Lionel shuffled through the swelling crowd as it bulged and ebbed on the sidewalk. Pedestrians talked, texted, twitted, and whatever else, as they obliviously went on their way to complete their holiday shopping. Lionel had more pressing matters than to share the obsessions of those surrounding him.
The target of his pursuit had been reported to be in the area, and he was desperate to finally find her. She hadn’t been seen or heard from by anyone Lionel had talked to and this was the first solid lead he had in months.
He grumbled his way through the blind mob to the cafe that the sighting had been made in. He scanned the windows, looking for the one with the plywood boarded scar. He let out a relieved sigh when he saw the bright brown and yellow particle board that had been tagged by some graffiti artist. The cafe attempted to cover the embarrassment with a menu displaying the specials. Lionel’s stomach protested at the sight of it, but he had neither the time nor funds to appease the beast.
He pulled his jacket around him to fight the chilly wind as he thought about his story again. Most of it would be the truth, a latent print at the scene was found by CSI while investigating the robbery, and he was looking for information regarding the subject. He would simply leave out the part that his obsession with finding her had cost him his badge.
As he made his way up the steps he reminded himself to thank Ralph again for telling him that the print turned up at the scene. When he reached for the door, a familiar face in its reflection had caught his eye. He spun in shocked disbelief as he searched the streets for what he had seen. Had he imagined something again? Was his desire to catch her and make her answer his tormenting questions effecting his judgment still?
Uncertainty ate at him until as he frantically searched the sidewalk. When he saw the purple jacket that he had spotted from the window, he cast off the questions and forgot about the cafe. He bolted from the steps, but quickly fell victim to the tide of people surrounding the walk-way, completely unaware of his urgency.
“Police! Out of the way!” Lionel shouted, trying to force his way against the flow of foot traffic. The people immediately around Lionel parted, but beyond that, the river continued on unaffected.
He made his way in the direction she had gone, bumping into people as they complained and cursed at him for his efforts. He ignored them as he picked up momentum, he refused to let the woman disappear again.
He was winded but he thought he was gaining ground. When he saw a glimpse of someone wearing the right shade of purple disappear into a nearby shopping mall, he ran for the entrance. He pushed passed a mother with three children at the glass doors and felt a chill run down his spine as he witnessed the pandemonium of Christmas shoppers that flooded the shopping center.
He took half a step as he searched the crowd for any indication for a direction, but it was no use. She was gone—again. He thought about talking to security and getting the footage to figure out where she was and which direction she went, but his request risked greater issues if his credentials were verified.
He slumped his shoulders in defeat and shoved his hands in his pockets. He felt an unfamiliar piece of paper and withdrew it confused to ascertain where it came from.
Lionel, stop. Please.
His heart skipped as he read the message, the playful heart that dotted the I was all too familiar. With renewed fervor, his eyes darted for any sign that he had missed—how could she have planted the note without him seeing her?
“Sandra!” Lionel cried out; somehow, he wasn’t surprised when his wife failed to reply.
* * *
Hey everybody, sorry about the radio silence, and I hate to beat a dead horse but things have been slightly on the crazy side. As I said, thing's have been busy. The good news is that I've started going to my writers group we're we'll be critiquing each other's stories, and just a few of mine may make their way here. I've already worked out my first work, which will be about Eli and Ariel, so if you haven't read "Up In Flames," try to do so before I post anything more about my pyromanic duo.
This week's blog was a scene that has been rattling around in my mind for a while, I'm not sure which story will eventually inherit this couple's little drama, but I have one or two that it will fit into perfectly. Before I commit to anything, what are your thoughts? Who do you see Lionel and Sandra as, and why would they be in this situation. If I like your suggestions I may incorporate them into the story!
Image Source: http://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip-854875-stock-footage-crowded-street-new-york.html