Aslan glanced up at Crane upon his request, then back to the files. There were some things he would take to the grave. Be sent to the grave with? Whichever came first.

He didn’t want to impose on Crane … but, it was also awfully nice to drink tea without fear.

“I’ll take the tea, thank you.”

A year seemed … short, more akin to less respected employment than one that afforded such authority. It also meant Father Brennan’s claim of recent arrival seemed to hold some truth, even if he wasn’t sure how much.

“Under a year,” he mused aloud. “And before him?”

The constable nodded with a smile and went to get some tea for him. He had made his own not terribly long ago since it was early. He came back and put it down, "Sorry, I thought you liked it plain, but I don't recall. Did you want me to add anything?" He said as he looked down at the man who was perusing the files.

Elijah looked away and rubbed the back of his neck looking somewhat bothered by the question. "Father Richards has been here a short while, before that.. I can't exactly say. I .. admit I wasn't the best at practicing due to ... personal shortcomings. I am trying to improve myself and part of that is getting closer to God." He looked shameful but smiled weakly. He didn't dare admit part of the reason he'd started going back was because of a certain handsome and kind hearted priest.

Aslan generally took it any way he offered it.

“This is excellent, thank you.”

He cleared a spot for the tea cup to sit, prioritizing the folder with more on the butcher-cut cases. Did Brennan have butchering skills? Did he have an accomplice? Was he fucking an accomplice?

… Not relevant.

Again, sharp eyes locked on Crane and his discomfort. Something odd was going on at that church – that much was clear.

“Careful about getting too close to God,” Aslan joked.

‘Joked’.

“Where would you say Father Richards falls between Kemble and Brennan?”

Elijah nodded looking rather cheerful at the simple thank you. He sat back down and was going to look back at his own work while they had a little conversation and keep each other company during their work.

He spoke without thinking at the comment, "I wouldn't mind being closer." He looked up and chuckled. "Nevermind that.."

Then Aslan mention Richards being between Kemble and Brennan and an image popped into his head. He did not ask for it, and his eyes shot open wide. He had enough mind to turn his head as he sprayed tea across the room. He put his sleeve to his lips and gave the other man a shocked look at his own embarrassment. "I am so sorry!" He said quickly and got up to grab a towel to clean up. "Ah.. I .. wouldn't put him between them at all really. I-I mean.. I don't know Brennan really.. and .. Richards was there for me at a low point. I mean.. not there. Spiritually!" shit..shit..SHIT. He was doing so much better. He couldn't even look at the other. Please, if God Almighty was watching and had any love for his lowest subjects, Aslan would just think it was Crane being awkward again.

Aslan kept a well-honed poker face.

“We could all use more intimacy,” he said offhandedly, pausing a moment to study a gruesome picture. “With God.”

At the bulging eyes, however, Aslan set the file down. Blinked as Crane dug himself deeper and deeper into a hole of … some sort. Involving God. Or priests.

A priest? Didn’t know Brennan, who would have been his first guess considering. Didn’t like Kemble. Very flustered about Richards’ being there, whatever that implied. Had he ever seen Crane with women? There was that one time with the young redhead. There were a few redheads, actually, weren’t there?

So, he supposed he was keeping an eye out for a redheaded priest.

“It sounds like a complicated place to be … with God,” Aslan said, not without sympathy.

He gave no shits about a lover’s gender. If they could bleed, Nisa could kill them all the same.

“So, how long would you say Brennan has been there?”

Look, as long as he kept him out of Nisa’s reach and put him behind bars afterward, it was fine.

Elijah wanted to thank God at that moment. Aslan was sharp and probably picked up on him. Even an idiot could for the way he acted. But he didn't say or act differently , he seemed sympathetic. He cleaned the floor and sighed before sitting down. He hung his head and took a moment to drink the tea to calm himself.

At the question, he finally looked up slowly. "Not long, I think he just got into town around the same time I came back actually. I'm sure you realized I was away for a little while. Clearing my head and seeing the countryside. I hope it didn't hurt your work too much."

Aslan was starting to wonder some inane things about St. Hilda’s Catholic Church … and the men it seemed to draw. But that was pondering for another day.

He was surprised Brennan seemed to be telling the truth about, well, anything. People who broke their vows generally didn’t have a great track record there. More so, it was Aslan’s turn to be embarrassed.

“It’s good to have you back, Crane.”

Translation: I got jack shit done because they’re all convinced I’m the thrill killer.

“Is there anything your office needs extra eyes on lately?”

Crane looked up and smiled nodding. "Thank you, it's good to be back. And I've no plans to leave again." He looked back down and filled out his paper work. It wasn't clear if the question was heard for a moment. His eyes remained down but then he glanced over the page he was writing on and looked up.

"Ah..well the thing is.. I'm still catching up..." He turned the page and pulled out a few others from the pile and glanced through them. "There have been some attacks, but I am sure we can handle those. Maybe..." He shuffled a few more then smiled sadly.

"I don't know yet. If I see anything I will let you know immediately. You're already helping us a lot by looking into that decapitation business though."

Scandal was not necessarily the end of life, but he could hardly fault Crane for letting it blow over. It changed a life; left it in ruins. Turned honest men into dishonest men just to put food on the table.

“You’ll get there,” Aslan said. “Attacks?”

He nodded and set the files aside.

“I think I’m going to put on some coffee, then take notes on some of these. You want any?”

Elijah looked up and nodded a bit to Aslan. "Thanks, I am sure.." He glanced through the files. "Oh, nothing too uncommon. Some look like people getting robbed, and a few.. who knows. Don't have all the information yet. Maybe a bar fight spilled out into the street and progressed until someone collapsed? Or something more personal? One has died, but the rest will hopefully be able to tell us something when they recover."

Elijah stood and held up a hand. "Let me. You're here to work, you shouldn't have to get up. Let me treat you like a guest." He smiled weakly and turned to go get some coffee going, he'd lost a lot of tea on the floor. He still couldn't believe what was wrong with him.