The following day I arrived at work earlier than everyone else and I continued the schedule that i had on that day. I had started an online publishing workshop and I had made sure my father was blocked from all sites. I did not want to handle his cruelty about this situation. After three hours or so, I felt the need to take a break and so I took a bottle of champagne and poured myself a glass. I was in my favourite orange dress that hugged me tightly all the way to the middle of my tibia. I wore black six inch heels and hadn't accesorised much. I slowly walked to the balcony after taking off my black coat and slowly sipped the champagne savouring its taste as it went down my throat. I was really glad that I had started using a new collection of dry lipstick. The cold breeze and the breathtaking view of the city was helping me think and I loved it. I was deep in thought as an arm snaking around my waist startled me. I looked at the source and saw Detective Blake, he too holding a glass of champagne in his hand.
"It's funny how you enter your boss' boss office, pour yourself a glass of champagne and think that you also get to touch her, " I said swatting his arm from my waist.
"I thought we are cool besides, we are friends now, aren't we?" he said with that annoying smirk playing around his lips twenty four seven.
"Friends? Are we Blake? Are we really? " I asked as I walked down towards my desk.
"Yeah that's what I thought. Come on Aramina, "
"Wow. It's been a long time since I've heard you use my name, " I said taking a seat and crossing my legs. I loved the warm manner that the dress I wore hugged me. It had short cursive drawings black in colour around the edges and mid sleeves.
"Exactly, you see? That's what friends do give each other nicknames."
"I don't have a nickname for you, " I said arrogantly resting my hands on the seat.
"We'll find one Champagne," he said with a wink.
"So what brought you here in the first place? "
"I have the details you had me find out," he said pushing the file towards me on the shiny hardwood desk. I took it and opened eagerly.
NAME: LUTHER KAREV WOODS
AGE:THIRTY FOUR YEARS
OCCUPATION: DOCTOR; BROOKLYN NATIONAL HOSPITAL
PLACE OF BIRTH: WESTWOOD; VIRGINIA
DATE OF BIRTH: SEVENTEENTH SEPTEMBER
RESIDENCE: SAN DIEGO; CALIFORNIA
ADDRESS : 2478 ANABEL ELM STREET
PARENTS: WILLIAM COREY WOODS AND MEREDITH ALISHA WOODS
SIBLINGS: ALEXIS APRIL WOODS AND DEMETRIA YANG WOODS
SIGNIFICANT OTHER: JESSICA JOAN WOODS
CHILDREN: PATRICIA ROSE WOODS
BLOOD TYPE: A-B
Of course there were other details about him, his medical records, his code of conduct which did not actually surprise me. He had been to juvenile for a while and served his sentence for quite a long period of time for... Murder? Wow.
"Wait, you have got to be kidding me,"
I looked at the photo that was attached to his file. He seemed so happy since he was probably laughing when the picture was taken.
"I've seen this man before. He accidentally spilled coffee on me on the day of the second break in. "
"So you've already had an encounter with him? Why didn't you tell me Champagne?"
"I didn't think I needed to. He looked pretty harmless when I saw him."
"I asked you about it and you refused to tell me. Haven't you heard the saying that looks can be deceiving?"
"Of course I have. I have to handle this issue with delicacy. "
"Don't tell me you are thinking about negotiating with that thief," spat Blake.
"Well it depends. I have to talk to him and find out. From this picture one can really tell that he is wealthy then why steal from me? I need to understand his reasons not just know them," I said taking a picture of his address.
"You going to his house is stupid, " he said holding my wrist.
"It's not your job to worry about me. My martial arts remember? "
"Then let me come with you," he begged.
"If I tell you I'll be fine, I will be plus, I don't want to have to take care of you in case something happens because I'm sure I can fight better than you," I said smirking as I walked out the door.
*****
"Turn left," went Suzie my car's GPS. I looked straight ahead and was surprised that there were remote areas a few miles past the suburbs and I tried as much as I could to follow Suzie's directions.
"Suzie are you sure we're going the right way?"
"Yes Miss cole, straight ahead."
Well this was going to be a tough one. I felt my car sink in pools of water and various potholes of which I tried as much as possible to avoid with each turn.
"We've arrived Miss Cole. "
"Which corner of Elm Street is this? I can see nothing here, " I asked but apparently when Suzie has fulfilled her purpose she goes off. Great. I slowly got out of the car as careful as I could have possibly been. I looked around for a second. Was Suzie playing with my intelligence? I looked again. Just when I was about to give up and leave I heard someone call out to me. "Fancy seeing you here," he said. I turned to see Luther Woods standing in the open space, his hands in his jeans pockets as he looked at me.
"It really is you, isn't it?" I asked as I walked closer to where he stood.
"In the flesh. Of course it really is me."
I shook my head. "No. I meant it really is you who robbed my company."
"Eerr... " he stammered as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to press charges against you. I just wanted to know why you did it" I said very calmly.
"Umm... What? How did you even know where I live? Wait, you had me investigated, didn't you? "
"That's not of much importance right now. Just answer my question," I said.
"Who knew Miss Cole was such a stalker"
What was it with guys and smirking?!
"Daddy! " exclaimed a little girl who ran towards Luther with a teddy bear in her hands. From the file I read, I assumed that to be Patricia Rose Woods.
"What are you doing here Trish? I thought I told you to stay inside with your mama, " said Luther as he squatted to her height.
"Look what aunt April brought me! " she exclaimed in happiness then looked up at me. Her eyes were ocean blue, the kind that invites you in and makes you just directly fall in love with their owner. Luther's eyes were chocolate so I presumed she had her mother's eyes. "Hello" she said to me with a smile.
I bent to her and replied, "Hello sweetheart. What's your name?" I asked the the little beauty.
"Patricia" she said looking at me expectantly.
"Patricia? Oh that's nice, "I said. I loved kids and this one, well she was just adorable. I hoped she would grow up to be nothing like her father.
"That's enough Trish. Just go inside, " he said as he gently pushed her to walk towards their humble abode.
"Are you always like that with the child? " I asked.
He looked away then asked, "What do you really want Miss Cole?"
"I told you I want answers because I can't keep on pleading with the investors each time to give me time to restart my projects and they are starting to withdraw their shares. My father trusted me with this and wouldn't want it to go bankrupt. So I would really be glad if you tell me what you want from me. Why do you keep doing this?"
"How did you even find me?"
"I had you investigated. I saw your face twice remember?" He looked speechless.
"That means the police know about me,"he said in a low voice.
"No. No one knows about you except me and my Detective. "
"Your detective? "
"It's not like that" I said realising how awkward that sounded.
"Why did he have to know?"
"Because he... Just cut to the chase Luther and tell me what I need to know, " I flared.
"I don't have an explanation," he said with his head hung low.
"Well I need to know because I cannot be that nice not to press charges against you. I am giving you two days because my father will have to get intel about this investigation. I am not giving you my card because you damn well know my company like the back of your hand," I said annoyance clear in my voice as I headed back towards my car. He watched me as I coughed the engine and drove away from his home.
~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~