Chapter 2: It's the Rain
The next day was another wet and dreary day in the city. If only the rain could wash it all away. At least wash away this retched city. She pondered how one place could hold such despair and evil. How one city could fester with so much crime and pain? Maybe it was the rain. More likely it was the pain of her lost uncle. Either way, rain has a way of making a person think too much, overanalyze. Eve sighed and returned to the pasty glow of her computer screen.
She pushed the cursor around the screen a few times. She had to believe there was hope. For herself and her family; she had to continue. She couldn't fathom a funeral without a body, and she couldn't bear the thought of years filled with unanswered questions. That left Eve with only one option- finding her uncle. It became her mantra, her own personal mission statement. An endless cycle in her brain: My uncle is missing..... I must find my uncle. My uncle is missing.... I must find my uncle.
Eve emerged from her dark moods and grabbed her green notebook from the shelf in front of the desk where she was sitting. She hid behind a dying laptop, her face lit by the pale light of its screen. Occasionally, a flash of lightening would cast deep shadows in the room from the window on her right. The rain pittered and pattered on the glass. Her apartment was small, but livable. A living room, dining room, and study all in one area, one bedroom, a bathroom, small kitchenette, and closet big enough for laundry machines and clothes. All that mattered was that the rent was cheap and in a decent enough part of town. She lived off of one small TV, a second-hand couch, and a bed with a mattress that had gone stiff years ago... but life was good. At least it used to be.
Flipping through her notes, Eve looked for any small details she might have missed. She'd lost count of the number of times she'd flipped through that notebook. She turned to the page with the latest information- the statement she received last night. She flashed on the officer's cruel words and the fact that no one had called her about this small gem of information. She furled her eyebrows in anger and gave a low growl. The police force in this city was completely worthless.
She read the lines over and over again. There had to be some kind of clue somewhere. Something the woman didn't mention or didn't notice. She decided to go and talk to this lady in person. She was almost positive of who this woman was, even without her name. Her uncle had mentioned her before. She lived in the apartment next to his. She picked up the phone from its cradle on her desk and dialed for a taxi.
Eve arrived at her uncle's old apartment with six dollars less than she had started with. She looked up at the seven story building. She'd already been here so many times, digging for clues. She walked in through the main entrance. She was glad she had hung on to the key her uncle had given her. She used to visit him at least every two weeks or so. Since her father had died when she was just ten years old, her uncle was the closest thing to a father she had. She fought back the clenched feeling in her chest when she realized once again that there would be no answer if she knocked. She tried not to look at the name on the door and instead continued on to the apartment next to it. She knocked a few times and listened for noises inside. After a few minutes of silence she tried again. She still didn't hear anything and sadly decided that the woman must not be home. She prepared to leave when she heard a faint, "Who is it?" float up from the other side.
"Hello, my name is Evelyn Corvin. My uncle James Corvin lives right next to you," she spoke loud enough so she could hear her from the other side.
The woman opened the door just enough for her to look out. She looked her up and down and when she was satisfied, opened the door fully.
"What is it exactly that you want?" the woman still looked doubtful. Eve reached for her wallet and her ID. She could understand the woman's hesitation. Crime was not uncommon even in this part of the city.
"Here, if you are anything like me, you don't trust complete strangers either, regardless of who they say they are," she held out the ID to the woman who inspected it from under thin glasses, rosy cheeks, and auburn curls of hair.
"I'm very sorry about your uncle. Have the police found out anything since I last talked to them?" she seemed genuinely concerned.
"I'm afraid they haven't discovered much. Either that or they're simply not trying. I'm actually here of my own accord. I just wanted to ask you a few questions. I'm trying to see if I can figure a few things out on my own that perhaps the police have missed."
"Well, I don't know how much I can help. I've already told the police everything I know, but I'll do what I can. Your uncle was a very nice man. I hope to God he's still alive out there somewhere." The woman paused in thought. "Well, if we're going to chat, why don't you come on in and have a cup of coffee. Warm you up a bit, too. Stay out in that rain too long and you'll end up with a cold," the woman motioned with her hand to come in. Eve followed, the door closing behind her.