Hush. ° Taennie

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  I was in Mushroom town few times, but I didn't know the city well. I got off the bus armed with my phone, the city plan and my own internal compass. The buildings were red from red bricks, tall and slim, and they were they obscured the setting sun that shone under a thick layer of storm clouds that covered the streets with a canopy of shadows.All the shops had front porches and antique signs at the entrances. The streets were lit up by the lights that looked like black witch hats. A bit further, the congested streets spilled out into the wooded area and I noticed the sign of the Mushroom private school. The cathedral, the belfry and the clock tower jutted out above the canopy of trees.

  I stayed on the pavement and went around the corner to 48th Street. The harbor was only a few streets away, so I saw ships for few seconds that were passing by the stores, on their way to the Harbor. In the middle of 48th street I saw the sign for the inn blind tuna. I took out the paper with questions and read them one more time. The plan was to not look like im leading an investigation. I was hoping to, if I bring up Rosé's death in the conversation with employees, be able to take something out that the police didn't. Hoping that I remembered all the questions, I threw the paper in the nearest trash can.

  The door rang when I walked in.

  The floor was filled with yellow and white plates, and separes upholstered in dark blue. Pictures of the harbour were hanging on the wall. I sat in Separe near the door and slip out of my jacket with my shoulders.

  Next to me a waitress with stained Apron appeared next to me. "I am Irene", she said grumpy. "Welcome to blind tuna. Today's special is tuna sandwich.  Soup of the day is dense lobster soup with few mushrooms on top." She held red pen in het hand ready to write down my order.

  "Blind Tuna?" I frowned and started tapping my chin with my finger. "Why does that sound so familiar?"

  "You dont read the newspapers? Few months ago we were the main topic for a full week. Fifteen minutes of fame and that's it."

  "Aha!" I said as if something came to my mind suddenly. "Now I remember. About the murder, right? The girl worked here?"

  "That was Roseanne Park." She was tapping with her pen. "Do you want me to bring you a bowl of dense soup for the beginning?"

  I didn't want the dense Lobster soup. Actually, I wasn't even hungry. "It was probably very hard for you. Were you friends?"

  "Fuck no. Are you planning on ordering or what? Ill tell you a little secret. If im not working, then they don't pay me. If they dont pay me, I don't have money for the rent."

  I immediately regretted that the waiter on the drugs side of the room did not write down my order. He was short, short hair, very slim but handsome. His gaze  never rose more than a meter above the ground. No matter how miserable I would feel later, one of my friendly smiles might be enough to tell me Rosé's entire life story. "Sorry", I said to Irene. "I just can't stop thinking about that murder. Of course, its an old story for you. The journalists were probably coming here none stop and asked you questions."

  She looked at me poitendly. "Do you need a few more minutes to look through the menu?"

  "I personally think that journalist are very annoying."

  She leaned over to me, leaning her hand on the table. "I think that customers who can't keep their mouths shut are very annoying."

  I sighed quietly and opened the menu. "What do you recommend?"

  "Everything is good. Ask my boyfriend." I fake smiled. "He is a chef."

  "Speaking of boyfriends....did Rosé had a boyfriend?" Nice transition, I said to myself.