The backstreets were so quiet, eerily quiet. I imagined running into Alan, having him all flustered and upset and saying he got lost and he was so sorry for letting me down. Of course, after a while I stopped dreaming false securities, certain something had happened. That's what he'd said at the office: '…Assume I've been kidnapped'. He had only been joking, but still.
I could feel my throat growing tight. There wasn't a trace of him. Eventually I decided to go into a shop and ask to use their phone. There was one nearby with the lights still on, so I guessed the chap was sorting stock at the end of the day. The door wasn't locked so I just went right in. I looked round to find whoever owned the shop, only to find it empty. The back door was open, but it all seemed pretty derelict. Even so, I went to go out the back when I stood on something. I crouched down and picked it up. I traced my thumb over the silver object in my hand. I knew what this was: it was the clip from Alan's bolo tie. I knew he'd mess about with it without realising it when he was nervous or scared. Likely it'd fall off in a struggle if he'd been playing with it. My heart sank when I realised what had happened: the owner of this shop must have taken him. Alan would never intentionally miss a night out with me. I clenched my fist, the clip biting into my hand. I looked round the shop again and spotted a phone. I picked it up and went to dial William's number but quickly realised it was broken.
I couldn't wait around looking for another phone. Quickly, I ported to William's home, knocking quite frantically. The door opened within seconds.
"Will, mate! You gotta help me here! I found – uh, is that blood?"
He glanced down at his hands and nodded.
"Yes. Grell tripped in those stupid heels and caught his head on the corner of the coffee table. I was just about to wash it off" he explained. "Come in: it's cold"
I nodded and stepped inside, kicking the door closed behind me. Will raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to follow him to the kitchen. He quickly washed his hands before addressing me again.
"What did you find?"
"Yeah, well, I sorta gave up lookin' an' went t' find a phone an' I found this old antique shop an' I thought it were empty so I went t' go out t' back door cos it were open an' I found this" I held out the clip. "So I reckon, whate'er owns that shop got Al. But I don't know how t' go about getting' 'im back"
"Well, first of all, we need t-"
"Was it Angel Wing antique shop?"
We both looked up to find Grell stood in the doorway with his shirt off, a bandage round his head.
"You should be resting" William said.
"It wasn't that bad. I'm fine, father" Grell answered.
"The state of today's shirt, your forehead and the coffee table says otherwise"
He just rolled his eyes. "Owner of Angel Wing's a doll maker"