Imagines and Preferences: Book 1

You'll See | Dirk Gently

Summary: You're having a lovely day when two men happen to have an argument near you. When one storms off, the other asks you to join him in his search for a key... Sure, it all seems to have stemmed from a coincidence, but the universe is rarely so lazy. Everything is connected.

QOTP: Todd or Dirk?

Word Count: 1790

You can't help but sigh contentedly; this is the first time you've gotten to just sit and read outside comfortably. It's warm, quiet. Perfect.

"How much longer?!" a man complains, shattering your little utopia. You crane your neck around the tree you're leaning against to see two men walking down the pavement, one dressed normally, one in a banana-yellow jacket. The latter also has on a tie that may or may not have tiny ice cream cones printed on it.

"We're almost there, Todd!" Banana-Man replies.

The other man, Todd, is exasperated. "You said that twenty minutes ago!"

"Well, we're closer than we were twenty minutes ago!"

You chuckle to yourself as they stop on the pavement, continuing to argue.

"Dirk, I can't wander around the whole city with you all day!" Todd shouts.

Banana-Man, or Dirk, scoffs. "It's not the whole city! And it's not the whole day! Just... a few hours."

"DIRK!"

You jump at the sudden outburst, then Dirk sighs. "Todd, you just startled someone listening in on our conversation."

"DIRK!"

Knowing you've been caught, you peek out from around the tree. "Hello!" Dirk says, waving.

You wave back. "Hi!"

"That's it!" Todd says, throwing up his hands and starting to walk off. "I'm done! I'm going home."

"Who's going to help me find the key?" Dirk asks dejectedly.

Todd spins around so fast, you're surprised he doesn't fall. He jabs his hand in your direction, then turns around again. "I'm taking the car!"

Dirk watches him walk away, then turns back to you. "Well, I guess it's you and me now."

"Who are you?" you ask, taking the hand he offers you to help you up.

"Dirk Gently, holistic detective," he replies. "Who are you?"

"Y/N Y/L/N, confused bystander."

"Well, you're not a bystander anymore. This has to be for a reason, you know. You're a part of the investigation now."

"What, who, when, where, why, and how?"

He begins walking, so you're forced to follow in order to hear his explanation.

"What: A mystery. Murder mystery. Who: Sarah Ginger. When: Last week. Where: Her home. Why: Not sure yet. And How: Still working on that."

You walk in silence for a few seconds, pondering just what the heck you're getting yourself into, when, finally, you speak again. "Could you be a bit more specific?"

"Sarah Ginger was murdered in her home last week. The autopsy was inconclusive - there are no external or internal wounds. The police and Sarah's parents thought it best that I investigate; I'm a detective.

"Yesterday, my friend Todd and I found a map in a secret compartment in Sarah's wall and a locked room behind her bookcase. What we're thinking is that this map leads to the key, which may lead to a suspect."