Raphael watched the Inspector charge angrily through the halls, his head appearing and disappearing from the windows he passed. He was leaning against the brick wall at the back of the police station, offering a small wave whenever Inspector Riley caught his eye between windows.
By the time the Inspector charged outside, Raphael was sitting on top of the tall wall, two and a half meters from the red-faced Inspector. He smiled and tilted his hat, "Inspector, it's been a while. We've both looked better."
Inspector growled as he took out his gun, "Don't move, Phantom."
Raphael grimaced at the sight of the weapon, his side going so far as to tingle. "Please, Inspector. I've already been shot this week. Threats like that don't sit well with me." He rested a hand against his side, "And I called you out here, Inspector. Do you really think I would do that if I didn't have an escape plan?" Raphael was bluffing, but the Inspector didn't have to know that.
He dropped his gun, his face screwed into a look of anger. "As we speak, there are police spreading out. You won't get far."
Raphael took a glance around the streets beyond the wall. "I feel like you're lying to me," he said, "But that's fine. I've come here seeking your help." He crossed his legs and balanced on the brick wall.
"Why should I help you?" the Inspector spat, "You're a criminal, a thief!"
Raphael sighed through his nose and nodded, "By your standards, yes. But how many of the paintings have I kept, mind you?"
The Inspector shook his head, "It doesn't matter that you returned them; it matters that you took them," he informed, "You are a criminal."
"They were all forgeries," Raphael informed, "Every one of them."
This seemed news to the Inspector, as he took a step back, "No. You returned the authentic pieces."
"Yes. And I took replicas." He stood on the brick wall and balanced. The Inspector followed him as he walked down the yard. "Have you ever heard of a group called the Unknown Royals?"
The Inspector reacted physically; a very subtle grimace twitched and disappeared. He lowered his gun. "They run in your circles too, Phantom? You're in deeper than I thought."
Raphael laughed. "No. I'm not willingly associated with them." He squatted on the top of the wall, still looking down to the Inspector, "Do you remember that little girl? The one who was a distraction for me when I took this?" He held out a jade coloured ring. In the light, it gleamed. Inspector Riley's jaw clenched. "They took her, and I suspect they've kidnapped another girl as well. Only God knows what they may be doing to them."
At the mention of the kidnapping, the Inspector's face paled, and Raphael could read his lips as he said, "Damn."
Raphael nodded and, with a long staggered breath, requested, "I need your help, Inspector." This time, the Inspector didn't laugh or jeer or say anything in response to his request. He merely listened. "I've been contacted by them because I have something that they want. They want this ring." Raphael showed it off again, not daring to toss it down to him. "And I want those girls. Seems like a fairly straightforward arrangement, but I doubt the Unknown Royals will be so… forthright." Raphael allowed his legs to dangle over the edge of the wall. "I'll disappear if you help me. I won't steal any other artworks, cause any trouble, or appear in the criminal world's gossip chains. I'll turn into nothing more than a whisper of a myth."
The Inspector took in his offer, Raphael almost hearing the cogs and gears whirring at his proposition. But the Inspector wasn't an unintelligent man, and, as Raphael expected, he refused. "I can't have any sympathy for a thief, Phantom. If what you say is true, I do hope those girls are okay. But what makes you think I can trust a single word you're saying."
Raphael had hoped it wouldn't come to this. "I know where you live, Inspector. And I've had chats with your daughter," he announced, "Samantha is a lovely girl."
Never had Raphael seen a man's face go so pale and then go red so quickly. A rage spiked his voice as he demanded, "You stay away from my daughter!"
Raphael made a bold choice of hopping off the wall and standing before the badged man, half expecting to be in cuffs but determined to make his point. "Then help me, Inspector. Even if you think I'm lying, there's still the possibility, however little in your mind, that two innocent girls are being held by those fiends because of me." He thrust the envelope he had received that morning.
The Inspector took the letter and peered inside, grimacing at the sight of the blonde hair.
Raphael chose to be vulnerable and pleaded it would work on the man. "I care about them, Inspector Riley." The Inspector's eyes reflected some sympathy that Raphael was determined to hold onto. "I made a mistake, and now they're paying the price for it. I wasn't there to help them. I can be now but only if you help me. Please."
It was on the final syllable of that sentence Raphael realised he wasn't acting. His chest felt tight, his eyes stung from tears, and the muscles in his shoulders and neck were tense.
Inspector Riley looked back down at the blonde hair, appearing to calculate his options. Raphael wondered if he was thinking about Sam, perhaps empathising with his situation enough to say yes.
The click of handcuffs came from the Inspector as he unhooked them from his belt. "Turn around and put your hands behind your back."
Raphael staggered away from him, "No… please."
The Inspector chuckled, "I would help you, Phantom. But you're a con artist, a thief, a criminal. How do you expect me to believe a word you're saying?" He approached Raphael when he backed away, "And if you do know where I live and have spoken to my daughter…" His voice wavered, but he appeared resolved, "Then I have to protect her from the likes of you. Now hands behind your back!"
"What if I can give you a better deal?" Raphael forced a calmer façade, determined to not appear as panicked as he was.
"Don't try to trick me, Phantom. Hands, now." The Inspector readied his gun again, dropping the letter on the ground.
With the new threat, Raphael spoke slowly, "I can get you the Benji Gang." Whether or not the Inspector believed him, a flicker of intrigue appeared. "I may not run in many criminal circles, but I've come across his. I know how to get him to come out into the open and for you guys to make your arrest." Raphael put his hands up to show he wasn't trying to be sneaky. "Inspector, please. I just want to get them back."
"I can't trust you, Phantom," he countered through gritted teeth.
"I know a dirty cop!" Raphael made a final attempt, "Inspector Leroy! He shot me unprovoked!"
"Again, how do you expect me to believe you? Inspector Leroy is a fine officer of the law. Now turn around!" The Inspector's voice was an intimidatingly deep demand.
"Inspector!"
"Turn around now, or I'll shoot!"
"I'm telling you the truth!" Raphael could feel his composure shattering, panic controlling his breath and tone.
"Now, thief!"
"He tried to kidnap Sam!" Raphael's voice rang out louder than he expected, but the news stunned the Inspector. Raphael continued down this path, "Sam was there. They used her to make me come out, and I got shot in the scuffle. You can ask her. Don't believe me, fine. But she'll tell you the truth."
Raphael knew this wasn't going to end peacefully now. He felt his back press against the cold bricks and felt a violent tremble run through him.
The Inspector had begun losing his composure too. The gun was held so tightly it trembled, and his eyes glowed a furious red that only a Father could portray. His words were methodically slow and threatening, "You stay away from my daughter."
Raphael dropped his arms and sighed. He found a new way to go about this amongst his clouded thoughts.
Dipping his hat to cast a shadow, he forced a sly grin and said as he lifted his eyes in his signature cocky demeanour, "Go on. Make me."
The Inspector's shocked look was overcome by several smoke bombs Raphael threw from his interior pockets. In moments the courtyard behind the police station was overflowing with thick artificial smoke that caused the Inspector to choke. Raphael held his breath as he searched blindly for a grip in the brick wall, running his hands along the rough surface until he managed to haul himself back on top of the fence.
If he couldn't get the Inspector to help him, he prayed the Inspector would simply come after him, hunt him down in a way that he's never hunted the young thief before.
He started to flee, running along the wall before jumping down to the path and strolling down the street. As he left, smoke continued to spill over the top of the wall, which caused odd looks from pedestrians.
*
The Inspector hadn't expected the smoke bombs.
His eyes stung, and he heaved over, coughing from the stench. But his anger still flustered in his stomach at the thought of that manipulative, arrogant thief going near his daughter.
He heard the thief scamper up the wall and forced his eyes open to see a silhouette standing above the smoke. It was such a clear outline, the Inspector believed he could shoot him down. He readied his gun to do so, blinking away the forced tears as he steadied himself to maim the 'Phantom of Paris.'
But the smoke started to clear, and for a brief second, he saw the thief's face. It was as if the Inspector had seen a whole other person. His eyes were glassy, his face screwed in a mixture of pain and worry, and even through the thinning smog, he watched the young man's body heave as if he was trying to avoid a panic attack.
He could have taken the shot.
He was ready to take the shot.
But he didn't take the shot.
The young man fled down the brick wall and hopped off, disappearing from the Inspector's sight.
He cursed under his breath as the smoke disappeared into the air, and he was left alone. Looking back at the building, he saw officers and other Inspectors peek out their windows, some disappearing to meet him in the courtyard, while others looked on in confusion, having missed the bulk of what had happened.
As Inspector Riley removed his gun and reattached his handcuffs, he kneeled to the envelope and inspected the golden hair inside. He tried to recall the little girl's hair he had apprehended the night of the jewellery theft; his memory clouded to the fact if her hair was indeed blonde or brown, it could have been red for all he could recall.
Inspector Yolande and Officer Williams emerged from the building, guns drawn, sensing the now passed danger. "Riley? What happened?" Yolande asked, holstering his weapon.
The Inspector picked up the envelope and saw a note inside, unfolding it. He narrowed his eyes and grunted. "I've been given a lead. And I'll need reinforcements."