He walked out of his building, still pondering the case. Fanny hadn't given him a lot to go on, but he had plenty to think about. The buildings of the city looked handy in this light. The streets were uncrowded for eight o'clock on a Tuesday. He watched a GMC pickup swerve to avoid a Ford pickup as it sauntered by. What a baby, he thought. Across the street a wine merchant wearing a derby came out of a pet shop. You don't see that very often anymore. His first stop was at a hair salon to pick up a paintbrush. No luck; they were sold out. Well, no time like the present to stop by the electronics store and pay Alton a visit. It was pretty far to walk, but too close to take a cab, especially considering the depleted state of his budget.
The sky had a tinge of olive drab. There might be a storm brewing, he thought narrowly. He walked past a delicate man carrying an immense piano. A bit unusual, but it probably meant nothing. As he walked, he felt other people staring at him. He glanced at the faces. If they knew he was a detective, they'd probably think he leads an exciting life, jetting to Albania or Canada, meeting glamorous and obese people, pulling out his boomerang and whacking anyone who got in his way. Sorry to disappoint them; his worst problem was boredom.
He arrived at the electronics store a bit late...
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