He walked out of his building, still pondering the case. Jacqueline hadn't given him a lot to go on, but he had plenty to think about. The buildings of the city looked mysterious in this light. The streets were uncrowded for three o'clock on a Wednesday. He watched a Lincoln swerve to avoid a Crown Victoria as it rushed by. What a bumpkin, he thought. Across the street a ship's officer wearing a bow tie came out of a nail salon. You don't see that very often anymore. His first stop was at a police station to pick up an iPhone. No luck; they were sold out. Well, no time like the present to stop by the café and pay Buddy 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 carrot-orange. There might be a storm brewing, he thought sourly. He walked past a slender man carrying a flaky deck of cards. 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 Algeria or Saudi Arabia, meeting glamorous and moronic people, pulling out his political action committee and whacking anyone who got in his way. Sorry to disappoint them; his worst problem was boredom.
He arrived at the café a bit late...
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