ℂ𝕃𝕆𝕊𝔼ℝ 𝕋ℍ𝔸ℕ 𝕐𝕆𝕌 𝕋ℍ𝕀ℕ𝕂

║ EIGHTEEN║

   "I AM GLAD YOU MADE IT HERE, KYLE." Neil said taking Kyle's hand in a firm clasp, shaking it.
"Good to see you again." Kyle smiled as he sat down on the chair opposite Neil in the coffee shop where they were.
"Likewise, so how have you been?"
"I have been having a hard time." Kyle ran his hand through his long black hair.
"Really? What's wrong?" Neil leaned in, creasing his forehead.
"I am in huge debt, I haven't paid for my house rent."
"How come, what do you do for a living?"
"I am a business man."
"What kind of business?" Neil took a little sip from his cup of warm coffee.
"Uh... trade, importation and exportation."
"Of what?"
"Guns."
"Oh, okay," Neil concealed his amusement. "but, if you do that kind of business, you are supposed to be a multi millionaire."
Kyle chuckled. "Well, maybe. But eversince the new elected prime minister of England came into power, my business didn't prosper. The new prime minister is so strict." Kyle stirred his coffee with a spoon.
"Hmm," Neil sighed  "I suggest you look for another job then, if it is to be a janitor... at least it's something."
"What did you just say? Janitor?" Kyle laughed, "Do I look like a fool to you...pfft, what do you take me for? Look, that's the last thing I'll ever think of doing."
"Why? I don't see anything wrong with that."
"That's you, but as for me, I see something wrong with it."
"It was just a suggestion, I didn't say you should do it."
"Yeah, I know." Kyle bit his lips and sighed.
"So... um, did you come with the picture of the gun."
"Yes, I have the picture in my phone."
"Great! That makes it easier, please can you send the picture to me"
"Sure."
"Th...ank you." Neil said after Kyle had sent the picture.
"Do you have any news about your friend, Gary?"
"Don't call that dork my friend. I don't have any news about him." Kyle snorted.
"Sorry, he was, then." Neil laughed.
"Yes, he was."
Patting Kyle's hand across the table, Neil stood up from his seat. "I have to go, I need to catch up with a lot of things, thanks for your time."
"Okay."
"Don't bother paying for the coffee, I have taken care of it."
"Thanks."
Neil waved at him and left immediately.

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    Starring at the picture of the gun on Neil's phone, Nicole bit her lips thoughtfully.
"This is a hand gun but I can't tell if the bullet is a rimfire." Nicole told Neil, who was on the computer system, typing in some information based on the Murder case.
"Your right. We just have to keep on looking for the smart killer, if not..." he sighed.
"So what do we do now?"
"Wait for God's intervention."
Nicole rolled her eyes, pissed.
"That is the only thing we can do for now, we can't kill ourselves because of just a difficult murder case, Miss Harper. Look we've tried our best. The DNA gotten from the brown socks didn't help matters, it doesn't have enough DNA to find the killer."
"I know," she rubbed her forehead, confused. "I am quite confused. I don't know what to do anymore, my brain is just blank."
"What you need to do is pray for God to give you direction. I have been praying and I know he will answer, he makes things beautiful in his own time. What I just need to do, is to be patient."
Nicole sighed deeply, smiling wryly. Standing up from the chair she sat on, with a case file in her hand, she said,
"Thanks for your concern. If I have a problem I can handle it myself." with that, she left the office and went home.

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    Yawning and stretching, Nicole stood up from the couch lazily, this was where she had dozed off when she came back from work, exhausted. She quickly buttoned up her shirt, she had unbuttoned when she came back from work, she plodded to the door to open it. A knock had interrupted her nap, she looked through the peephole to see the rude person who disturbed her sleep. The person was looking sideways but she could tell the person was a man and it wasn't Alfred, the person had a dark skin colour unlike Alfred who is a white person.
She opened the door quietly and greeted.
"Good evening," she smiled. "how may I help you?"
"Good evening, I am Ryan, your nextdoor neighbour."
"Oh, were you the one who greeted me the other day?"
"Yes."
"Ooh, please come in." Nicole opened her door wide as she stepped aside.
"No, thank you. I'd like us to discuss here on your porch, it's an open place plus it's more airy here than when  inside."
"Okay." Nicole straightened her blouse, wearing her flip-flops which she usually leaves on at her doorstep and came out to sit down on the wooden chair on her porch.
"Nice to meet you." Nicole said as the man sat few inches away from her.
"Likewise. I am Ryan Stanfield."
"I am Nicole Harper."
"Hmm" The man smiled.
"You said you live nextdoor, but how come I've never seen you around this neighborhood? Are you new to this neighborhood?"
"Let me answer your first question, the reason you haven't seen me is because of the nature of my job."
"What do you do?"
"I am a pilot."
"Oh my, seriously?!" Nicole exclaimed.
"Yes."
"That's a risky job you know?"
"Of course, I do. it's good to take risk."
"Yeah, sometimes."
"Um, the reason I came here is to invite you over to my house to join me in the the celebration of my homecoming party."
"Okay?"
"I would really appreciate if you can make it."
"When is the homecoming party?"
"Next month, the first Saturday of the month." the man smiled again.
Nicole pressed her lips into a thin line, thinking about the invitation.
"I will think about it, I don't want to promise you something I will end up not doing and due to how my schedule is, I also work on weekends sometimes. I will ponder about it and give you my feedback before the day of the party." she said.
"It's no problem," he stood up, dusting his denim short. "I will be expecting your reply. Bye."
"Bye." she waved at him as went into her apartment, plopping her exhausted self on the couch and sighed. Her stomach rumbled and that reminded her that she hasn't eaten since she got home.
"This troll has started crying again." she patted her stomach, walking to the kitchen to fix dinner for herself.