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Circa 1947, San Francisco:
It was just another ordinary day, dark and gloomy, it had been raining all week, even as I pulled the venetian blinds down the rain that pounded against the window was still clearly visible. My partner Ben Kenobi was out for the night, he was more of an early bird while remained a creature of the night so in a way I worked the night shift. The smoke from my cigarette filled my office it could've been mistaken for the San Francisco fog that comes in almost every night. Our office was small it was the best we could afford, just a simple office layout two desks Ben's and my own, two leather chairs in front of the desks so we could both handle clients, a small secretary desk outside the office, it was mostly for show, we could never afford a secretary. It wasn't much but it paid the bills as well as the bourbon. Finally on the door it read in yellow paint Skywalker and Kenobi Private investigators. You don't get rich in this racket, sometimes you get beaten up, or shot at or in my case tossed in the jailhouse once or twice. In my job you meet a lot of people, some you hate, some you love. Either way they have one thing in common, that being that this city had strangled or stolen any innocence they had to begin with. You look at this city and to anyone else it shines as bright as a diamond but it's faker than cubic zirconium, Ironic for those who call this place the golden city. The beauty of San Francisco only masks its ruthlessness, she'll laugh as you fall and she'll kick you when your down then walk away with the next gullible sucker and do it all over again. In this racket trouble is usually a gorgeous face with a smith and wesson pressed against your gut. It was a pretty easy night until I heard the sound of heels click clack against the marble floor and then a knock on the door.
"Come in" I said and in walked trouble.
She was every mans dream, for a moment or two she stood in the doorway, that creamy white double breasted coat was cut a little short but did show off her curves. Shiny leather black gloves held her cigarette holder between the trigger and middle finger. That black skirt wasn't long enough to be called modest but wasn't short enough to be called trashy either. Her legs went for miles, they were finely toned, they looked so good she didn't need to wear those stockings to make them look good. You could tell this dame came from high society based on her looks, her clothes, and the way she dragged on her cigarette. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled tightly into a perfect bun. She had a small beauty mark above her her ruby red lips. As she walked closer her white heels click clacked against the floor, she knew how to walk with elegance in her step. She wore a black little hat with a veil attached to it which almost covered those intoxicating brown eyes. Yeah I knew from the moment I saw her this dame spelled trouble, so I played it cool.
"Are you Anakin Skywalker, the private detective?" She asked, her voice was deep and sultry, like when you take a long drag on a freshly lit cigarette.
"That's right sister, have a seat" I said pointing to the chair in front of my desk, cigarette in hand.
She took a seat in the leather chair in front of my desk.
"Now what can I help you with miss?" I asked, the miss was an educated guess.
"Amidala, Padme Amidala, I have a job for you" She said
"I'm listening" I said back
"I need you find someone for me, my little sister, Ahsoka Amidala, she came here with her friend Barriss Offee about a week ago and we haven't heard anything from her since" Padme finished before taking a puff on her cigarette holder.
She crossed her legs, they were wrapped in finely woven nylon grey stockings. Then she took off one of her leather gloves and unclasped her little purse in her lap. She then took out some photos of her sister and boy she a sight for my weary eyes. Ahsoka was short strawberry blonde, she looked around the age of eighteen, curillian blue eyes, legs that could rival her sisters, her body was wrapped around a crimson red lace collar swing evening dress with the sleeves cut off, with red heels to match her dress. The last thing I notice about her picture is she has a necklace in the shape of a cross, the cross shape on the necklace seemed larger than it needed to be was more petite than her buxom older sister but still extremely good looking.
"Why didn't you go to the police, I'm sure they could use the paycheck as much I could" I asked.
"Because I wouldn't want to attract any attention to myself, I guess I should explain… our parents don't even know I'm here they're away on vacation and they'll be back in two weeks, if our parents ever caught wind of this I fear it would cause them to much worry" Padme explained.
"I'm ready to pay you forty dollars a day, plus expenses, I can pay you now if you like?" She offered.
"You've done your homework I see" I said raising an eyebrow.
"Any idea where she might be, give me a place to start" I said.
"I'm not exactly sure, she did describe the neighborhood she was living in though, she said she was living in tough neighborhood, at least I thought it was tough, the manager of the rooming house was a most unpleasant person, he smelled of liquor and marijuana" Padme explained.
"No need to explain further, I know just the place to look" I said putting my hand to stop her.
"Really, where might that be?" Padme asked a little too anxiously.
"That's for me to find out, its not set in stone, it's just a guess but an educated one" I said.
"Very well here's my card, I've written my number on the back, call me the minute you find anything, anything at all" She said getting up from the chair.
"Don't worry sweetheart I guarantee I'll find her, no one worth that pay grade can hide in this city from me" I said.
"Oh thank you , you don't know how much this means to me" Padme said smiling.
"Please call me Anakin, sweetheart" I said a tad bit too flirty.
"I have the utmost faith in you, and if you need anything else just give me a whistle, you know how to whistle don't ya Anakin" she said before she left and blew me a kiss.
I let my eyes wander as she left, the seams of her stockings were straight, that wiggle dress she wore fit snuggly enough to show off her full set of curves. Whoever this dame was I felt something about her, she was one of those women who was crafted by angels. I had to be careful though given the chance there would be no stopping her from wrapping any man including me around her finger. I was surprised that she didn't try the fake tears and sob story on me like so many other women had done in the past, the only difference between them and her was they had husbands and they were being honest. Yeah that dame gave me an itch that I couldn't quite scratch.
So I found myself employed by a mysterious and alluring women who needed me to find her little sister. And forty dollars a day didn't seem that shabby either. The next question was what to do next, I knew a few places I could start investigating or I could use some of my recourses down at the San Francisco Police Department. It pays to have friends on the force.