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The Sheriff stepped out mumbling for some normal cases under his breath. Derek wonders what he considers normal after everything he knows by now.
It's awkward being alone with the deputy. They haven't seen each other since the grocery store. Derek made sure he didn't run into the other man. Which wasn't that difficult, since he avoided leaving his loft for the last few days.
“So, you're the expert?” Parrish must see the way Derek is struggling for an explanation that doesn't give too much away. “Don't hurt yourself. If the Sheriff wanted to keep your involvement a secret he wouldn't meet you in his office.”
It probably wasn't wise coming here. But there is a mouthless killer running around town. If one can believe Peter. The mouthless part is still a little hard to grasp. Not that he will mention it in front of the Sheriff. Better to let him believe that it's not that abnormal. He worries way too much already.
“That's what you do for a living?” He turned around in the chair and is grinning now. “Providing information on Beacon Hills X-files?”
“Temporarily.” Where's the Sheriff? They could go back to the professional distance from earlier. “Money's tight at the moment.”
“Don't tell that to Miss Johnson. She's already worried enough about you.”
What? “Who?”
“My landlady. You can't imagine what I had to listen to when you were arrested last time.” He raises his voice and starts gesticulating widely, “Why can't you leave that poor innocent boy alone? After everything that happened. Always picking on the wrong people. The Sheriff should rather watch what his son and those friends of him are up to. That kid is nothing but trouble.”
What the hell? Derek doesn't even know were to start.
“Don't look so surprised you have a whole fan club consisting of Beacon's old ladies. Apparently you were a sweet kid who mowed lawns and helped carrying grocery's back to their houses.”
“Who have you been talking to? And why?”
“Old ladies love me,” he says like it's no big deal. “And apparently they love you too. They think it would be good for us to be friends. It's what they tell me every Sunday after the book club meeting.”
“You joined an old ladies book club.” Right now, nothing Deputy Parrish says or does can surprise him anymore.
“No!”
It's the deputy's time to be embarrassed so Derek just raises an unimpressed eyebrow.
“I didn't. Not really. Well, last month because it was my favorite book and this month's books sounded really interesting, but...” He trails off frowning before looking up alarmed. “I totally joined their book club.”