My dad has been diagnosed with Cancer, we don't know what to do so I'm gonna stop writing for a couple of weeks. He's undergoing surgery this Tuesday and I don't know what to do but just help out as much as I can and not be distracted. Thanks for reading you guys are great.
See y'all for now..
After a few minutes of only hearing incoherent mumbles and rustles here and there, Natalie had finally given up.
She decided to approach with caution. She knew her imagination was probably getting the best of her but it was bound to happen since her job has taught her never to rule out trouble, even if the situation looks normal.
She breathed in deep and felt the coolness of the brass knob as she slowly turned it. The apartment door opened quietly and some light shown through the ajar door. Natalie sneaked her head in straining her neck to take in her surroundings. The place looked to be nothing out of the ordinary.
She cracks open the door some more wincing at the sound the door made and stepped into the room.
"Oh Adrian!" Exclaimed a female voice coming from the living area.
The laughter started up again and this time Natalie could hear Mr. Monk's too.
She froze for a moment feeling like she was having an out of body experience and slowly started to inch herself toward the entrance to the living room.
A million questions racing through her head all at once as the laughed continued.
She shook her head suddenly, 'this job must be really getting to me.' She thought grimly inching even closer.
Finally, Natalie forced herself to relax and walk the rest of the way at a normal pace.
When she had made it to the entrance, she nearly gawked in surprise at the sight.
There in the living room sat Mr. Monk and a very pretty woman, who seemed to be doing all the laughing while a flustered looking Mr. Monk sat nervously by her side with a shy smile on his face.
Natalie almost wondered if she was really dreaming, she just couldn't believe what she was seeing,
Who is she! Natalie pondered observing the mysterious woman.
She was a blond with strands of honey colored highlights and she was turned towards her fickled boss so Natalie couldn't see much of her face. Her outfit was a dark gray ruffle silk shirt, a light cream over sized sweater wrap, a simple brown skirt, and nude peak toe plats.
She must be a client. Natalie realized now feeling silly for her previous suspicions and put on a smile. Whatever ill feeling she had had before in her stomach was long gone now.
Monk must have just now notice Natalie because he had jumped when he had seen her standing there. Natalie watched his facial expression go from surprise to happy and then to apprehensive all before the woman finally turned to look at her.
The woman looked to be in her mid-thirties though she was pretty enough to pass for twenty something. Her hair was the same blonde color with a few front layers hugging her oval framed face. She seemed to be Caucasian with some Spanish trait and looked as if she had an intelligent spark in her bright blue eyes.
Ugh, Natalie could already tell she was going to disliked this stereotype blond. I mean what did she want Mr. Monk to do search for her lost Gucci bag. Natalie thought sourly, envious but pushed aside her thoughts as the woman smiled at her.
"You must be Natalie!" The woman uncrossed her long slender legs and stood offering her dainty hand to Natalie.
"That's me." Natalie replied releasing her grip and took a seat adjacent from them on Mr. Monk's recliner.
"It's so nice to meet you, Adrian here has told me about you!" She announced placing her hand on his shoulder and giving his a light pat. "I'm Linda by the way, I know I should have said that earlier but I'm just so excited to meet you!" She finished bubbly.
Natalie had to resist the reflex to eye roll at this woman, she expected this but she had hoped to have been disappointed.
"So what can we do for you?" Natalie replied, not sound as polite as she could sound. She was ready to end this day, another case especially by someone so upbeat would have to wait until tomorrow.
Linda looked at Natalie with a confused expression, "What do you mean?" She tilted her head looking from Natalie to Monk then back to Natalie.
"You know," Natalie went on impatiently," Your case. You came to Mr. Monk with a case, right?"
Linda's eyes widened and she turned to Monk.
"Adrian!" She nudged his shoulder playfully. "You didn't tell me you were a detective, how neat!" She beamed excitably while Mr. Monk looked down modestly.
Only he wasn't.
"We'll," he began, slung his arm over the back of the couch,"I have solved over 130 cases." He boasted, grinning like a psychopath.
Linda smiled.
"Wait." Natalie interrupted confused." If you're not here for that, then why are you here?" Natalie questioned rudely. She knew she could have worded it better but she was getting to tired to care.
Linda however didn't seem to notice or if she didn't she didn't say anything. "Oh, I'm new to here and just rented the apartment a couple of doors down." She explained smiling broadly.
"You mean, room fourteen down the hall right by the elevator?" Natalie asked making sure she had that right. Something, she realized didn't fit.
Linda nodded looking confused.
"Sorry, It's just I thought someone already lived there." Natalie explained watching their guest with a suspicious attentiveness.
Linda shook her head with the same bewildered expression.
"Oh you mean the Peterson, " Mr. Monk interject, "I heard them this morning, they were all excited. They even came to me to tell me they had won a contest or something like that and were planning to move and travel the world, isn't that crazy?" Mr. Monk chuckled muttering something under his breath.
Natalie almost scoffed when she made out the words 'lucky hicks'.
She shook her head not at all amused. Mr. Monk had been trying to get them to move ever since they had came over months ago. They had come from Louisiana, nice people from what she could tell but when they had left Mr. Monk had scrubbed down everything they had touched. He was convinced that down in the south they didn't shower often and they all lived in shacks near the swamp.
"Oh well they're happier now, banjos and all." Mr. Monk subconsciously dusted himself off while Natalie amusingly realized that Mr. Monk was probably dusting off a hug he had received from the overly excited couple.
Natalie would have scolded him by now but remember Linda whom was sitting very quietly for the first time since Natalie has met her.
Linda had been watching both her and Mr. Monk with an unreadable expression.
"So how did you two meet?" Natalie decided to asks, wondering why Linda didn't just knock on her neighbors door for a chat... Why had she picked this door to knock on?
"Well," Linda began, " It's actually a funny story, I got here all excited ready to unpack and settle in when this huge roach crawled over to me!" She shook disgusted as she said it, " Then I let out this really big scream and ran to get help. I got Adrian there and um.. " She looked at Mr. Monk amusingly.
"And then I screamed." Mr. Monk finished for her, bashfully looking at the ground.
"Oh don't worry, If I ever have another roach problem I'll knock on someone else's door." She laughed affectionately, brushing imaginary dust off her blouse.
Mr. Monk seemed to get all flustered again under Linda's gaze so Natalie spoke up," How long are you staying?" She wondered after her laughter died off about the roach incident. Of all the ways to meet a woman. She grinned.
"I don't know," She admitted," My moving was very sudden." She paused as if deciding wither to continue or not.
Natalie opened her mouth to question but Linda's cell phone started buzzing.
"Oh I've been waiting for this call, excuse me for a minute." Linda announced getting up and taking her call out of the apartment.
After she heard the door close, Natalie let out a long sigh and turn to an absolutely giddy Adrian Monk who was barely able to contain his excitement.
"So." Monk found himself saying before he could stop himself.
Natalie resisted a sigh, "Well she's something." She worded feeling like an ass. There was just something off about Linda.
Monk's face dropped slightly but didn't push it. He was on cloud ten since cloud nine sounded so impractical.
"Okay, talk to you later." Linda hung up as she walked back into the room.
She looked at Mr. Monk with a pleading expression. "I am so sorry to have to end this visit so short but I've got to go in for an interview, new job. Can we pick this back up tomorrow?" She pleaded with big guilty eyes towards Adrian.
"Of course," Mr. Monk got up and grabbed her coat from the hanger," I'll be here, whenever you need to talk." He helped her put on her coat.
She turned after he was finished and gave him a hug which, to Natalie utter surprise, Mr. Monk accepted without flinching.
"You're a jewel, Adrian Monk, I'll see you tomorrow! She released him. "Nice to meet you Natalie!" She added before heading out the door and shutting it behind her.
When she was gone and out of ear shot, started to whistle as he headed back to the living room. Smiling and even dancing to his tune, he seemed to be in his own little world.
Natalie watched trying to decide wither this was a good thing. It certainly seemed harmless, she figured deciding to let it be, for now.
"A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction." Larry Kersten
Review please.