saturday, 21 july 2007

i glanced at the clock on the glowing LCD screen again. it was already an hour past midnight. the stretch of time i spent on the computer, researching a case, was beginning to get to me. my eyes were about to clam shut when suddenly...

"Just remember you are not alone
So don't you fear
Even though you're miles away
I'm by your side
So open up your mind and close your eyes
I'll be there for you no matter where you are"

the nokia 3120 rang loudly (at least, in the dead of night) breaking the long silence. i quickly pressed the "answer" button before the ring tone woke the dead.

"Akiko?" the voice belonged a male associate detective of mine. he was suggesting that i'd better be out soon, getting the much needed head start on my case. i told him that i had already scheduled sleuth mode at 3.00am with a female acquaintance, my roommate and a chauffeur. too bad, or so i thought, another female associate detective could not make it.

i went snacking after the call. i don't know whether to say i felt lonely or presence of someone. none of my contacts were online at the moment.

the wind began to pick up speed and i could hear it whistling through the window gap. i thought to myself that i'd better be offline before the lightning strikes the modem dead.

the sky seemed so dark, i couldn't see the stars nor moon. living in the city, perhaps. yet another reason to be careful while i'm out on this case, you'll see.

i have been tipped that the crime scene were to be at kinokuniya bookstore in klcc at the crack of dawn. the media and a mob of people would be there too. yes, this is a case waiting to happen; not to mention international and i was only one of them (undercover) covering the case in malaysia. how it landed in my hands i don't know, but i know it had been decided half a decade ago. i should be getting some sleep but...

i stayed up for the next couple of hours with a fresh start on my next case. hey, if you can read more than one book at a time, then i can be on more than one case at a time.

"In this world when life can be so tough
You must be strong
Just believe in yourself and don't you fear
So open up your mind and close your eyes
Take another look from the other side"

the mobile phone rang again. i picked it up hurriedly and answered it. it was the female acquaintance who will be out on the case with me. i know it would be dangerous to have her tag along, especially when she's no more than an amateur detective. but we briefed about the plan once again.

after that, 3.00am arrived with no hurry. i woke my roommate from her slumber and proceeded to wake my chauffeur too. the next thing we know, the three of us met up with the female acquaintance of mine and we left for klcc together.

to be continued...

-end of part one-

all names could not be disclosed to protect their identity. ;-)

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