Noir

Noir: The Letter

Heart thudding.
Heavy breathing.
The dark room.
A rush of blood to the head...
...and then the door slammed open.

Taekwoon's head jerks up as he hears his office door slam against the wall. Annoyed, he turns his chair to face who disturbed his nap, ready to give them a lecture. To his surprise, a young woman stood there, not too much younger than he was, if not the same age as him. Her face had worry written all over it as she placed a hand over her chest, breathing heavily as if she had been running. "May I help you, miss?" Running a hand through her shoulder length auburn hair, she locks eyes with him. "I think someone wants to kill me." Taekwoon raises an eyebrow. "You think someone wants to kill you?" She nods, her eyes wide. Taekwoon sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. "May I ask why you think this?" The woman nods, taking a breath in. "I had gotten home from work late last night, so I slept in later than normal. I woke up around two in the afternoon because I thought I heard the postman, my mail flap had opened and I heard something hit the floor." She pauses and Taekwoon gestures to the chair. "Have a seat, don't wear yourself out too much." The woman sits down, smoothing out her skirt. "I heard something hit the floor, an envelope I guessed. I got out of bed to go see what it was, and I noticed it was a blank envelope. As sketchy as it was, I decided to take a look at what was inside. When I opened it I saw a letter, but everything was written in cut out catalog letters!" She stops to fumble through her messenger bag, pulling out a piece of newsprint paper. "Here it is, read what this says!" Taekwoon pulls out his glasses and puts them on, taking the paper from her and reading over it.

'Miss Mary Catherine Black,
I have had my eye on you for quite a while now. I see you walk to and from your job at the book store every day. I'm quite surprised you haven't noticed me already, I tried to make it as evident as possible that I am there. I gave you three chances to notice me, I thought that was being quite generous, no? I wanted to approach you to try and start a relationship, and then I saw you with him.

You blew your last chance, and now I'm afraid I must take you out so I don't have to suffer and see you anymore.

Death is inevitable and I'm making your time come sooner than later.'

Taekwoon looks up at the woman and sighs. "Miss Mary Catherine-"
"Emmie. I go by Emmie." She corrects him. "-Emmie. I see where your concern comes from, but I'm afraid this isn't something that can be solved easily. Is there any way you could elaborate more?" Emmie nods. "I take the same route to and from work every day. I don't think I ever noticed anyone suspicious except for the day my coworker, Ken, took the same route I take to get to the drug store." Taekwoon scribbles down notes on a small yellow notepad. "Ken is the man mentioned in the letter, I assume?" Taekwoon rests the end of his pen against his lips, his dark eyes scanning over Emmie. "Yes, that's the only time I've ever walked home with a man." Taekwoon nods slowly. "And... What is your relationship with Ken, if you don't mind me asking?" Emmie fiddles with her wristwatch. "Ken and I are just friends, nothing more. We weren't even walking too close to each other." She looks up at Taekwoon, who's staring intently at her, and she laughs nervously. "I just don't want to die, I suppose." Taekwoon chuckles slightly. "I would hope not, Miss." He looks down at his watch. "It's getting quite late, shall I walk you home?" Emmie's face flushes, causing Taekwoon to sigh. "Simply because I can't have you walking home alone after reading that letter. It's not safe and I'd rather know you got home safe than stay up late worrying myself sick." Emmie nods, her face still flushed as she stumbles over her words. "I guess that sounds reasonable.." Taekwoon looks over and furrows his brow. "Of course, I'm not a nonsensical person." He begins packing his briefcase, tucking everything neatly into their places. "Are you ready to go?" Emmie stands up, pushing the chair in and nods. "I suppose so." Taekwoon walks to the door, holding it open for her. "You'll show me the way to your home. Give me your address and telephone number so I have quick contact with you in case I need it." Emmie nods. She a pen out of her bag and takes his hand in hers, flipping it over and writing her address and phone number in loopy lettering. Taekwoon hides his flustered face by turning his head to look down the hall, taking his hand away a little too sharply after she's done. "Alright then, now you can contact me whenever! Let's get going now, okay?" Emmie looks up, her hazel eyes locking with his dark chocolate eyes again. Taekwoon stares back, his plain expression remaining. "Okay." Emmie turns and walks down the hall towards the door that would take them out to the sidewalk, Taekwoon following close behind. "I don't live too far from here, only a block or so over." Emmie chatters about anything that seems to come to her mind as they walk along, Taekwoon nodding and silently reacting to the things she says.

As they turn the corner and move onto her street, he feels uneasy, like someone is watching him. Not wanting to frighten Emmie, he looks around seemingly nonchalantly. To his dismay, he sees no one around. "And here is my apartment! Thank you for walking me home, I felt safer having you here." Taekwoon feels the uneasiness return and he turns to face her. "I'm going to be walking you to and from work from now on." Emmie stops unlocking her door to turn and look at him. "I-I'm sorry, what was that?" Taekwoon steps closer. "I can't have you walking alone, especially if you're out late. Tell me when you normally leave for work and when you leave to go home so I can be there to walk you." Emmie's heart thumps in her chest, shuffling her feet slightly. "On most days... I'd say I'm leaving for work by 7:40 in the morning. I'm usually leaving to go home when my shift ends at 7:30 pm." Taekwoon nods, scribbling it down on his hand under Emmie's writing, his sharper lettering contrasting her soft, loopy writing. "I'll be here on time. Do not leave without me, wether going to or from." Emmie looks down at him from her porch step. "You don't have to do this-" Taekwoon cuts her off. "As a detective it is my job to make sure my client is satisfied and well off." Emmie looks down and nods. "I see. Thank you for going through all this trouble, Detective..." She looks back up at him, her face quizzical. "Jung Taekwoon, but please just call me Taekwoon. Anything else is too awkwardly formal." She smiles. "Thank you, Taekwoon. I suppose I'll see you tomorrow." He looks up and smiles a little. "I'll see you then, miss. Be sure to lock your doors and windows before going to bed." He gives a slight, awkward wave before the two turn to go their own ways.

"I've got my hands full with this one..." He mutters to himself, though he still grins at the thought of that jumpy young woman with the short auburn hair. He turns the corner and walks in the direction of his own home, the sky dimming and the street lamps starting to turn on as the sun sets slowly over the cityscape.