A Clever Fascination

Chapter 37 - Liar Liar

"No, your words were 'fully aware'. You said you were 'fully aware' of his plan. Verbatim."

"You're being pedantic. I know which museum he's targeting and when, that's half the battle. I just don't know... anything else."

The two of them were back in his study, going back and forth. Pemberley had found his way back in front of the fire. Ed was sitting behind his desk, head down as they spoke. And Kit was perched on the sofa, behind her sleeping cat, watching Ed trying to find out more about this gallery plot. The plans for Edward's heist were not clear, both sides of him had their own way of encrypting their plans. From their enemies, rivals and each other.

"Yeah. That's my point."

"Patience and faith, my dear. I'll figure it out in no time, but I can't do that if I'm crucified as a liar." He almost sang.

"Mock me all you want, you still lied, Ed. And you knew more about my background then you led on. When we were in Crane's lab-" Kit had more to rattle off but he interjected before the accusation was made.

"Fine sure, I looked into you, hence the chemist's riddle. You already knew that." He wasn't even looking at her when he cut her off.

This argument wasn't an argument. Kit had found herself laughing at a few points he'd made to counter her's. It had been a few hours of them hashing it out. Now, they were just going around in circles. This was technically part of their deal, but Kit wanted to know what the heist was and how much The Riddler was keeping from her.

"Did you know I worked for the SFPD before I told you?" She tried that piece of information. Kit had been in the country for a few years, San Francisco was the only other US city she had lived in, she landed a decent job with one of their teams and it changed her life.

Ed thought about how to defend himself but he had been the one to look into her. Way back, whilst he still had the privilege of some control, when he was on better terms with himself. Still the mood in the room was not a serious one. They were just mentally sparring as she would call it. Back and forth. Dangerously close to what many would call; hanging out. This was all he could ask for. This was what he had wanted.

"Yeah." He didn't look up as he admitted the fact, he was busy, after all.

"See! That's deceitful!" Kit pointed at him as she accused the criminal.

Ed glanced at her, but that was all, and went back to work.

"If I had said: 'Don't bother telling me, I know every place you've lived and job you've had in the last ten years, because I ran several shady background checks on you', Would that have been better? All I did was to hear it from you. I was being personable," White lies and saving lies were not always in Ed's comprehension, and he worried what Kate's reaction would be when he tried to put this into words. "Oh come on, I don't lie all the time. Believe me, I can cause enough chaos by speaking the truth."

"I know that's right," There was a touch of humour in the way Kit spoke. At that, Ed looked up from his work and grinned at her. She fought the urge to smile back. "Can we just agree that you stop lying to me?"

Kit had averted her eyes, to stare into the crackling fire. When she looked back at Ed, he was still looking at her.

"That, I can do."

She had tried a couple of times to get him to share how he was doing. When she had looked, Kit couldn't make heads nor tails of the plans but Ed seemed to be having a slightly better time deciphering. Every now and then he would take off his glasses and crease up his eyes. Other than that, his mood was fine. He was like the Ed she had come to expect, the one she didn't mind being around. Working away as he did, made him interesting to watch. She was watching crimes that she would solve, hatch before her. As wrong an admiration that may be.