A/n- A short piece I did for class.

Summary: Will Hopkins, a well-to-do young man and small-time thief, bites off a little more than he can chew when he kidnaps heiress Ruth Kenton. Instead of sitting back in his estate and waiting for Kenton’s ransom money, William is forced on the run thus dragging Ruth with him. Thrust together, their lives change in ways neither thought possible.

We Learned the Night

“William Hopkins. You’re considerably younger than we had expected; twenty-four… and already quite accomplished. Not at all what we expected.”

“I am,” there was a pause in which the young man in question, set behind the small metal table, spread his fingers upon the metal. He regarded, it seemed, the way in which the single sixty watt bulb overhead illuminated the small, cramped space of the tiny room. “I suppose,” he continued without much thought, “that I am not what you would expect in many an area.”

A new voice; younger than the hearty gruff of the first, quipped up. “You’re cheeky too.”

“Perhaps.”

The Detective, who had previously remarked on Mr. Hopkins’ age, a relatively fit man of large proportion, sat down heavily in the small foldout chair across from their detainee, pen and paper in hand; his partner, the younger voice, hanging back.

Clearing his throat, the Detective began with a softer, gentler tone, as a father would address a child.

“You were careless; but I assume you already knew that,” there was a questioning silence; “we found her dress in the trunk.”

A hiss of a breath, very near laughter, was whispered at the comment.

“You killed her,” the Detective’s partner blurted, voice overflowing with hatred.

“I assure you, I did not.”

“You’re a liar.”

“I-”

“Bastard.”

“Pat…” the Detective cautioned.

Will Hopkins’ tone was knifelike. “I must warn you, if I am to be vocally manhandled in such a way as this I can assure you this conversation is presently over.”

The Detective opened and closed his mouth, turning a slight shade of pink, visible even in the tinny light. He pointed a finger at Will, “You, shut up,” he rounded on his partner, “and you, get out.”

“But-”

“Out. Now.”

The young man glared at the criminal seated across the table, but uttered not a sound as he stalked out of the room, locking it behind him as the door swung closed.

The Detective turned back to the table, clicking his pen three consecutive times before throwing it onto the table beside the legal pad. “As I was saying…”

“The dress,” the tone was bitter, contemptuous.

The man drew in a breath. “Yes, the dress. You see, we thought you were a bit smarter than that, actually.”

“The dress was not something I had planned for, no,” the thief’s pale hands folded neatly upon the table; his similarly pale hazel-green eyes fluttering closed. A small smile appeared on his lips, as if he were remembering something.

There was a lull in conversation, but just for a moment.

“She’s a handful, isn’t she?”

Will allowed a slow nod of assent, opening his eyes again.

“You say she is still alive, eh?”

“Miss Kenton is well, yes.”

The Detective pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. His body was already wracked with fatigue, and the fact that William Hopkins seemed perfectly at ease wasn’t improving his mood either. This whole case was becoming tiresome; thank God it was nearly over.

“You won’t tell us where she is, will you?”

The young man simply shook his head in silence. At the Detective’s look however, he reconsidered; the older man’s eyebrows shot upwards at his next words.

“Let me clarify, sir,” Will began slowly, “I believe she would be most displeased with me if I divulged such valuable information.”

The Detective was slack jawed.

“She would be…?”

It was at this time that William Hopkins averted his gaze, showing for the first time an emotion other than stoic detachment: embarrassed shame.

Sighing, the older man shoved his pen and paper away, leaning back into his hair. Rubbing his face with his hands, he shook it slightly.

It was maddening. So long, so damn long, they had been chasing Will Hopkins, and they still had no idea what they were dealing with. It was like trying to translate a forging language for which you had no key. Mr. Hopkins was a mystery, and his constant ability to slip right through their fingers begged the question as to why this time, this time, they had caught him. He wasn’t the type of young man who didn’t walk into any kind of situation without a well thought out plan.

It was all so entirely maddening!

The thief leaned forward, metal of the cuffs around his wrists scraping over the table as he moved.

“Sir?” he questioned softly.

The Detective looked up.

“What is your name, sir?”

The man’s lips smacked together as he regarded his charge, taking a few moments before replying. “Stevens, Greg Stevens.”

“Mr. Stevens, Gregory, I have a faintest notion that we both are going to be here for a presumably extended period of time. I suggest you pick up your pen, as I am about to dictate the entirety of my seven month’s elopement from the law.”

Stevens readied the implements before him.

William Hopkins took a deep, shuttering breath; thin shoulders pulling back into a more distinguished and formal pose.

“She was rich, you see, so very rich, as you know. Daughter of a wealth even I could not imagine. Mr. Kenton was in real estate I believe, and he would, obviously, leave his entire fortune to his daughter, his only child.

Yet I had to be sure my plans would proceed flawlessly.

So I began to live her routine, study her from afar; her capture the ultimate ransom from which no amount of money would be spared.

I was sure of a quick transaction.

I knew her totally and completely. But when I first saw her, when I first caught her gaze with mine, where here eyes bore into my very soul, where before I had realized what folly I had led myself into, my fate was utterly sealed, she was wearing the most stunningly green dress.”

fin

Spoilers!!

The green dress mentioned in the story was found very close to William's capture (it's what led the police to him), and had been worn by Ruth Kenton both on the night she was kidnapped and the night it was left in the car's trunk.

(yes, it was left there on purpose, they wanted to be found)

But if you're wondering why she took the dress off on the night in question, why that particuar item was used as the clue... let's just say she and Will had moved pass the 'loathing' state of their somewhat awkward relationship and the dress had already come off... so it was... convenient... lol

Thanks for reading!