GTP-Chapter 5

Carrie took the cab to a small, local diner. It was a quaint sort of place with a radio playing jazz in the corner and pictures of historical San Francisco eloquently hung on the walls. The floor was tiled and the walls were blue. Matching lamps hung from the ceiling above each table.

She sat on one of the stools at the bar and the bartender handed her a menu. She examined it thoroughly before deciding on a cheeseburger, fries, and a soda. The stress of the investigation was making Carrie anxious so she decided to indulge a little to help herself relax. “Yeah right,” she thought to herself. “How do you relax when one of the most expensive pianos in the world has been stolen, you are receiving notes with death threats in them, and another pianist has gone missing?”

Carrie looked around. A man in jeans and a white button-down shirt was seated a few places away from her. His short hair was spiked in front. He looked about her age, mid-twenties, relatively recent college graduate. She figured he had been watching her since she first sat down. It was a little weird, but she didn’t mind because he was kind of cute. She smiled and he returned the gesture subtly.

Carrie turned her attention to a list of desserts on the counter and tried to think about the most important matter at hand. Should she do as the notes said and pack up and return to Boston, or should she stay put and help out? Maybe there was something she could do. Besides, the investigators were bound to question her at some point since she was the other pianist that was supposed to perform this week.

Carrie sighed and put her head in her hands. Apparently the man in the white shirt could sense her stress because he moved over to the stool next to her. “Are you alright?” he asked. “You seem worried.”

Carrie looked up at his green eyes. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just a little stressed. It’s been a long day,” she replied.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” he asked, a concerned expression coming over his face.

Carrie smiled. “That’s really sweet of you, but no thank you. I really appreciate it though.”

He called the bartender over and said, “Carlos, can you get this young lady a drink, please? Put it on my tab along with whatever else she ordered.”

Carrie was impressed by his manners. He was quite the gentleman. “You didn’t have to do that,” she said. “I think I just need I hot shower and a little sleep.”

“A drink never hurts though,” he responded. “My name’s Rob Parker.” He held out his hand.

Carrie accepted the handshake and said, “I’m Carrie Jones.”

The bartender arrived a few moments later with their food and a mug of beer for Carrie. He set a glass of tea on the counter for Rob.

“Thanks, Carlos,” Rob said.

“Not a problem,” Carlos replied.

They both must have been hungry because they didn’t talk much while they ate. It was mostly just bits of small talk. They discussed where they were from and what they were doing in California. Rob had just begun working for a law firm downtown and was renting an apartment near his office.

After dinner, they took a taxi back to Carrie’s hotel.

“Hey Carrie,” Rob said. “Let me know if you need anything,”

“I sure will,” Carrie replied.

“Seriously,” Rob said. “I had a great time with you tonight, and if you need something, I would like to help you out.”

Carrie smiled.

“Thanks, Rob,” she said.

“Or we could go to dinner sometime,” Rob said smiling. “Maybe some place a little nicer.”

He slipped something into Carrie’s hand. It was a napkin from the diner with his phone number on it.

They talked a little longer outside in the moonlight. After Rob left, Carrie walked back up to her room and sat on the bed. She looked around, but found no mysterious notes. “At least there’s one good thing about this trip,” she thought, feeling tired, but excited. “I might have to call him tomorrow.” She went upstairs, took a shower, and went to bed.