Chapter 2: Blue

Blue wasn't sitting at our outdoor cafe table today. That in itself wasn't unusual. She often ran late, pursuing different leads or doing some background research and studying as part of her internship. As I sat down, however, I caught the glint of something blue sitting at the bottom of the vase of flowers at our table. Leaning forward, I took the flowers out of the vase, ignoring the protests of the waiter who had approached to take my order. Looking down into the vase, I could see that the small blue object was exactly what I had expected. A small blue pawprint-shaped sequin.

It was one of Blue's Clues.

Putting the flowers back in order to quiet the waiter, I cast my eyes around, trying to take in everything happening in the busy street around me. The cafe was not on the busiest street in New York City, but dozens of pedestrians strode past, going about their days. Taxis backed up from the nearby traffic light idled in place, while a few bicyclists wove their way around them. Across the street were a pizzeria and a sushi restaurant side by side.

What, I thought, did the Clue mean? I scanned my surroundings. Water? The glass vase? Or maybe the flowers?

There was a florist less than a block from here, but I couldn't see it from here. I looked back at the flowers. Red and purple dahlias. I looked around again, hoping for a glimpse of the distinctive blossom somewhere in the crowd of life.

There! Pinned in the knitted hat of the elderly woman who ran the newspaper stand across the street was an identical dahlia flower.

Pushing my way through the crowd of passersby, I approached the woman, expecting to get my next Clue from her, but before I had even stepped into the road, the woman turned to face me.

Rather than the wrinkled old face I had been expecting, a young, vibrant face grinned at me from beneath the knitted hat. The hat had hidden Blue's distinctive — well – blue hair.

Shedding the hat and shawl that had disguised her, Blue skipped down from the curb, weaving her way through the idling taxis. She wore a form-fitting white tank top and black cargo pants in the spring air, tennis shoes padding across the asphalt. Not the most professional outfit, but Blue liked to get out "in the field" as she put it, so heels and a skirt were hardly going to work out. It was just casual enough to get her into most clubs without suspicion but not so much so that she couldn't visit a CEO's office if she needed to.

The waiter who had made the fuss about the flowers before tapped my shoulder.

"The lady already ordered for ya," he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the table with the dahlias, where a small basket of rolls had been set. I nod and thank him.

"Only one Clue, Blue?" I give her a friendly hug before walking back to our table with her. We were partners of sorts, I enjoyed working with her, and there was no denying that she was hot, but I was nearly ten years her senior, 30 years old. I wouldn't take advantage of being her boss to start a relationship.

"I was in a hurry," she said. I knew she loved playing her little game. She insisted that it made me better at my job, which I thought was funny, considering she was the intern, not me. I did have to admit that Blue was better at finding pieces of important information than I was.

So what would be so important that playing Blue's Clues was rushed?

"I have a lead for the Piermont case."