Since Masked Rider Black was pissed about Hitomi leaving Leifang all alone, I decided to change it. There, problem solved.
Chapter 10
I was bored, tired, & stressed out. The whole day I had been thinking about Bi & her brother. And that drawing . . . It had to all mean something! Well, Bi was obviously insane. And I just hoped he didn't attract people like her often.
But anyway, I was stuck. I didn't know what I should do then. That drawing was about all I could think of. But I guess I should have been expecting that. Detectives get stuck like this all the time. Seen it happen so many times in action movies.
What would they do?
Well, they would question almost everybody the victim knew. And if they found something, they would follow it. But it could be dangerous.
I don't care as long as I find something.
I was laying on the fainting couch in the study. I didn't bother turning on the lights, because the sun was setting through window. Matter of fact, I didn't notice it was getting dark. I was staring at the softball I was tossing the whole time as I thought. The study was turning a dark auburn color instead of the usual orange, because the room was a dark color. The bookcases were of redwood like the desks, lamps, & walls. And the carpet & ceiling were a burgundy color. I loved the study because of this. It provided me with a calm thinking environment. I could stay there forever, me & the homerun softball that I hit a decade ago . . .
I caught the ball in my hands & closed my eyes, taking in the peaceful surroundings. I needed it . . .
Huang Lui!
My eyes shot open as I remembered: the note in the refrigerator from that orphanage girl.
The note on the dresser!
The other note I found from one of the bouncers.
Knowing this, I had to find those people. They had to know something. I quickly got up & off the couch & went over to the desk for the computer.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I was on my way to the Deng Zhengnu orphanage in the Lilau Square of Macau. Macau was very beautiful. But nothing I haven't seen before. I just haven't visited it before.
So this is where Jann Lee was raised?
I've heard stories of Macau when I was on the hydrofoil. This man was telling me all about the city. I don't remember how I got into a conversation with him, but I did. I didn't say much either. I just listened. He had lots to say. I was holding onto the rail, staring at the water as the ripples passed by & just watching my reflection as if she were talking to me instead of that man. I could see her lips moving. She must have been very lonely or bored to talk so much. I stared at her hair as she talked. It was a mess, because of all the wind. It was flying all over her face, but she didn't seem to care as long as she said what she wants to say.
And her friend was paying someone a visit for her. It was important to her.
"My wife's been telling me in letters about the races there. She was in the front row when a car collided into another car & crashed into the stands."
"Isn't she pregnant?"
"Yes, but she's strong. To her, that accident's like falling off a bike. She said she was fine."
"Oh."
I put my head down after that. I was getting tired & if I didn't move around much, I was sure I would fall asleep in the warm, quiet surrounding.
"There's the port," the man had told me.
I had stood up & looked out into the horizon. I could already tell Macau was a prosperous place.
But back to my original story. It took me about an hour & a half before I reached Lilau Square by bus. But it was worth the ride. There were lots to see. The buildings were Portuguese style which seemed odd, but interesting. They were stone or brick with arches, pillars, & in various colors. And with the sunny shining like it was, it was very exotic. The roads were bricks or stones, too. The people there wore strange clothing. I can't really describe their strange clothing, but the clothes weren't seen often in Hong Kong. Macau was very different from my home. It seemed as if I were in another world.
When I got off the bus at my stop, my legs were wobbly. I had a bag with me, because I didn't know how long I was going to be in Macau. I had spent three hours on the hydrofoil & an hour & a half on the bus. I awoke early that day, because I knew the trip would take a long while. Now it was eleven o'clock in the morning. I didn't tell my parents about my trip. They didn't need to know what I was doing. They were already treating me with extra TLC. I didn't want to worry or upset them even more. I planned to tell them I was staying at Mei's house when I got back so they wouldn't find out where I really was.
The Deng Zhengnu orphanage was only two blocks from where I was. It took me ten minutes before I reached it. I asked people for directions on the way. They were easy to follow so I got there quicker than I thought. Meanwhile, I took some pictures! I was planning on showing Hitomi them & bragging about all the sites I saw! I took some pictures of the buildings & some of the parks! And some statues!
I was in front of the short, black gate to the orphanage. There were kids playing in the yard with some of the assistants watching them. Some of them were playing with the kids & some were talking to one another. The kids looked like they were between the ages of four & twelve. The girls wore navy blue skirts with long sleeves & navy blue stockings & shoes. The boys wore navy blue jackets, pants & shoes. And another thing I noticed was that most of the assistants were female wearing white, button-down skirts that bared long sleeves & black stockings with black shoes. I tried to imagine Jann Lee in that navy blue outfit . . . Couldn't really see it.
And behind them was the gray stone building. It must have been three stories high like most of the buildings in the Lilau Square. Some of the kids stopped what they were doing & looked at me. I gave them a smile to let them know I meant no harm, I was just curious. One of the assistants came over to me when the kids were staring a little too long & I was waving at them.
"May I help you?" she asked me.
"I've come to see Huang Lui," I responded, "Is she here?"
She stepped back sort of surprised & gave me that look.
Am I asking the wrong question?
"Huang Lui? Why might I ask do you want her?"
I guessed it was okay to tell her why. At least part of it.
"I want to ask her something. I've come a long way. From Hong Kong. It's important."
"A friend?"
"A friend of a friend, actually."
". . ."
I smiled as she tried to figure out what I meant by that.
"Well, follow me."
She opened the gate to let me come in & I followed her into the orphanage. The kids were staring at me the whole way.
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Macau is a real city in China & it's near Hong Kong & Lilau is a real square. I didn't make anything up . . . Well, I did make up the orphanage & its name. Other than that, it's all real.