I woke up the next morning alone in my bed. I looked around my small bedroom, there was no sign of her. I laid looking
up at the ceiling, cursing myself for being professional in a dream. I should have had a lot more fun. As the possibilities danced around my mind I heard a loud clank in the kitchen. So, she wasn’t a dream.
Throwing on my robe I went to investigate. When I got to the kitchen I stopped in the doorway for a moment quietly.
I eyed her as she bent over checking the oven. Not only was she wearing my favorite shirt and boxers, but she was
cooking in them. I coughed quietly to announce my presence. She spun around quickly, a bit shocked I was so close.
“I am sorry,” she seemed to sing, “I wanted breakfast to be ready when you got up. With you being so kind and all to take me in last night, it was the only way I could think to say thank you.” She threw in a quick wink at the end.
I thought back over the night, I did everything I could to not do something worth winking over. I decided not to over think this wacky woman’s actions.
“Is there coffee? I normally just have coffee.” I asked with my normal morning grumble. I don’t care who you are, I am not nice before my coffee. You can ask my mother.
“Oh, no. I totally forgot.” She tossed her hands in the air and dashed to my cabinets looking for the coffee.
That’s when I smelled it, the breakfast she was making started to burn. The smoke detector started to scream and she ran to the oven in a panic. I had to hold in my laughter and she reached into the over bare handed and grabbed the pan, pulling it out and instantly dropping it on the floor cursing the heat. She jumped over to my rusty sink and turned it to cold letting the water run over her burnt fingers.
I looked at the mess on the floor, times like this I wish I had a dog but I didn’t. So instead of calling Sparky to clean up the food on the floor I went to get my broom and cleaned it up myself while my house guest licked her wounds at the sink.
“Why don’t we go out to breakfast, huh?” I asked calmly, she seemed like she was about to cry when she finally noticed that not only had she burnt breakfast but she then proceeded to dump it on the floor. She only nodded her little pouted face.
Within the hour we were at the diner, her in her dress from last night and me in fresh clothes. She had asked to go to her apartment before breakfast, but it was out of the way. So I agreed to pay for the meal if we could go to her apartment afterwards. Over breakfast we discussed the case, she was pretty sure she knew who took it. She swore up and down
that it had to be the Mayor. I laughed at her openly at first, but when she almost started to cry again I held it in.
“The Mayor? Why would he want your doll?” I asked as seriously as I could.
“It’s not for him, it’s for his daughter. I told you its special. She saw it at my house warming party and asked me to sell it to her. When I said no she seemed very upset and left the party. It must be her and her father, no one else would be interested in it.” She looked down at her hands.
“Okay, say I believe you. What proof do you have?” I eyed her, hoping she would not burst into tears in public.
“None,” she sniffled, “that’s why I hired you.”
I sighed, unsure where to go with this. Luckily the bill came just in time.
***
Once we were at her apartment, I sent her to do that she needed to do while I looked for clues. I searched the thrown apart living room for an hour, turning up squat. I fixed the cushions on her couch and sat down, waiting for her to finish whatever
it was she was doing. I was just about to check on her when she called for me.
“Mr. Tonwell?” She repeated her plea again when I didn’t respond.
“What can I do for you Miss Write?” I asked pressed against the door with one hand on the door knob in case something was
wrong.
“Would you please join me, I want to show you something.” She called out sweetly.
Hoping she had found something of value to the case I opened the door and stepped in. She laid on her bed, half dressed in a short nighty leaving her legs completely bare. I shielded my eyes politely after a quick scan.
“I am sorry Miss Write,” I stumbled as I tried step out of the room, “when your decent let me know.”
She laughed causally at my mock embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” she giggled playfully running her hand up and down her torso, “this is what I wanted you to see.”
“I am on a case Miss Write. You hired me to find your doll, did you not?” I cursed myself as the words came out of my mouth, “I think you should join me in the living room when your dressed.” I closed the door again before she could say anything.
I attempted to distract myself with the case, looking harder throughout her living room trying to not picture what she was
doing behind the door. I was about to give up when I noticed the dust on the shelf where all the dolls were. The spot she claimed the doll was sitting not two days ago had been cleaned along with the edge of the shelf. All the other dolls had a ring of dust around them, I wondered how I had not noticed this before.
“Miss Write,” I started when I heard the door creep open refusing to turn around, “have you cleaned since the robbery?”
“I have not been home since the police were here. Why?” She stepped up next to me finally dressed again.
“The dust.” I pointed out the rim of dust around each doll, “It seems your robber cleaned up the spot.”
She eyed the spot and turned to me with a shrug. I scanned the room again, I wasn’t going to get anything from here, or it seemed from Miss White.
“I am going to go question the Mayor and his daughter, I want you to go do something on the other side of town. But make sure you don’t talk to anyone about the case, you hear me?” I looked at her sternly. Her lower lip popped out into a pout but she nodded.
I headed downstairs and got her a taxi, and then walked to the Mayor’s home to clear my thoughts. This dame was clearly effecting my mind if I was already willing to talk to the Mayor about this.
I was greeted at the door by their butler. While the Mayor lived in a large fully staffed Victorian home, he was rather down to earth and his comfy furniture showed it. I was led to a living room to wait for the Mayor to finish his meeting. Thankfully his daughter walked in shortly after I sat down. I stood to approach her and see what information I could get when a young man stepped in the room.
At first his blue hair grabbed my attention but as I watched him, his stiff movements kept me looking. Something about him seemed different but I could not put my finger on it. He smiled broadly at the girl, and I could have sworn there was an actual twinkle in his eye. Before I could say anything the Mayor burst in the door.
"What can I do for ya Dick?” The Mayor smiled shoving his hand into mine and shaking it.
“Well, Mr. Mayor, I am here about a case.” I smiled back as politely as I could manage.
“Glad to help. If it will get me your vote.” He laughed and sat in a big easy chair gesturing for me to do the same.
“Is there anything we can help with?” His daughter piped up from the back of the room.
“Well I guess that depends on the problem.” He smiled at her and her companion and then turned his gaze to me.
“I am working on a stolen property case, a doll to be more specific. My client says that you voiced some interest in it and I was hoping you could give me some insight as to why someone might be willing to steal it.” As I spoke the Mayor, his daughter, and the blue hair boy exchanged glances. The blue haired one spoke up first.
“Well, one might argue that something like that cannot be owned.” His cheerful face turned gloomy.
“What my friend is trying to say is that we have no idea what doll your referring too.” She placed her hand on his arm.
“I am sorry but my daughter is getting a bit old for toys don’t you think? She has moved on to boys now,” he rolled his eyes, “and I refuse to buy her one of those.”
I looked to each of their faces, trying to see the lie. I knew it was there but what was it. I thanked them for their time and got up to leave, but the Mayor asked me to stay and discuss his plan to fight crime in our city. Not wanting to be rude, and hoping to get more information I agreed. Three hours and five whiskeys later I slurred my way to the door, thanking him.
The Mayor offered one of his cars to take me home and the butler placed me on the front stoop to wait as it pulled around. Lucky for me this spot was just below the Mayor’s daughter’s second story bedroom, and her window was open.
“I think we can trust him.” She whispered a bit too loudly.
“I don’t know, I mean would he even believe it?” A male voice answered, it sounded like the blue haired boy.
“You can show him, that will make it all go away.” She pleaded.
“What would we say? I am the missing doll and I can’t be owned by anyone?”
She must have nodded because the next thing I heard was a sigh and him agreeing.
***
When I woke up the next morning I could have sworn it was all a dream, but the phone call that woke me made me wonder. The Mayor’s daughter asked to meet with me, privately.
up at the ceiling, cursing myself for being professional in a dream. I should have had a lot more fun. As the possibilities danced around my mind I heard a loud clank in the kitchen. So, she wasn’t a dream.
Throwing on my robe I went to investigate. When I got to the kitchen I stopped in the doorway for a moment quietly.
I eyed her as she bent over checking the oven. Not only was she wearing my favorite shirt and boxers, but she was
cooking in them. I coughed quietly to announce my presence. She spun around quickly, a bit shocked I was so close.
“I am sorry,” she seemed to sing, “I wanted breakfast to be ready when you got up. With you being so kind and all to take me in last night, it was the only way I could think to say thank you.” She threw in a quick wink at the end.
I thought back over the night, I did everything I could to not do something worth winking over. I decided not to over think this wacky woman’s actions.
“Is there coffee? I normally just have coffee.” I asked with my normal morning grumble. I don’t care who you are, I am not nice before my coffee. You can ask my mother.
“Oh, no. I totally forgot.” She tossed her hands in the air and dashed to my cabinets looking for the coffee.
That’s when I smelled it, the breakfast she was making started to burn. The smoke detector started to scream and she ran to the oven in a panic. I had to hold in my laughter and she reached into the over bare handed and grabbed the pan, pulling it out and instantly dropping it on the floor cursing the heat. She jumped over to my rusty sink and turned it to cold letting the water run over her burnt fingers.
I looked at the mess on the floor, times like this I wish I had a dog but I didn’t. So instead of calling Sparky to clean up the food on the floor I went to get my broom and cleaned it up myself while my house guest licked her wounds at the sink.
“Why don’t we go out to breakfast, huh?” I asked calmly, she seemed like she was about to cry when she finally noticed that not only had she burnt breakfast but she then proceeded to dump it on the floor. She only nodded her little pouted face.
Within the hour we were at the diner, her in her dress from last night and me in fresh clothes. She had asked to go to her apartment before breakfast, but it was out of the way. So I agreed to pay for the meal if we could go to her apartment afterwards. Over breakfast we discussed the case, she was pretty sure she knew who took it. She swore up and down
that it had to be the Mayor. I laughed at her openly at first, but when she almost started to cry again I held it in.
“The Mayor? Why would he want your doll?” I asked as seriously as I could.
“It’s not for him, it’s for his daughter. I told you its special. She saw it at my house warming party and asked me to sell it to her. When I said no she seemed very upset and left the party. It must be her and her father, no one else would be interested in it.” She looked down at her hands.
“Okay, say I believe you. What proof do you have?” I eyed her, hoping she would not burst into tears in public.
“None,” she sniffled, “that’s why I hired you.”
I sighed, unsure where to go with this. Luckily the bill came just in time.
***
Once we were at her apartment, I sent her to do that she needed to do while I looked for clues. I searched the thrown apart living room for an hour, turning up squat. I fixed the cushions on her couch and sat down, waiting for her to finish whatever
it was she was doing. I was just about to check on her when she called for me.
“Mr. Tonwell?” She repeated her plea again when I didn’t respond.
“What can I do for you Miss Write?” I asked pressed against the door with one hand on the door knob in case something was
wrong.
“Would you please join me, I want to show you something.” She called out sweetly.
Hoping she had found something of value to the case I opened the door and stepped in. She laid on her bed, half dressed in a short nighty leaving her legs completely bare. I shielded my eyes politely after a quick scan.
“I am sorry Miss Write,” I stumbled as I tried step out of the room, “when your decent let me know.”
She laughed causally at my mock embarrassment.
“It’s okay,” she giggled playfully running her hand up and down her torso, “this is what I wanted you to see.”
“I am on a case Miss Write. You hired me to find your doll, did you not?” I cursed myself as the words came out of my mouth, “I think you should join me in the living room when your dressed.” I closed the door again before she could say anything.
I attempted to distract myself with the case, looking harder throughout her living room trying to not picture what she was
doing behind the door. I was about to give up when I noticed the dust on the shelf where all the dolls were. The spot she claimed the doll was sitting not two days ago had been cleaned along with the edge of the shelf. All the other dolls had a ring of dust around them, I wondered how I had not noticed this before.
“Miss Write,” I started when I heard the door creep open refusing to turn around, “have you cleaned since the robbery?”
“I have not been home since the police were here. Why?” She stepped up next to me finally dressed again.
“The dust.” I pointed out the rim of dust around each doll, “It seems your robber cleaned up the spot.”
She eyed the spot and turned to me with a shrug. I scanned the room again, I wasn’t going to get anything from here, or it seemed from Miss White.
“I am going to go question the Mayor and his daughter, I want you to go do something on the other side of town. But make sure you don’t talk to anyone about the case, you hear me?” I looked at her sternly. Her lower lip popped out into a pout but she nodded.
I headed downstairs and got her a taxi, and then walked to the Mayor’s home to clear my thoughts. This dame was clearly effecting my mind if I was already willing to talk to the Mayor about this.
I was greeted at the door by their butler. While the Mayor lived in a large fully staffed Victorian home, he was rather down to earth and his comfy furniture showed it. I was led to a living room to wait for the Mayor to finish his meeting. Thankfully his daughter walked in shortly after I sat down. I stood to approach her and see what information I could get when a young man stepped in the room.
At first his blue hair grabbed my attention but as I watched him, his stiff movements kept me looking. Something about him seemed different but I could not put my finger on it. He smiled broadly at the girl, and I could have sworn there was an actual twinkle in his eye. Before I could say anything the Mayor burst in the door.
"What can I do for ya Dick?” The Mayor smiled shoving his hand into mine and shaking it.
“Well, Mr. Mayor, I am here about a case.” I smiled back as politely as I could manage.
“Glad to help. If it will get me your vote.” He laughed and sat in a big easy chair gesturing for me to do the same.
“Is there anything we can help with?” His daughter piped up from the back of the room.
“Well I guess that depends on the problem.” He smiled at her and her companion and then turned his gaze to me.
“I am working on a stolen property case, a doll to be more specific. My client says that you voiced some interest in it and I was hoping you could give me some insight as to why someone might be willing to steal it.” As I spoke the Mayor, his daughter, and the blue hair boy exchanged glances. The blue haired one spoke up first.
“Well, one might argue that something like that cannot be owned.” His cheerful face turned gloomy.
“What my friend is trying to say is that we have no idea what doll your referring too.” She placed her hand on his arm.
“I am sorry but my daughter is getting a bit old for toys don’t you think? She has moved on to boys now,” he rolled his eyes, “and I refuse to buy her one of those.”
I looked to each of their faces, trying to see the lie. I knew it was there but what was it. I thanked them for their time and got up to leave, but the Mayor asked me to stay and discuss his plan to fight crime in our city. Not wanting to be rude, and hoping to get more information I agreed. Three hours and five whiskeys later I slurred my way to the door, thanking him.
The Mayor offered one of his cars to take me home and the butler placed me on the front stoop to wait as it pulled around. Lucky for me this spot was just below the Mayor’s daughter’s second story bedroom, and her window was open.
“I think we can trust him.” She whispered a bit too loudly.
“I don’t know, I mean would he even believe it?” A male voice answered, it sounded like the blue haired boy.
“You can show him, that will make it all go away.” She pleaded.
“What would we say? I am the missing doll and I can’t be owned by anyone?”
She must have nodded because the next thing I heard was a sigh and him agreeing.
***
When I woke up the next morning I could have sworn it was all a dream, but the phone call that woke me made me wonder. The Mayor’s daughter asked to meet with me, privately.
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