“Hey, that’s good, it’s the first solid lead we have. You know, you should become a detective.”

“Thanks.”  I got up to leave. “Hey, let me know if anything turns up, okay?”

“Sure kid.”  I left the station and returned to the complex, after buying a copy of the Floor Avenue Journal. I opened it to find that there was a two room office for sale on Fifth and Maple. I drove over there to check the place out. I opened the door to the office and peered inside it. I saw a stack of papers, and upon opening a closet everything, including the kitchen sink, fell on me. Checking the second room, I found a leather chair at a very cluttered desk. This was the place for me. I went down street, got a loan, and with that loan I bought the office.

I went back to the apartment and found that Noah had finally returned from the museum. “Where were you?  I looked all over for you.”

“Well, there was a robbery and I was witness to it.”

“Oh yeah, sure. I bet you went off and left me there to walk home.”

“Hey, I bought a office!”  I said, changing the subject.

“An office?  For what?!”

“For me to work at.”

“Where?”

“Fifth and Maple.”

“Oh, that run down building?  Good luck!”  I told him about the rest of the events that happened that day, leaving out Tricia and my invitation. After dinner I went back to the office. Dressed in a tee-shirt and jeans I proceeded to dust, mop, sweep, and clean my office thoroughly. Then I went into the other room. While I was working I heard the door open. I turned around to find Tricia, dressed in a blouse and skirt, standing in the doorway.

“I knew I forgot something.”  I muttered.

“I went to your place, and found Noah. He told me that you were here.”

“I’m sorry, I totally forgot. What with the robbery, new office, and all… I completely forgot.”

“That’s okay. What are you doing?”

“I bought this office today. I’m gonna have ‘Adam Schofield, P.I.’ painted on the door.”

“Oh, so you’re a detective?”

“Yes”

“Oh. Can I help?”  She asked, bending down to help.

“Tricia?”

“Yes?”

“I don’t think you’re dressed right for this job.”

“Oh.”

“If you really want to help, you can go back and change into something a little less formal.”  She agreed and left. I continued scrubbing the floor. At that moment I saw Tricia’s car’s headlights shine into the room. I quickly turned off the lights and hid behind the door, waiting for her arrival. She knocked on the door, and then opened it.

“Is anybody here?  Adam?  Where are you?”  She said, advancing farther into the room. I shut the door and snuck up behind her.

“Gottcha!”  I screamed. She jumped about a foot, and then I turned on the lights.

“This was the Palette of Leonardo da Vinci, found in 1942,” she said. The viewers left and she was alone. “Hello sir,” she said to me.

“Hi. Could you please tell me how to get to the front. . .”  At that moment, I noticed a small name plate on her jacket. It read: Tricia Downing.

“Excuse me sir?”

“Tricia!  Is that really you?”

“Adam?  Oh, now I remember. We went to the same church when we were little. How are you?”  Some museum spectators came by. “I get off in fifteen minutes, can you come back then?”

“Sure, if I can find out where here is.”  At that moment a guy in a mask came up behind Tricia and put his arm around her neck, pulling her head back.

“Nobody move, or she gets it!”  He shouted, reaching into the glass case and taking the palette.

“But that’s priceless,” she said.

“Shut up, and nobody gets hurt.”  He inched his way out of the building, let go of Tricia, and dashed for an awaiting car. I grabbed Tricia’s hand, got her into my car, and tailed them. Tricia was rubbing her neck.

“Boy, he certainly meant business!”  She said.

“Did you recognize the voice?”

“No.”  I turned a corner and got as close as I could to the car.

“There, 588-HQZ, write that down.”  She found a piece of paper and wrote it down. We continued to follow him, but lost him in traffic.

“We’ll never find him now.”

“Oh, yes we will. With that license plate number, we can track the owner and find the palette. By the way, where do you live?”

“On Walnut Street, Gamma Complex.”

“I think I know where that is.”  I drove up to our apartment complex. I got out and opened the door for her. I escorted her to her apartment. “So this is where you live, I live two stories up, room 513.”

“We’ll have to get together sometime.”

“How about tonight, at my place?  Say around 8:30?”

“Okay. Until then…”  She said, as she shut the door. I went back outside and returned to the scene of the crime. The policemen swarmed all over the area. The place was roped off and police were questioning witnesses outside the door.

“Hey Sergeant!”  I said.

“What, kid?”

“I have here the license plate number of the get-a-way car.”

“That’s the break we’ve been waiting for, let’s go down to the station.”  I followed him down to the station. Once inside he asked, “So kid, what do ya know?”

“The man was about five ten, brown eyes, wearing a mask. He took off in a black Horizon with the license plate 588-HQZ. There was also an accomplice driving, although I can’t tell what he/she looked like.”

“Yeah, unfortunately.”

“Laura and I really had a good time tonight. We had dinner then a movie.”

“A movie, at midnight?”

“Well, it was the late show. Anyway, how come you never go out on dates?”

“I just haven’t found the right girl yet, that’s all.”

“Hey, I know. I’ll introduce you to Laura’s friend — what’s her name — Tricia! That’s it. She works at the museum.”

“Don’t do me any favors.” I said. With that we fell asleep. The next morning, I got up and got breakfast from outside the door. This apartment came with free meals. Although they were not much, they were free. I woke Noah up and we ate breakfast.

“You know,” Noah said, “I think I’ll become an inventor.”

“An inventor, give me a break! Okay, Mr. Inventor, fix the television.”

“Sure!” Noah said, getting up. He walked over and worked on the broken knob. After he fixed it, he said, “Here we go.” He went over to the phone, picked it up, and dialed a number.

“Who are you calling?”

“Why Laura, of course.”

“Oh.” Noah talked with Laura while I went and packed some clothes. “Hey Noah!”

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to play some volleyball.”

“Okay.” He shouted, his mouth away from the phone. I left the apartment for the gym. I went inside the locker room and changed clothes. I went out on to the court to warm up for our game. During the years I spent at college I would come here to practice and we had kind of formed a co-ed team. The team consisted of six players, three boys and three girls. I was the Captain of our team. We challenged area teams. I practiced for ten minutes, while the rest of the team arrived, and we did group warm ups while we were waiting for the other team to arrive. We played a mean game, lost two and won three of the games we played.

“Hey Adam!” Heather said. “Like, do you remember like that I won’t like be here after like tomorrow.?

“What?! Where are you going?”

“Like, Springfield, Missouri. I figure I can like get a job there and maybe like find a husband.”

“Oh. Well, good luck.” I was worried. Heather was one of the team, and we would need another player soon. Sure, we could play five on six, but it was not normal. I showered, changed clothes, and went upstairs. Noah had changed. He was dressed in a polo-shirt, slacks, and a brown leather jacket, and he handed me my jacket, a trench coat.

“Hey, come on buddy.”

“Where are we going?”

“Where else? To the museum.”

“Why there?”

“Tricia’s there!”

“Oh, yeah.” We went down stairs and got into the car. I drove us there and we entered the museum. Once inside, Noah and I became separated quickly because there was a mob of people. I walked around for a while, when I finally stumbled upon a girl wearing what appeared to be a uniform, giving information about an artist’s palette which was encased in glass.