A Tale In Every Tone

Chapter Two (Part Four) Blame It On The Rain

   A man wearing a tattered coat appeared in front of us.Looks like a part Chinese and American.He sat behind the desk and blowed his cigarette.Rude.Alvira tried to whip the smoke away with her hands,but it didn't work.She covered her nose rather.

   "I'm the detective." The man said in his deep,throaty voice."What do you need?"

   He doesn't look like a detective at all.Alvira shot her eyes on me.We must be thinking of the same thing.

    "I need your help in finding this girl." I showed him the file and picture.

    "Okay." he said.He typed noisily in front of his computer. "We archive those who come in and out of China,as well as those who live here." he explained." Over a hundred results.There's a lot of people named Vanessa Laine here.Is she missing,homeless,or perhaps,kidnapped?"

Alvira gave him a questioning look. "No."

   "Then why are you looking for this girl?"

   "She's my girlfriend and I haven't seen her for four years."

   "She lives in the States?" he asked.

   "Yeah. She went here for a vacation,according to her friend." I replied.

   "Then she's neither missing,homeless,or kidnapped.I only disclose information of missing people,or long-lost relatives." He blew his cigarette one more time."You've been seperated for four years.She's none of your business anymore.Maybe she doesn't want to see you.She went that far to get away from you."

It did hurt,but it made sense.Vanessa's going to far just to avoid me.I don't know what I did wrong.

   "Now get your asses out of here.I've got lots to do." He threw his cigarette butts in the ashtray and walked away.

   "No luck." I said.I immediately walked out of the buliding out of frustration.

   "Hey!" Alvira yelled and followed.

   "I'm tired of this.I can't do this anymore." I was pacing.My face gave a look of grimace.

   Alvira stepped closer and gave me a hug.A comforting,friendly hug.

   "I told you to stop.So stubborn.Such a pain in the ass." she whispered.

   I should have listened to her.I was pushing myself just to get hurt.

I wrapped my shoulders around her.

She let go even before I could even utter a word.

Alvira

  Vanessa Laine? She has the same name as my best friend.I'm quite sure Vanessa has 'L' as her middle initial,but her last name is Shelton.Vanessa and I met at the school's music club,and never knew she had a boyfriend.The girl Clyde is talking about lives in the city.This one's purely coincidental.

I looked above as the sky darkened overhead.I wonder if he noticed.

   "Clyde?"

He faced me and raised an eyebrow.

Then came the heavy rainpour.

"It's raining!" I cried out.

He snatched my hand right away with no hesitation and led me forward.

I don't know if it's the adrenaline rush,or the way,or the idea that he held my hand,but it made my pulse beat faster than ever.His hand felt unbelievably soft for a man,and my hand fit perfectly into his.It was warm,in contrast with the cold temperature caused by the rain.My heartbeat went back to normal when he slipped his hand away from mine as we halted under a tree.He turned to me and asked,