Bluest of Grey Skies

Chapter Nine

Regina slammed the phone down in frustration. After the mayor's threatening visit to Emma on Saturday night, she had to wait until first thing Monday morning to make a phone call to one of her old contacts at the Federal Bureau of Investigations office in Boston. She wanted to see what grounds she had against the mayor of Storybrooke and when she found out that there were two officers situated in Portland and conducting their own undercover operation against the mayor, she knew that she was in this situation deep and that it was much more complex than she originally had thought it to be.

Of course that was all her contact had provided her with, just the fact that there was an ongoing undercover investigation on Robert Gold and that it was best that she kept herself from becoming involved. She knew she was already involved, very involved and when she explained the situation to her contact, she was told to wait for a phone call from one of the agents that were in Portland.

"Sheriff, is everything all right?" Ruby asked tentatively from the doorway of her office. "Regina?"

"Fine, Ruby, just fine," she sighed and grabbed her coffee mug only to find it empty. "Can you make a trip to Granny's?"

"Of course, what will you have? I might as well grab some lunch while I'm there."

"The usual, please. Thank you, dear."

"Hey, Regina?" Ruby asked and Regina sighed and motioned for her to continue. "I couldn't help but overhear. Did you say that Mayor Gold blackmailed and threatened Emma the other night?"

"It is not of your concern and besides, the less you know, the better."

Ruby frowned and left the office, returning to her own desk and to grab her purse before she headed out to make a run to the diner just down the street. Regina drummed her fingers against the top of her desk, already on an edge just waiting for the phone call from the agents that were stationed in Portland. By the time Ruby returned with coffee and some sandwiches for an early lunch, Regina was practically squirming in her chair and she jumped up the moment she heard Ruby call out her name.

They ate lunch together at the empty deputy's desk, which served as a reminder yet again that she had to find a replacement for Bobby and soon. That prompted a conversation between the two and while Ruby was knowledgeable, the only piece of information she could give her about the rigorous hiring procedure was that the mayor handled it himself. She wasn't completely useless, however, because she knew of a man skilled enough to take on the job as the newest deputy, a man named Robin Hood that lived out in the woods and hunted for a living.

"I'll think it over. Perhaps meeting this man might make me consider him for the position," Regina replied and she sipped the last of her coffee just as the phone on her desk began to ring. "Do not disturb me unless there is an urgent call, Miss Lucas."

"Yes, Sheriff."

Regina jogged into her office and this time she shut the door to ward off the dispatcher's eavesdropping ears. "Sheriff Mills speaking," she said as soon as she picked up the phone and took a seat behind her desk.

"Sheriff Mills, this is Agent Chapman speaking," a man with a soft-spoken voice. "I received a call earlier and was told to get in touch with you regarding Robert Gold."

"Yes, of course."

"Do you have some time now to speak or shall I call back at another time?"

"Now is fine, Agent Chapman. What can you tell me about Robert Gold?" Regina said calmly, yet all too eager to find out more about why the FBI had been conducting an investigation on him.