“A person can get used to just about anything, if they suffer through it long enough.” Frank said, and then slid the empty glass across the table. “I’ll let you know what I find out about that girl.” With a quick nod, Frank covered his head with his dilapidated, brown cap, and stumbled out to the street.
It was late afternoon, but Frank wouldn’t have known it by the murky hours he had spent in Colin’s Pub. His eyes rejected the light. He didn’t know why he told the man he’d consider investigating the disappearance of his cousin’s, niece’s, best friend’s sister. She was one of many young girls who disappeared on these streets every day. Perhaps he felt bad for the guy. Or, maybe he drank too much while he was in there.
Regardless, there was very little chance he would be finding Doris Wilkins any time soon. From what the bartender told him, Doris was into the drug scene. He knew Piper Rollins. And, Frank knew Rollins was nothing but trouble. If Doris had been with him at the time of her disappearance, there was no telling what happened to her. And, a slim chance he would tell the truth if asked for that matter.
Returning to his office before five, Frank fumbled to unlock the door before the phone had stopped ringing. “Hello?” He said, thoroughly annoyed.
“Frank this is Jack. I need you to meet me. I got information about Perez.”
Frank let out a sigh, and then hung up the phone. Robert Perez had been missing for months. There were no leads, and he about gave up on the case. Since it was Jack calling, Frank knew, he couldn’t question a corpse.
“Where’d you find him?” Frank asked.
“He was found in an alley behind the liquor store, on Forest Street.”
“The darker side of the street.” Frank mumbled and then searched Perez’s pockets for clues. Inside Robert Perez’s coat was a sheet of paper folded in half. It looked worn; as if it had been handled many times.
“What does it say?” Jack asked.
“It says, meet me on Forest Street 8pm. When did you find him?”
“Not long before I called you. It wasn’t even five o’clock yet.”
Frank wondered if the person who Robert was meeting had followed him here to kill him, or if there was still going to be someone waiting here at eight. He looked at his watch. It was almost six. “What time do you think you fellows will be wrapped up here?”
“In about an hour, but… Wait, you are not thinking of showing up here at eight to see who Robert was meeting, are you?”
Frank smiled. “How else will I find out who wrote this note?”
“Frank, you know I need that for evidence.”
Frank handed over the piece of paper to Jack. “I don’t need it. Let me know if you find anything else useful.”
Frank parked his car a block away from the liquor store, and walked slowly up the street. He observed the people walking by him. They were all wrapped up in their own affairs, and had barely noticed him. Standing on the corner, Frank pulled out a cigarette and casually smoked it, while keeping an eye on the store.
“You looking for that girl. She left ten minutes ago. You think I can get one of those smokes?”
Frank looked to his right and saw a raggedy, young girl standing beside him with her hand out. He pulled the pack from his coat and handed her a cigarette.
“How about a light?”
“You don’t look old enough to smoke.” Frank said, and then lit her cigarette.
“And, you smell like a brewery, and look like a cop.” The girl nonchalantly smoked her cigarette; trying to imitate the coolness she saw Frank display earlier. “So, are you a cop?”
“No, I’m not a cop.”
The girl nodded her head. “I get it. You’re just a normal person, coolly smoking a cigarette on the corner of Forest and York. Absolutely nothing out of the ordinary about that.” She laughed to herself, and pushed her hair back.
“Look, I don’t know what your problem is kid, but I’m working a case here, so how bout you go about your business, and find some other poor, old guy to bother.”
“Oh, you’re working a case, are you?” The girl looked at him, almost impressed. “How much are you willing to pay for information?”
Frank threw his cigarette butt on the ground; stomping on it for good measure. “I doubt you have any information that I need. Have a good day.” He said, and then turned to walk away.
“Her name is Doris. The girl, the dead guy was going to meet. I’ve been following them around for weeks. They are into some shady stuff. But, it’s too bad you don’t need any of this information…. So, I guess I’ll see you around then.”
“Wait.” Frank said, trying to wrap his mind around what she had just revealed. “What’s your name?
“Nikki.”
“Listen Nikki. You look like you can use a good meal. Why don’t I feed us both, and you can tell me what you know?”
“I don’t work for food. I work for money.”
“I don’t have any money to give you for information.” Frank said, debating now if she really knew anything at all about Doris, or Robert Perez.
“Then give me a job.” Nikki smiled; proud of her solution.
“How old are you? Frank asked; thinking, there was no way this kid was older than thirteen.
“I’m twenty-one years old.” Nikki stood up straight, expecting him to believe her.
“Seriously?”
“Okay, I’m fifteen. But I’ll be sixteen next month. Legal working age in this state.”
“Where’s your folks?” Frank asked. He couldn’t believe he was considering giving this girl a chance. She was smart, he thought, and no one would notice her the way they noticed him. Especially on the darker side of the street.
“You tell me.”
“Fine. You can be my apprentice. But only because you’ve done most of the legwork on this case. Tell me apprentice, What’s our next move.”
“That’s easy. We check out Murphy’s Diner on 4th.”
“Why Murphy’s?”
“Cause I’m hungry.”
Frank laughed. “I thought you said you didn’t work for food.”
“I don’t. But I still need to eat. I have a job now.”
To be continued……
@simgirl short stories:
"Marvelous Tales #16" Sylvia’s Silver Ballet Box
