He walked out of his building, still pondering the case. She hadn't given him a lot to go on, but he had plenty to think about. The city looked athletic and rough, and the streets were crowded for eleven o'clock on a Wednesday. He watched a Volvo swerve to avoid a Citroen as it loped by. What a fiend, he thought. Across the street an auto mechanic wearing a corsage came out of a video arcade. You don't see that very often anymore. His first stop was at a deli to pick up a hat. No luck; they were sold out. He thought he might get a lead or two from his old flame Shannon Prince. Shannon worked at a restaurant several blocks away. 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 periwinkle. There might be a storm brewing, he thought angrily. He walked past an unkempt man carrying an original file. 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 Egypt or Zambia, meeting glamorous and cantankerous people, pulling out his sickle and whacking anyone who got in his way. Sorry to disappoint them; his worst problem was boredom.
He arrived at the restaurant just in time...