voice definitely had some kind of slight
accent, as if he were trying to conceal it with a native accent.
“Thank you for the information, Luke.” Alan said
gratefully.
Alan readied himself to leave. As he left, Luke
spoke to him once more. “If he is still alive…” He said. “Put a bullet in him.”
Alan nodded, and turned to leave. The information
wasn’t much, but it was something. He thought that perhaps the other person,
this Helena West, might know something more. Alan returned to the elevator, and
rode it up, nervously, to the 13 th floor.
Working his way to Helena’s room, he desperately
hoped that on this unlucky 13 th floor, he would find enough luck to
get one step closer to solving the mystery of Malcolm Graves. Alan quickly
found Helena’s door, and knocked on it. He never heard her moving on the other
side of the door, but the door opened nonetheless.
Helena west stood in the doorway, with her fair
blonde hair flowing down passed her shoulders. She was still in her sleep
clothes, which was little more than a t-shirt that was too big, and loose
shorts. Alan looked away slightly, feeling uncomfortable looking at her in her
current wardrobe.
“Helena West?” Alan spoke, avoiding looking at her
directly.
“Yes, that’s me. Who wants to know?” She replied.
“I’m Alan. I had a question for you.” He said, still
avoiding eye contact.
“I have one for you too.” She said. “Why won’t you
look at me?”
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry.” He began. “I’m just a little
uncomfortable looking at you in that clothing.”
Helena was confused. “It’s not revealing or
anything. What’s the problem?”
“It just feels kinda inappropriate.” Alan explained.
Helena nodded slightly. “I can understand that. You
have that geeky good guy vibe. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to ask you about someone. His name is
Malcolm Graves.” Alan told her.
“Oh… him.” She said with a sour look on her face as
she walked to the room’s closet.
“So I take it you know exactly who I’m talking
about?” Alan asked.
“Yes, I do.” She replied, looking through her closet
for something a little less awkward.
“Can you tell me anything about him?” Alan
continued.
“There isn’t too much to tell, really.” She said,
pulling a t-shirt and jeans from the closet. “He was just a really weird guy.
He kinda weirded me out.”
“How so?” Alan queried.
“Well…” She began, taking her clothes to the
bathroom to change. “I met him one night a few months back. I was out at a
restaurant, eating alone, when I saw him across the dining area.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing at first.” She closed the bathroom door
almost all the way, muffling her voice as she changed clothes. “He just sat
there for awhile. After maybe half an hour, a waiter appeared at my table with
a bottle of wine. He told me that the gentleman across the room ordered it for
me. I looked to where Malcolm sat and he waved at me. I was flattered so I
invited him over.”
“Ok, then what?” Alan asked eagerly.
The door to the bathroom opened, and Helena stepped
out in the jeans and t-shirt. “Is this better?” She asked. Alan nodded before
she continued.
“Malcolm came over to my table and sat down. He was
actually somewhat charming and seemed very nice. I knew he was a bit older than
me and I had no real intentions of anything going past dinner, but I figured I
would at least humor him. As the evening went on, we talked, and he actually
kept me entertained. We ate, drank, and just had a good time. As I readied to
leave, he asked if he could join me. I let him walk me home.”
“I’m guessing that’s where things went south?” Alan
wondered.
“Pretty much.” She continued her story. “The entire
walk home was fine. Malcolm was still kinda charming, and even a little
mysterious, especially about his work. When we reached my home, I thanked him
for the company and proceeded to go inside. He didn’t
accent, as if he were trying to conceal it with a native accent.
“Thank you for the information, Luke.” Alan said
gratefully.
Alan readied himself to leave. As he left, Luke
spoke to him once more. “If he is still alive…” He said. “Put a bullet in him.”
Alan nodded, and turned to leave. The information
wasn’t much, but it was something. He thought that perhaps the other person,
this Helena West, might know something more. Alan returned to the elevator, and
rode it up, nervously, to the 13 th floor.
Working his way to Helena’s room, he desperately
hoped that on this unlucky 13 th floor, he would find enough luck to
get one step closer to solving the mystery of Malcolm Graves. Alan quickly
found Helena’s door, and knocked on it. He never heard her moving on the other
side of the door, but the door opened nonetheless.
Helena west stood in the doorway, with her fair
blonde hair flowing down passed her shoulders. She was still in her sleep
clothes, which was little more than a t-shirt that was too big, and loose
shorts. Alan looked away slightly, feeling uncomfortable looking at her in her
current wardrobe.
“Helena West?” Alan spoke, avoiding looking at her
directly.
“Yes, that’s me. Who wants to know?” She replied.
“I’m Alan. I had a question for you.” He said, still
avoiding eye contact.
“I have one for you too.” She said. “Why won’t you
look at me?”
“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry.” He began. “I’m just a little
uncomfortable looking at you in that clothing.”
Helena was confused. “It’s not revealing or
anything. What’s the problem?”
“It just feels kinda inappropriate.” Alan explained.
Helena nodded slightly. “I can understand that. You
have that geeky good guy vibe. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to ask you about someone. His name is
Malcolm Graves.” Alan told her.
“Oh… him.” She said with a sour look on her face as
she walked to the room’s closet.
“So I take it you know exactly who I’m talking
about?” Alan asked.
“Yes, I do.” She replied, looking through her closet
for something a little less awkward.
“Can you tell me anything about him?” Alan
continued.
“There isn’t too much to tell, really.” She said,
pulling a t-shirt and jeans from the closet. “He was just a really weird guy.
He kinda weirded me out.”
“How so?” Alan queried.
“Well…” She began, taking her clothes to the
bathroom to change. “I met him one night a few months back. I was out at a
restaurant, eating alone, when I saw him across the dining area.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing at first.” She closed the bathroom door
almost all the way, muffling her voice as she changed clothes. “He just sat
there for awhile. After maybe half an hour, a waiter appeared at my table with
a bottle of wine. He told me that the gentleman across the room ordered it for
me. I looked to where Malcolm sat and he waved at me. I was flattered so I
invited him over.”
“Ok, then what?” Alan asked eagerly.
The door to the bathroom opened, and Helena stepped
out in the jeans and t-shirt. “Is this better?” She asked. Alan nodded before
she continued.
“Malcolm came over to my table and sat down. He was
actually somewhat charming and seemed very nice. I knew he was a bit older than
me and I had no real intentions of anything going past dinner, but I figured I
would at least humor him. As the evening went on, we talked, and he actually
kept me entertained. We ate, drank, and just had a good time. As I readied to
leave, he asked if he could join me. I let him walk me home.”
“I’m guessing that’s where things went south?” Alan
wondered.
“Pretty much.” She continued her story. “The entire
walk home was fine. Malcolm was still kinda charming, and even a little
mysterious, especially about his work. When we reached my home, I thanked him
for the company and proceeded to go inside. He didn’t
Similar Books
