Fables #2

In which our intrepid detective delves deeper into the mystery of the missing Fable, and a prince is reunited with his old lady love.

The next day, Snow prepares to meet with Bigby again to see if there's any new information on her sister, Rose Red. In Bigby's studio apartment, he is trying to wake up Colin, one of the Three Little Pigs, who crashed on his couch during the night. He tells Colin that he has to go back to the Farm and has to stop sneaking back into the city. Colin says that Bigby still owes him for destroying his house. Bigby tells him that's ancient history.

In the apartment of Molly the waitress, Prince Charming leaves as she still sleeps in bed. He leaves her a note asking her to pick up (and pay for) his dry cleaning, he's taken some money from her purse, and her spare key because he will be staying there for a few days.

When Snow meets with Bigby, she wants to know if Jack is the one responsible for Rose's disappearance. Bigby says probably not but needed an excuse to hold him in custody. He does tell her that all of the blood in the apartment was her sister's. Snow wonders if a Mundy could have been involved since she partied with the Mundanes from time to time. Bigby is pretty sure it was a Fable because of the message written on the wall in her blood. Snow insists on being present when he further questions Jack. Bigby tells her that she has a government to run and mentions the fact that she's been estranged from her sister for some time. This actually makes her a suspect too. He asks to get her questioning over with but she says she can't at the moment. She has to meet with her ex, Prince Charming, first.

Elsewhere, Cinderella is getting fencing lessons from Bluebeard. He keeps taunting her and mentions the fact that her Prince (Charming) left her. Bluebeard mentions that he's in town. She says that's old news. Everyone is talking about what happened to Rose Red. Bluebeard is surprised and wants to know what everyone is saying. Cinderella tells him that everyone is saying she's been killed and carved up by her boyfriend, Jack. Bluebeard reacts strangely to this.

Snow meets with Charming at a diner. She is short with him and wants to get back to work. He tells her that he is auctioning off his royal title and estates. He wants Snow to spread the word to the rich. Snow doesn't understand why he thinks anyone would be interested when it's all worthless. Charming mentions that every year during Remembrance Day, people get nostalgic for the old days. They have hope that someday they will win back the lands from the Adversary. Snow asks him what makes him think she'd help after he slept with her sister. Charming says she seduced him. This reminds Snow that Charming can be a suspect in her disappearance too.

Bigby and Snow question Jack. He asks Jack how long they've been a couple. It's been about four years but Bigby reminds him that it hasn't been four straight years. About a year ago, the two had a very public fight and that Rose attended last year's Remembrance Day with Bluebeard. Jack said she went with Bluebeard to make him jealous. Jack says they should be questioning Bluebeard instead. Jack and Bigby continue to bicker back and forth until Snow interjects. She wants to know if her sister is dead or not. As they are about to go search Jack's apartment, he mentions Bluebeard again since he used to carve up his wives in the old days. They mention that those were the pre-amnesty days and can't bring it up.

Bigby and Snow go over to visit Bluebeard. He is one of the few Fables that was able to leave the homelands with his fortune. He has a magical apartment that is bigger on the inside. He was able to transport his castle to fit inside. Bluebeard asks if they are there to collect his annual contribution to the Fable government. He usually gives the payment to King Cole at the Remembrance Day celebration. Bigby gets direct with him. He places photos of Rose's apartment and straight out asks why he killed Rose. Bluebeard is outraged to be spoken to this way. Bigby says he'll speak with a murderer any way he wants. He finally gets around to asking Bluebeard where he was in the night in question and how he was involved with Rose. Bluebeard tells them that they had a secret relationship. At last year's Remembrance Day, they became engaged. Rose wanted it kept a secret for one year. He even has a contract to prove it. There was a payment involved which is why he drew up the contract. Bluebeard says he will give one million dollars for the discovery and capture of whoever is responsible for Rose's murder.