Grey: A Novella

Chapter 21

I left her house to go to my car, when I had the weird feeling that I was being watched. I turned around and saw that the blinds from the house across the street had been pulled up at a corner. I could see a large nose and an eye through it. The eye was staring right at me. Once the owner saw I was looking straight at them, the eye and nose disappeared quickly behind the blinds.

So, it was like this. I went to the house and knocked on the door. It took a couple of tries before I got an answer.

An elderly woman with grey hair and a hump on her back answered. "Yes, what do you want?"

"What were you looking at me for?"

Her eyes began darting back and forth. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"No, I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. Listen, lady, I'm a detective. Seeing through lies is my business."

"All right, all right, I was looking at you. I just like to keep an eye on things, you see. I wanna make sure the neighbourhood's safe."

So, she was the designated snoop around these parts. This might prove fruitful. "Listen, can I come in? I have a few questions to ask you."

She stiffened and looked me dead in the eye. "What about?"

"About something you might've seen. You know, aiding a member of the police could prove quite profitable. I could do you a favour."

She licked her lips. "What kind of favour?"

My voice went cold. "I could not send you to jail for obstructing justice."

She started shaking. "All right, all right, you got me. Come on in."

She opened the door with an effort. There was stuff strewn everywhere: old books, magazines, ads, and rusted cookware among others. There were even bits of food here and there. The old lady ushered me into the living room, which was also packed with garbage. There were piles of things that stood higher than me.

"Nice place you got here."

"Yes, yes, I know, it's quite a pigsty. Are you gonna ask me those questions or not?"

I looked at her bloodshot eyes as we both sat down on the old, stained armchairs. "You got anything to drink?"

"Why would you think I have any of that?"

"The eyes are the windows to the soul."

She averted my gaze. "Yeah, I guess I could come up with something. Wait here."

She crossed the giant pile of refuse and came back with a bottle of scotch and two dirty glasses. She poured us both a full glass. I got handed mine and took a sip. Not bad. She took hers and gulped it down like it was water.

"So, what do you wanna ask me?"

"I was just wondering if you've seen any suspicious folks coming over to that house I was visiting on Monday."

"As a matter of fact, I did. A fancy-looking hovercar came down and two men got out. They were both wearing black suits and had black sunglasses on. Strange, 'cause it was nighttime. They knocked on the door and Mr. O'Brien answered it. Oh, he looked awfully scared. They said something I couldn't catch and he let them in. I went back to my knitting. After about five minutes, they walked out."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

"You didn't hear anything else, like a gunshot?"

"Nope."

"Did you tell the police about this?"

"I did. I told them about it when they came over to investigate. They said they would look into it."

"I never heard anything about it."

"Well, I guess they didn't consider it important."

"Those two men... was one significantly taller than the other?"

Her eyes went wide. "Why, yes, now that I think about it. Do you know them?"

"I might have met them earlier today."

"Be careful. They look dangerous. You don't wanna get on their bad side."

I leaned back in my chair. "Ma'am, getting on people's bad sides is what I do best."

"You don't have many friends, do ya?"

I was taken aback by that. "No, I guess not."

"You also don't open up to people, because you're afraid they'll leave if you do."

I couldn't stop my eyes from widening. How could this mangy old drunk know so much about me after a short conversation?

I got up and adjusted my coat. "I have what I need. Thank you, ma'am. It has been nice talking with you."

"Call me Agnes. Do be careful."

"Goodbye, Agnes."

I turned and waded through the garbage to the door. As I opened the door, I turned to see her right beside me, staring at me. I tipped my hat to her as I left. What a strange broad.