Chapter 4

It was only a few days ago that he got a job at the cafe where Hazel worked and got new information about the girl, whom Arnold mentioned on the paper he saved. He also spared his time to visit the cafe to observe the girl and the situation.

Rachel told him everything she knew about Amanda after he discovered Edward scolding Rachel and her three friends for abdicating responsibility that should have been theirs. He took the opportunity to ask Rachel in exchange for saving them from Edward's tantrum.

Luckily, Rachel was a reliable type. And now, his intuition seemed to tell him that Amanda's life was in danger. He was reluctant to follow his intuition because it meant he had to sacrifice his day off, wanting to give his body a moment to rest. 

Unfortunately, his intuition was always right, so he could not just ignore it. It was thanks to his always precise intuition and keen sense of smell that he was able to get his job as a police detective.

Shit.

It left him no option. His intuition was right again. He was outside the cafe that served tea as their main menu near Amanda's school and found that several pairs of eyes were on the students who had just left their school because it was time to go home. He tried to refrain from tapping his fingers on the table for fear that the man in dark sunglasses who was sitting not far away would suspect him. 

He tried to remain as inconspicuous as possible and move one step aside from those who were tailing Amanda. He did not know their motives, but he was sure that they related to Arnold.

His eyes immediately caught the figure of Amanda, who had just appeared in front of the school gate. She looked low-spirited.

Ah, no. To be precise, he felt that that girl seemed to be feeling lonely. He did not see her friends, who usually walk with her, today, and he found it strange. His hands rummaged through the third cup of ginger tea he ordered to ward off the cold weather of sitting outside the cafe, figuring out the right way to watch over the girl without arousing suspicion. 

He had already memorized all the routes in this city—an ability he acquired after five years working as a detective—so all he needed to do was guess the road she would pick. Based on his observations so far, that girl never returned home immediately after school. Maybe because of loneliness, as the girl lived in a house that was quite large to live in by herself.

He understood how it felt very well because he had also experienced it in the past. But Amanda was much luckier than him. From what he knew while investigating Amanda, at least her parents left her with more than enough money to support her life until she graduated from university. In his case, his parents divorced and left him alone with a little cash, only enough to meet his living needs for a year once he graduated from junior high school, leaving him no option but to find lots of part-time jobs to pay his school fees and living costs.

Just remembering it made him feel a little uneasy. If someone asked him why he did not want to use his investigation skills to trace his parents' whereabouts, he would answer the question quickly: he was not interested.

Yes, he had no interest in finding his parents, who had dumped him, and he did not care either. After all, if he searched for them and found them, was there any guarantee that they would regret their actions and want to rebuild their damaged family life with him like before? It seemed impossible. 

Based on his experience, he had never encountered such people. Most selfish parents would use the opportunity to attract their children's compassion if they knew that the children they left behind had become rich and had a stable life while they were living in poverty and ended up with cases of extortion of the children's money. 

Yes, things like that happened a lot when he was working as a detective officer back then. That was also the reason he was reluctant to do so.

Shit. His thoughts were wandering, almost making him lose track of Amanda. As soon as the man with dark sunglasses walked after Amanda, he stayed at his place for about ten minutes after gulping his already-cool ginger tea. He counted the number of people who were following the girl.

Hmm, ten people? Wow. Was it not too much? Something did not feel right for him, as there were too many people just keeping an eye on one girl who turned sixteen last week. His feelings were getting worse. He guessed the route and took a detour. Very nice. The girl seemed to be going to the cafe that she always visits after school. In that case, it would be better to catch up soon.

Still staring at the people, who were not aware that they were also being watched by him, Raymond whistled softly and left the place.

*** 

He could not help but smile when he found the girl right in the cafe she usually visited, sitting near the cafe window. 

Luckily, he moved faster than the stalkers. He had just finished negotiating with Mike, one of his co-workers who was supposed to be on duty today, who changed shifts with him five minutes before Amanda arrived at the cafe. Making a lame excuse by telling Mike he wanted to get used to his new job quickly.

The classic excuse managed to convince Mike, and instead, he had to treat the guy to lunch for two weeks. After tidying his wrinkled waiter’s uniform, he approached Amanda's table.

"Are you ready to order, Miss?"

That girl returned her attention from outside the window, surprised to notice him. She quickly hid her face in the menu book, which she held for a long time with her hands trembling. 

He was confused by that. Did he scare that girl? Strange. He already followed the SOP for serving guests according to Edward's instructions—the manager of the cafe, who was known for his stern face. There should not be any problem.

"Y-yes." Amanda took her face away from the menu book. Her tiny finger pointed at the menu name on the list she wanted to order, not saying a word at all. He did not comment at all.

"Okay, I'll prepare the order." He pulled out the menu book that Amanda placed on the table after she finished ordering the menu while leaning as close as possible to Amanda and tucking a piece of paper under the napkin that was near that girl.

"Someone’s watching you, Miss. Be careful."

He walked away after finishing whispering the words to that girl to read the message he slipped and put back to his business smile again. This girl covered her face with her hands and nodded.

He hesitated a little. Did that girl really understand what he said? Well, better bet on fate. Whether that girl understood his message or not.

He secretly used his sensitive nose to smell the emotional scents of the people around this cafe. He did not detect any suspicious scents, and since he saw Amanda entering this cafe, he did not see the people watching this girl in this cafe.

It meant they were still outside and watching Amanda from afar. Very nice. At least he already made sure to slip the paper as smoothly as possible. Humming softly, he walked away from Amanda's table, delivering the order to the kitchen staff, who was in charge of preparing the order.

***

Raymond was busy playing on his smartphone. His free hand was tucked into the pocket of a black hooded jacket while he was humming and walking down the hallway as he walked out of the employee changing room. His shift for today was finished, so all he had to do was wait. Whether fate would be on his side or not.

If so, that meant it should be the girl named Amanda, who was currently waiting for him in the back alley of this cafe when she read the message he slipped earlier.

But if she did not get and read the message, he would have to think of other options to save that girl. It would be difficult. There would be some way he could try if his first plan failed, but he really hoped it would not happen.

Raymond glanced behind him in case anyone was following him. His nose smelled nothing but a familiar scent and a trace of Amanda.

Very nice. It seemed that the plan was successful. It was more than enough. Judging from the interior of this cafe, the girl should have no trouble getting out of this cafe without getting suspicious.

What that girl needed was to just pretend to go to the restroom close to the employee changing room. That spot was covered by a wall that was a blind spot. And before the stalkers knew, the girl would already disappear from the cafe.

Supported by the fact that right now was the busiest time in the cafe as most people just came home from work, the plan should be perfect. The girl would not bump into a single employee in the corridor.

Raymond slipped his smartphone into his pocket and stopped humming as he reached the back door of the cafe, which led into the dark alley used for taking out the trash. She opened the door and closed it quickly, then was satisfied when he found the expected figure waiting for him there.

"Have you been waiting long?" Raymond walked over to Amanda, who shook her head quickly. 

He watched the girl’s body tremble. Her hand took out the paper he had slipped in before, exposing its contents to Raymond.

[Someone watching you. 5 P.M., go to the back alley of the cafe. Take the toilet route.]

"Is it true that someone is watching me?"

Raymond ignored Amanda's question and took the paper that was in Amanda's hand. He tore it into small pieces and threw it right into the puddle near his feet, destroying the pieces in an instant. There would be no trace.

"I'm Raymond Cooper if you are curious about my name. Hurry, follow me."

Without waiting for Amanda's approval, Raymond grabbed the girl's hand, leading her to run down the dark alley. Ten minutes was not a long time, but enough to buy some time. It would be just a matter of time before they realized their target had disappeared.

They kept running through the alley until he felt safe and turned down the path that led them out of the hallway and into a quaint, old-building shop area. The roadway was only large enough for two cars.

Raymond looked around, discovering that there were many buildings in this place that needed renovation. There are many buildings full of graffiti, some with faded paint, and some with peeling walls.

When he first came to this place to investigate Amanda, he did not really pay attention to this detail because he was busy looking for a route that could take him quickly to Amanda's house if something wrong happened to her.

Raymond took his hand away from Amanda, gave the girl time to catch her breath (it seemed this girl was not used to running this far), and then invited her to walk down the sidewalk, behaving like a typical pedestrian.

"You should call your friend now. Ask them to pick you up," Raymond put his hand on Amanda’s shoulder to get close to her while whispering after two pedestrians had passed them.

"O...okay," Amanda stammered back. Amanda's trembling hands pulled out the smartphone.

While this girl contacted her friend, Raymond took the opportunity to observe her closely. From her fingers, this girl seemed to be good at playing the piano. Maybe this girl used that skill to get a scholarship. It made sense.

He put the new information he knew into his brain, turning it into a piece of the puzzle. This method was much safer than using a computer that could be hacked at any time.

But it seemed he still needed one more piece to complete the puzzle.

Raymond continued to walk beside the girl as soon as she finished calling her friend until his eyes fell on an antique shop that immediately caught his eye.

He gave a quick glance at Amanda, who was constantly nervous as she walked beside him. This girl must be scared. He pulled this girl closer to him to make her feel more comfortable and secure.

"I’m here; don't worry. When will your friend come to pick you up?"

"I don't know. Maybe sooner ...," Amanda looked down with a slightly flushed face. Maybe because of the weather? Well, today was a bit cold, though.

"All right. You don't mind if we enter this shop?"

Amanda shook her head in response.

"Good. Then we'll go inside first," Raymond paused, realizing that his way of getting Amanda had made him look like a suspicious stranger intending to harm Amanda. He quickly changed the way he spoke. "I mean, it's much better if we wait inside the building than outside."

Amanda laughed softly, then nodded before looking at him with a questioning look.

"Just say it. You can ask me anything." Raymond gave up his intention of opening the shop door, giving Amanda some time to speak.

"I… I already know..."

"Yes?"

"I already know someone has been watching me since last week."

Wait, what? Since last week? Fuck. He was too focused on thinking of ways to approach Hazel, which made him forget his original purpose for coming to this city.

"So... could …," Amanda looked at him doubtfully. "Could I trust you?"

Raymond smiled, stroking the top of Amanda's head. "Well, it depends on you. All you need to know for now is that I promised to protect you as soon as I found you, Amanda Chloe."

"Wait. How did you know my name?"

Raymond nodded, not answering her question. He was silent for a moment as he opened the shop door, taking a glance at Amanda.

This girl’s surprised expression succeeded in giving him the last piece of the puzzle he had been looking for, which immediately put all the pieces of the puzzle together into one. 

How could he not have realized it earlier? This girl had eyes and face structures that—if he looked closely—were similar to Arnold's.

Jeez…

His body froze, not expecting what he had just found. Then, was this girl beside him Arnold's little sister? Indeed, Arnold mentioned it to him before, when he was still alive. It happened when Arnold was drunk, and he told him how he wanted to meet his younger sibling, whom he had not seen for a long time.

At that time, he thought that Arnold's words were directed at Verdict Walter, Arnold's younger brother, who often visited Arnold's house every summer vacation, so he did not bother with it. He only thought Arnold was joking back then.

Did that mean Arnold's current family was not his biological family? If so, then all his curiosity in the past was clear. He finally understood why he always felt strange whenever he looked at Arnold, who looked different from all the Walter family members.

All of the Walter family had gray eyes, dark blond hair, and pale skin, while Arnold’s hair was purely black with his olive skin. The only similarity between Arnold and Verdict was their stubborn attitude and dislike of commitments in romantic relationships.

"Hello? Brother ... Raymond?"

Amanda's voice calling out to him broke his reverie. He invited this girl to enter first, then let the door close by itself as soon as he entered. 

As soon as they entered the antique shop, both of them were fascinated by the collections there. They looked at each other, then agreed to split up. Amanda immediately walked to the shelf filled with small drawers decorated with Victorian carvings.

Inside, he was quite surprised to find his tastes with Amanda were pretty similar. If Arnold were still alive, his friend would have been grumbling and complaining to them.

Raymond laughed with amusement, imagining his friend was still alive and finding that his younger sister had the same interest in antique things as him.

Raymond studied the antique glasses on the front shelf as he continued making sure Amanda stayed close to him. Maybe he should buy things here as a courtesy because he borrowed this place to hide for a while. His eyes fixed on a set of cups inspired by the Rococo era, which caught his attention.

It would suit Hazel’s image. Should he buy this set as a present for Hazel? But what if Hazel did not like his choice? Or maybe throw it away in front of his eyes?

"Raymond? Is that you, Raymond Cooper?"

Raymond turned his head to find a woman who had called his name earlier walking quickly toward him. He froze at once, not expecting that he would meet his old friend, who suddenly disappeared from Morozov five years ago, in this city. The woman held Raymond's cheeks and turned around his body many times to make sure that what she saw was real.

"Mar... Martha?" His tongue was gushing, barely able to say anything. 

What an unexpected surprise! Without hesitation, he immediately hugged Martha tightly. "Where have you been? I thought you died!"

"There are a lot of things going on," Martha said, rubbing Raymond's head. "I should have been the one who asked you that question. Why are you here?"

"A lot has happened since you left, Martha," Raymond sighed, collecting all his courage to tell her the bad news. "Arnold… he is…"

"I already know about that. Sorry for not coming to Arnold's funeral," Martha said, releasing Raymond's hug.

There was a tone of regret when Martha said it. The woman wore a green cocktail dress with low cleavage (it totally did not match this shop's image, but he had to admit the dress suited Martha pretty well) combined with seven-centimeter-high heels that turned her body to face Amanda.

"Oh? Is she your partner?"

"No."

"Oh. I think she was. No wonder she looks so young. Not your type," Martha laughed softly. "So, does that mean you are still playing around and don’t have a partner? Even though you’ll soon turn thirty?"

"Twenty-six, to be exact." Raymond corrected her words, staring annoyingly at the woman he already considered his older sister. "You’re not in the position to say that."

"Well, I’m different. I don’t like things–"

"Which is troublesome and full of commitment," interrupted Raymond, knowing well what this woman would say every time he asked that question.

"Y’know me very well, lil’ brother," Martha muttered, then her eyes turned to the set of cups that had caught Raymond's eye. "For you, I give a special price. All of the collections here are not mass-produced by the artists, so I can guarantee that there will be only one in this world. There are other collections you can look at if you are interested."

Raymond was interested in Martha's offer, and she intended to invite him to look at the items in her shop. Unfortunately, it did not come at the right time, so he was forced to turn it down.

"Next time, maybe?" Raymond grabbed the cup that caught his interest earlier from Martha. "I will buy this one."

***