haddock you have some explaining to do! Why do your men think I'm on the payroll?"

"Huh?" Was all Hiccup could utter, completely blindsided by the question.

"I got into work today and not one but two people gave me the same address for a poker night for cops on your payroll. ONE OF THEM WAS MY OWN SERGEANT!!!"

"Oh.... uhm..."

"Hiccup," Heather began "Just how many cops are you bribing or blackmailing?"

"Uhm... enough to get the job done," Hiccup answered. "Look, so probably you being in my car that particular night might have started some rumors. You know how it is... people talk,"

"People talk alright!" Heather hissed. "And now they are expecting me at some poker night tonight. What do you think will happen when they find out I'm not one of them?! I would never be bribed by you!"

"No, no you wouldn't and I can respect that," Hiccup answered.

"Hiccup, one of the men that invited me was my Sergeant," Heather continued whispering. "He made it clear that my attendance was non-negotiable! What the hell am I going to say?! I don't know jack shit about your organization. I can't very well say that I met you 'cause you went gaga for my friend, now can I?"

"Look, just go to the poker night, be honest and there will be some backup," Hiccup replied. "Just text Fish the location,"

"That's very vague Hiccup," Heather replied.

"Yeah, well I didn't even know they were having Poker nights," Hiccup shot back. "This will need to be addressed,"

"Okay, okay fine. But if things get worse for me at work because of this I'm chasing you with a broom,"

"Noted," Hiccup replied tersely, though Heather felt it was not meant for her.

Heather was a ball of nerves that whole afternoon, even when picking Damian up from school and dropping him off at Hiccup's fortified mansion. She was informed that the Doc had given Astrid a sedative so she was sleeping and thus Heather made her way home to her small one-bedroom apartment. The building felt hollow now, knowing what she knew of the landlord. She wasn't even sure if she still needed to pay rent and to whom since no one knew the guy was... well... dealt with.

She had previously texted Fishlegs the address and once night came she set out to the location itself. "Gods what did I get myself into," she grumbled when after a 22-minute drive she reached a rather large mansion in a more affluent part of the city. "First Andrew and now this," When the wrought-iron gates opened upon identifying herself through the intercom she muttered "Hiccup, whatever you are going to do you better do it fast,"

The mansion had history, Heather could see that by the building style. This wasn't like Hiccup's mansion which had been built in a more modern style. This building looked like something out of colonial times with its red-bricked exterior and high columns. Heather also noted that there were quite some expensive cars parked in the circular driveway. Her clunker looked totally out of place here. It was an even older model than what Astrid had.

When Heather knocked it was Detective Everett of all people to answer the door. "Ah you made it," he uttered before gesturing her to step into the foyer. The foyer looked as magnificent as she had expected it to be. She was soon led to the nearby living room where a poker table was being set up. The regular members of the game seemed to have all been present but the homeowner surprised Heather.

"Mr. Mayor?!" She exclaimed as the shock was evident on her face. She recognized her Sergeant, Everett of course, but two other men were ones she did not know. The men just glanced at her and nodded without offering much of a greeting or an introduction but for some reason, Heather knew they were some big fishes. 'Hiccup the F did you get me into?' her mind screamed.

"Miss de La Ranged I'm sure you're wondering why you were called here," The Mayor began while Everett poured himself a finger of whiskey.

"More than you know," Heather muttered.

"As you know, some interesting rumors had been circulating a few days ago. Of you being spotted in Mr. Haddock's vehicle."

"Well, as far as I know being in a car isn't a crime," Heather rebutted.

"It has more to do with who you were in the car with, Miss," The Mayor continued. "Everett even tells me that you referred to Mr. Haddock by his first name this morning,"

"What of it?" Heather demanded.

"What we like to know Officer de La Ranged is how someone like you could know such an influential figure," Her sergeant uttered. "Even we, who have long since been brought into the fold can't refer to him by his first name,"

"Someone like me?" Heather questioned as her voice turned hard. "Please elaborate Will. What exactly do you mean by someone like me?"

"Now now, no need to get hostile," Everett tried to defuse the tension. "Why don't we all offer Heather here a seat at the table and a glass of wine,"

"No thank you," Heather stated. "I would rather like to know what my own Sergeant meant with someone like me?"

Tension was in the air as Will gripped his tumbler. The amber liquid in it sloshed slightly as he took a swig. "You know damn well what I mean. This is Berk, you've seen the underbelly of this city. You either go with its flow or get swallowed up by the tsunami. Someone like you, how the hell did you even get on the payroll!"

"I'm not," Heather deadpanned which caused silence throughout the room. "News flash Sarge. People can refer to others by their first names and sit on other people's cars without working for them,"

"I see what this is now," she continued. "It's a goddamn intimidation tactic. Hiccup Haddock has each of you in the palm of his hand. You're dancing to his fiddle whether you like it or not and the only semblance of power you revel in is to intimidate others lower on the totem pole.

"Quite well said Heather," A familiar voice startled all of them. As Heather whipped her head around she saw Hiccup coming to stand in the archway of the living room. He was dressed in a cobalt-black suit and a black coat slung over his arm.

"How did you get in here?!" The Mayor asked indignantly.

"I have my ways Elliot and is that any way to talk to your biggest supporter? Perhaps I should place my money with another candidate in the coming election next year."

"No... uhm..."

"Heather, would you be willing to wait out by my car?" Hiccup asked though his eyes never left the men sitting at the poker table. "I have something to discuss with these fine upstanding gentlemen," Heather nodded, glad to get out of there. She stepped out of the living room and saw Fishlegs waiting in the foyer. Happy to see a familiar face she stepped out of the mansion and as the night air hit her face the oppressiveness of the previous events flowed away.

"Don't worry. Hiccup will handle it. It's pretty pissed ya know," Fishlegs stated as he accompanied Heather to the now-familiar black car. Further down the driveway, Heather took note of the twins disassembling the iron gate. She knew of Ruffnut's tenacity to break things though she had never really interacted with the brother. Only when he came to pay bail.

"So..." Heather said as she leaned against the black car. She didn't need a ride home but she was hoping for some clarification from the man himself.

"So..." Fishlegs copied her and also leaned against the vehicle.

"Would you like to have dinner with me!" Fishlegs suddenly blurted out.

"Sure," Heather answered while Fish was still saying "I know this really great Ethiopian resta-WAIT WHAT?!"

"I said sure. I'll go on a date with you," Heather smirked leaving one of the high-ranking members of the East Coast's biggest mafia families speechless.