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The diamond

The dark cloudy day combined with the polluted morning fumes of New York makes the windy street of Winder, makes Manhattan so much more depressing. The honking cars and pot holed roads of Manhattan don’t seem to make the traffic any better. ‘Some short cut I took detective’ the cabbie chats grinning. ‘Don’t mess with me. Get me there and make it fast, I don’t tolerate to lateness. So earn your keep.’ I state, satisfied as the grin disappeared from his face. As traffic gets going again we turn around the corner into McKemmies Road. A faint sound of lullaby coming from a lavish hotel 200 metres away catches my attention whilst I am lost in a train of thought from the darned cabbie interrupts. ‘Right on time sir, err... that’d be $3 and 20 cents. So.... what’s with the lavish hotel? Date, wedding... huh?’ ‘No just business Peter.’ I reply ‘Wait, how the hell do you know my name? Are you some kind of mind reader, psychic?’ ‘You look like you could do with some extra cash,’ I say Ignoring his surprise I hand him the money and pick up my hat and luggage. ‘Six o’clock don’t be late and look sharp. We wouldn’t want you looking scruffy for ladies, would we?’ and I smile. ‘This means I’m hired.’ he says looking excited. ‘Don’t get your hopes too high, it just means you’re a tryout, and be ready for tonight’ I say ‘...When do I start and what am I supposed to wear’ ‘Now wear something smart. Don’t be late’ I added ‘Aye, aye sir.’ I walk towards the hotel's entrance and I sniff the air (an old habit) admiring the view of teh lavish hotel. It is funny how the how hotels in the city seem to be the only colourful buildings in the city except for the parks of New York. The sweet scent of lavender greets me as I enter the hotel <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Detective you’re late!’ a voice exclaims, that of the typical self-conceited aristocrat. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">I grunted annoyed by the interruption. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I beg your pardon it seems that I would have been late in a matter of seconds. I was I hired for a job, and not to be lectured by the likes of you.’ I counter in a manner which I rarely use. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">She flushes red as she confirms with a quick glance from the clock above. I never liked aristocrats with the exception of a few. A man with light blond hair, hazel eyes that of a British background approached. A Camel’s fag sticking out from the side of his left mouth. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I see you have already been acquainted, excuse my fiancé’s manners she is quite outspoken at times’ he said with a look of amusement as he held his fiancé. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I presume you are Mr Jones’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Yes detective, where are my manners this is my fiancée Emilia Stone.’ he said <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">The look of amusement leaves as we confront one another, we analyse and criticize each other’s faults. Silence hangs in the air. Sensing the increasing tension is eventually broken by his fiancé who seemed rather surprised by our sudden demeanour. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘So to business’ she says and quickly snapping out of it Mr. Jones begins to speak. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Detective, we would like you to help us locate the missing diamond.’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Diamond?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Yes it was stolen in the early yesterday morning, and we would greatly appreciate it if you could find the diamond and the culprit.’ Emilia says <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">I smile as I get out my note pad to ask questions, its funny how people change their attitude towards a person when they want something especially people from the higher end of the upper class. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘The diamond, what does it look like?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘A wedding ring encrusted with 16 carat diamond’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">I whistled <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘16 carats?’ I said keeping a straight face. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Not every day you get people asking you to help find their missing diamond. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Can you specifically tell me when and where it was last seen?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Eight am on the 5th floor room 46, which is our room by the way.’ Mrs Watson replied. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘When is the wedding?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘In 5 days.’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I need a list of who is invited to the wedding, which guests are already here and when they arrive their also about the accommodation I wanted to…’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Yes, yes that’s all being arranged Detective you can stay as long as you want’ he interrupts <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I only plan to stay for 2 to 3 days’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘WHAT! Don’t you think it will take longer to find the diamond?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Calm down honey, I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation’ he answered conscious of the atmosphere.’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I have business elsewhere. If I am needed be needed here’s my number and if I cannot be contacted leave a message. Do not worry, the diamond will be found before the wedding’ I answer contempt. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Yes, yes now these are your keys, don’t be afraid to spend with this card it’s on the hotel. If you need anything or find anything here’s cell number.’ Jones says handing me a small paper <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Don’t worry I’ll be sure to.’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Taking the key I walk to the reception table, standing in the queue to sign in. The queue was quite long it would probably take five minutes before I can sign in. My eyes start to wander, the lobby in the hotel looks larger than it seems from outside. I look across the spacious and crowded lobby, tracing with my eyes the beautiful tiles encrusted with lilies, roses and iris flowers tracing all the way up to the elevator. The emblem of hotel, which was an eagle and a lion, caught my eyes as I admire the richly encrusted patterns on the eagle and lion. The carved inscriptions beneath the hotels insignia were too small for me to see. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Um, sir.’ the receptionist <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Too busy admiring the works of art, I fail to notice I was next and last in the queue. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Sir!’ said the concierge raising her voice to grab my attentions. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Yes?’ I said quite annoyed. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Can you please sign the papers?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘May I ask? Who is the owner of this Hotel?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Mathew Lord sir’ she said. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">As I began to sign the papers the Jones’s butler took my luggage to my room. Ping! The sound of the elevator chimes. Papers I have to sign are way too much I hate these formalities. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘AAAHHHHhh!’ the sound of a young distressed female. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">There was more screaming, squealing and crying, I then turned to look at what all the fuss was about. As nothing could be seen from my vantage point and it would result in me getting closer to see what the all racket was about. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Call the ambulance and police” an elderly man shouted. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘John go get the manager’ shouts one of the staff. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">I quickly signed the rest of the papers and walked towards the scene, before I could ask what happened the sight explained it all. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">No matter how many times you see people die nothing can prepare you when it happens. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">“Jesus Christ” I muttered under my breath <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">The body of the victim lay sprawled on the floor with blood splattered all over the floor and some on the wall. Most disturbing was the inscription written with the victim’s blood.... <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;"> <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Coming through coming through, police’ I say trying to get a better picture of the young woman <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Analysing the body, multiple stab wounds and cuts so smooth it had to be either from a razor or an incredibly sharp knife, bruised skin, red lines around the wrists meaning she struggled before she died. I’ve had enough and I stand up. The police and ambulance rush in pushing though the bystanders to get to the young lady, I see two faces heading my way, one familiar and another I did not recognise. Gary is a police officer from my department and an officer from NYPD. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘What the hell happened here’ Gary exclaims. I don’t say anything. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Holy Mary’ he mutters, his face turning pale. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Help me will ya’ I say to him, as I help the police officers usher the incoming crowd and bystanders away. Leaving the police to do the rest I debrief Gary and the NYPD officer on my analysis. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">BBRIINGG! BBRIINNG! BRRINING! My phone rang. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I gotta get a new ring tone’ I muttered under my breath. ‘Excuse me’ I say to both officers. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Removing the phone from my pocket I check to see who is calling. I see it’s a private number. I pick up the phone. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Hello detective’ says a sinister voice form the other end, and a CHILL runs down my spine. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Who’s this?’ <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I wonder if she survived’ he says sarcastically. I walk away through the crowd, out of the hotel and into the open air of New York. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘No she did not’ I reply calmly <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Tell me this, were her eyes open or closed when she died’ I don’t bother to clarify with an answer. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Or were they like Anna’s.’ he whispers <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Why are you asking me this?’ I coolly reply <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I’m just warning you. Stay out of this, it’s none of your business.’ he states. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘It already is?’ I respond. <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Don’t say I didn’t tell you.’ He answers angrily <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘And if I don’t’ I reply seething <span style="font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Silence. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘You’ve be warned’ <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘And why is that’ I ask <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘She is alive. Yes, yes that’s right she’s alive’ he laughs momentarily <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Let my little girl go’ I say <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Laughter is the only response I get <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘You think you can find me. Dream on, mother fucker’ <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. But what I do know is that I have a particular set of skills. Skills I have acquired over many years. Skills that make me a nightmare for people who make my work difficult, people I dislike - most importantly for bastards like you. If you let her go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you persist, I will look for you and I promise you that I will most assuredly find you.’ <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'bell mt','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Andafter a long pause. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘Good luck.’ <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘You don’t seem to understand the magnitude of the threat I pose and the terror that is to befall you. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Bell MT','serif'; font-size: 13px;">‘I am right here detective. <span class="apple-converted-space" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'bell mt','serif'; font-size: 13px;">Come and get me.’