Riley chuckled and shook her head, when Aurum brought up being gold. She was, glad that he was finally loosening up about the whole stripper thing. Though…that took some of the fun out of goading him with the idea…Riley shrugged it off, she’d simply have to find something better for when he pissed her off.

The fact that she was planning on them working together again escaped Riley as Aurum went over what they were going to tell Ashton when he got back from his phone call. She nodded here and there, ponytail bobbing along with the motion…at least until Aurum got to the part about his memory loss.

Riley had thought he’d hit his head…or something but it turned out that the lady with the scar had been the one to steal all those memories. Man, that kind of pissed her off. Who did that lady think she was? Taking a bunch of memories that didn’t belong to her…and were relevant to Riley and getting Lonnie’s punk ass thrown in jail.

”I don’t think you told me that.” she said with emphasis. ”Well…I guess the good thing is that if she took them…maybe she can give them back?” Riley scowled, crossing her arms and thinking for a moment, ”You should tell Ashton about that too…and yeah…I think the only more obvious sign of distrust would have to be flashing and neon.”

”Thank God he’s with MRC…you couldn’t make this stuff up.”

"Make what up?" Ashton asked as he sauntered back onto the scene. A coffee cup was in his right hand. Nothing was in his left. He looked from Riley to Aurum then focused on Riley, eyes narrowing in curiosity.

They'd been talking since he'd been gone. That was evident. About what? Probably the situation. Maybe they'd come up with something new...

Something about the way Ashton held that lone cup of coffee told Aurum it wasn't for him. Maybe it was the way the guy seemed to prefer Riley over certain lawyers in soggy t-shirts who would not be named. Maybe it wasn't. Either way, the guy was going to have to get him some coffee sooner or later. Later, though, because right now, he was going to clue him in on more of what they knew.

"The woman with the scar who the water cop is with." Aurum grabbed Ashton's attention. "She's the one who took my memories. And water cop's. Apparently when she takes them, she loses her own memory of what has happened... because she was as clueless as us when she helped us fall out the back of the truck. She can't give the memories back..." He said, glancing towards Riley. "Otherwise she would have when we were stumbling around, handcuffed to each other in the middle of nowhere. But she might be working for whoever set us all up."

Aurum looked to Riley again. "Can you tell him what you told me about what we were investigating before this whole thing happened?"

Ashton returned, and Riley’s eyes fixated a bit on the coffee cup he had in his hand. Coffee, even police station coffee, was going to be good. They’d ran…in the cold…and been shot at. Coffee, was an excellent idea.

Riley was staring at the coffee, and she missed the narrowing of Ashton’s eyes. The question made her look up though, and she watched Ashton the whole time Aurum was talking. It was disappointing that the lady with the scar couldn’t give back the memories…but at least Aurum’s behavior was suggesting that he remembered something.

He asked her to tell Ashton what she’d told him in the elevator. Riley eyed the coffee cup, then started talking. From the beginning.

When she finished, she sighed, ”So see. Couldn’t make it up.”

She eyed the coffee again, then smiled at Ashton tiredly. ”Now, if that isn’t for me. You’d better show me where I can get some.”

Information. Lots of it. It washed over him like a tidal wave. Water cop was with scarface. Scarface erased memories. Scarface might be with the bad guys. Scarface had erased their memories. Cervantes had been handcuffed to another guy and a broad. He'd fallen out of a truck. Riley and Aurum had gotten into a whole lot of trouble doing some stupid investigative work that they really should have brought the police in on. Somehow, that last one kind of annoyed him.

Riley had figured out her employer was up to something illegal... and she had not come to him. It was his job to handle things like this... or at least, to point her towards someone who could. She had not come to him. She had gone to the guy in the soggy t-shirt. Why?

Pushing all mild undertones of jealousy aside, Ashton handed Riley the coffee. "Just the way you like it." He said simply.

He looked at them both. "That's a lot of information to take in. Next time you find out something like this, both of you should think to bring it to the police rather than put yourselves in danger's path. That isn't your job." He turned the mildest of glances Riley's way as he intoned. "Nobody wants civilians getting hurt. We try and prevent it at all costs."

He was disappointed in her, but right now what he felt didn't matter. He again addressed the duo. "When Detective Cervantes gets here, I'll fill him in on everything you told me. Until then, both of you sit tight. ... Aurum, was it? I'll get you your coffee..." Ashton didn't give any of them time to argue. He had a sour mood now, and he couldn't quite place why. Turning on one heel, he walked out of the room.

Well. It looked like he was getting his coffee. It also looked like 'Ashton' wasn't happy they'd gotten themselves into trouble. He definitely got those vibes from the guy. The detective was right, for the most part. Civilians really had no reason to put their necks on the line for the sake of a mystery. That was the job of detectives and the police. Aurum disagreed on one thing, though. Ashton had said it wasn't his job. Aurum valued the truth. Therefore, uncovering it? Yeah. It was kind of his job.

If Riley had come to him telling him his boss was a bad, bad man, Aurum saw some situations where he could have defended the man... if only for the sake of playing devil's advocate and giving the man a fair trial. Yeah. He didn't like his boss, but there was that. If the situation were reversed, he hoped Lonnie would do the same for him. Aurum doubted it, but... idealistically speaking, that was the way it worked.

This was a mystery now, wasn't it. He kind of liked mysteries. If his job was to get to the truth and protect the defenseless... well yeah, then it WAS his job. Ashton was wrong there. Despite the fact he and Riley had gotten into all kinds of trouble, he disagreed with Ashton's statement. It was stupid, but... well, who had ever called him a genius? Weren't lawyers, by definition, rats? Rats weren't very smart... but they were diligent.

If he had the chance to do it over and help Riley, disobeying Ashton, would he do it? Yeah. He'd just do it better.

Ashton kind of had an attitude. The way he'd looked at Riley hadn't been approving. Like she'd been an idiot who'd made way too many mistakes and didn't know a thing. Sure, it was true. They'd made mistakes. Next time, they wouldn't. Next time...

There was a next time? Huh?

Aurum turned to face Riley. "He's kind of intense, isn't he...?"

Ashton handed her the coffee, and Riley smiled as she took a sip. The smile quickly faded though as he continued to speak. Was he lecturing her?

The comments made sense, on a basic level, and Riley opened her mouth to explain herself several times during the little speech. Ashton didn’t give her a chance though. She wanted to tell him that they’d just been making sure, that they’d really wanted to make sure there were no loopholes. Lonnie was good…if they’d left him any room to wiggle…

There was no chance. He glanced at her and Riley crossed her arms and dropped her eyes. Why did she feel guilty? That was the problem with hanging around decent people, she decided, it made you want to feel decent too. That’s all she’d been trying to do.

Ashton walked off without giving her a chance to talk, to get coffee for Aurum, and Riley stared at the cup in her hands then sighed, setting it down on the reception desk. Suddenly…she just didn’t want it anymore.

Aurum spoke and part of Riley wanted to snap at him, but instead she just sighed, and nodded, ”Intense…” she said. ”And probably right. I should have just gone to him in the first place.”

She sighed again, ”I knew you’d want to do something about it, if you found out Lonnie was a crook.”

She was upset. He could tell. Aurum was upset too. Ashton had been a little hasty in judging them for their actions. Intense. And according to Riley, probably right.

Riley sighed. She told him she knew he'd want to do something about it, if he found out what Lonnie was.

Aurum felt the need to make her feel better. Why? Because when a woman wasn't happy, that is simply what you do. He shook his head. "Yeah. I do. And probably did. But you did too. And Riley." He made sure to put on his boldest face and make sure she heard his next line. "I don't think anything you did was stupid."

Riley shook her head slightly and sighed, wanting to point out all the reasons why her reasons for wanting to do something about Lonnie were different from Aurums. He was doing this because it was the right thing to do…because Lonnie deserved to be caught, and possibly even put away for the sleezeball that he was. Riley was doing this because she was bitter…because she wanted payback. And…in no small part because she wanted to show Aurum just how wrong he was, how dirty the world was. Lonnie with all his smooth talk about everyone getting their day in court…would get his, and he’d go down in flames. Part of Riley wanted to revel in that…and watch the disillusionment blossom.

For once though….she just didn’t. She just stood there and let herself pretend that he was right when he put her on the same level he occupied. It was kind of nice in the land of high ideals and moral compass, but Riley knew she only had a guest pass.

He said she hadn’t done anything stupid, and Riley hand to laugh just a little, ” Thanks…but it’s probably just because you were there to stop me.” she admitted candidly.

”And for what it’s worth from me.” she said, preparing herself to really go out on a limb. ”I’m sorry I dragged you into this in the first place.”

He had to give her credit for her honesty. It wasn't a wry smile on his face, nor was it a smirk. It wasn't even egotistical, just... hard to describe. A smile, in one word... if one had to define it in one word. Appreciative of the candidness, in four more. "Maybe," he matched her tone for tone with a tilt of his head.

And then... she apologized. He hadn't really been ready for that. And she really didn't need to, even if she felt the urge. "It's no big deal," he replied. The smile had vanished, but he was still being honest. Not even dismissive. "I'm a bit of a mystery enthusiast, anyhow. If that didn't become painfully clear when you and I were investigating. I'd probably have gotten into something over my head sooner or later, anyhow."

Thank God he didn’t feel the need to be smug when she admitted that he’d probably kept her out of even more trouble while they investigated. Maybe he didn’t remember everything that had gone down, but somewhere in his subconscious it was there. Riley sighed a little and nodded her head at his words. She appreciated them.

The apology…to be honest, Riley was a little disappointed that Aurum had taken it so in stride. The tension in this situation was still high, and she needed an outlet. Snapping at the lawyer-boy would have been nice…if only a little. Aurum had a tendency to rise so nicely to her bait. Not this time though, and is pissed Riley off. Then again, maybe that was just discomfort at the fact that they were interacting like this. Whatever it was…Riley couldn’t sort out how she felt…other than exhausted.

She sighed, and picked up the coffee she’d set down after her lecture from Ashton, taking a sip and wincing at the way the liquid tasted. At least it was hot. Riley glared in the direction Ashton had gone.

” I wonder how long he’s going to make us stay here and think about what we’ve done.” she grumbled.

"At least you have coffee," Aurum mourned, watching that doorway hopefully for some of his own. After a long day like the one he'd just gone through, he needed something hot and bitter to settle down with. As it stood now, he had no such beverage. All he had... was Riley's company.

"That detective needs to get his scrawny ass back here..." Aurum glowered.

Riley looked at the cup in her hand, then at Aurum’s lack of cup and held hers out, the offer obvious. ”You can have some of mine…it kind of tastes like old dish water though.” Still…better than nothing.

“And…his ass isn’t really scrawny.” Riley added, sighing slightly and looking off in the direction Ashton had gone. Apparently he really was pissed at her. That was interesting…and depending on his reasoning, troubling.

”I don’t know if he’s going to come back…” she added, looking around, ”Maybe we should start looking for someone to tell us what to do.”

Aurum stared at her for a long moment. His eyebrow arched. "Why are you staring. At his ass?" He asked her. It seemed a rather odd thing to say, all things considered. "Watch out. He might be lurking just out of sight, to swoop in, having overheard."

"Overheard what?" Ashton swooped back into the room, coffee cup in hand. He gawked at Mr. Soggy shirt. "You got a problem?"

"Thanks," He added, towards Riley, wryly. "Didn't know you cared."

Why was she staring at his ass? Aurum seemed to want to know and Riley simply stared back at him. Number one…it was none of his business whose ass she stared at and why. Number Two…it was pretty nice, and definitely stare worthy. Despite the situation they were currently in, Riley was about to explain to Aurum all her mentally listed reasons for staring when naturally, Ashton chose that moment to rematerialize, coffee in hand and infuriatingly astute comments flowing from his lips.

”Overhear us talking about you…and how terrible this coffee is.” Riley said in response to his first question. He’d asked…he was getting an answer, and was lucky she wasn’t calling him out over the way he’d treated her earlier. That would come later if there was a chance…nosey Aurum didn’t need to hear that conversation.

The second question…the smart assed one referring back to…well…his ass…Riley just shrugged.

”A girl can’t help having eyes in her head.”

She only let that hang in the air for a moment before bringing things back to business, ”So now that we’ve ‘done the right thing’ and brought in the ‘proper’ authorities.” she said, thinly veiled sarcasm touching the words, ”What do we do? Those assholes probably trashed my apartment.”