Chapter Four

That Monday, I came into the office and got started trying to locate Celine. I had taken Henry’s advice and stayed in bed all Sunday though I did read Celine’s file multiple times. I knew that she no longer lived in the city, because she moved right after she graduated taking a job in Bridgeport.

Sabrina walked in. “Chief wants you,”

“Okay, be there in a minute.” I got up and knock on the door.

“Come in,” the chief’s gruff voice came through the door.

 “You wanted me?” I asked as I walked in. He looked up and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck before responding “Yes, here is your pay check from last case.” He handed me a rectangular piece of paper. “I don’t have any other cases for you”

Taking that as an obvious dismissal, I said thank you as I left.

            Back in my office, I looked up how far Bridgeport was located from here. I discovered that is was about a three hour drive from Sugar Valley.

Do I really want to make this trip, I thought to myself. I mean, I what else did I have to do today, but then again what would I say? ‘Hey, just wanted to see if you existed, because I felt like a freak all my life and didn’t want to be alone.’ I don’t that will work.

            If I didn’t follow up on this lead, what are my chances of getting another one like this one? It’s highly unlikely. After deciding to go, I gathered up my belongings and left.

            I stepped outside and was immediately hit with sharp gusts of wind. The map to Bridgeport was torn from my hands. I tried to grab it, but it slipped through my fingers. I followed after the paper, my hands reaching out for it. Suddenly it was in the hands of another.

“Is this yours?” a man asked me. His hair was jet black, but his eyes were the color of the sea. He had skin like porcelain.

“Y…yeah. Thanks,” I stuttered. The man handed me the map, our hands brushing sending shivers down my spine.

“I’m Mark,” he said.

“I’m Katie, nice to meet you.”

“Do you work here?” Mark asked pointing toward building I had just left.

I nodded and answered “Yeah, I’m a private investigator.”

“Fascinating,” he replied, “Well, Katie, are you on duty right now, ‘cause if not I know this great coffee shop near here.”

“Well, I was on my way to Bridgeport, but I think it can wait,” I replied.

            I followed Mark to the coffee place across the street from the station. It was small and cottage like. We stepped inside and a blanket of warmth surround us coming from the fireplace on the left wall. The fire- place was circled by worn plaid sofas and recliners. To the right of us were wooded tables with matching chairs.

A smiling barista greeted us. “Welcome.”

            After we ordered and grabbed our drinks, we sat on one of the sofas. I wrapped my hands around the warm cup and drank the dark liquid.

“So are you new here,” Mark asked “I haven’t seen you around before.”

“Yeah, I just moved in about a week ago.” I said taking another sip of my coffee.

“Well, welcome,”

I laughed, “Thanks, how long have you lived here,”

“My whole life,” he replied “Sad right, I know.”

“No, I wish I had lived in one place all my life. The closest I have ever come to calling something my hometown is Riverview, the place I just moved from.”

“Why did you move? You sound like you were happy there,” Mark asked

“Personal reasons,” I said vaguely. I didn’t want him to know about my obsession. The one thing I could never let go of.

 “Ah, I see.” He said letting the subject drop “Earlier you said you were on your way to Bridgeport, do you have a case there?”

I nodded, “Something like that.”

“That seems to be kind of far away for a case.” Mark commented

“Yeah, but you know duty calls.”

“Well, I hope I’m not keeping you away from something important. It’s almost two and if you plan on making it to Bridgeport before night falls, you might want to think about leave soon, but I have to say I am reluctant to see you go.”

“I’m sure we will see each other again.” I got up to leave. Mark followed.

“Can I call you sometime?”

I nodded and gave him my number before I left. I called a taxi and was on my way to Bridgeport.

            I stared out the window watching the rolling hills pass by for most of the ride. As the drive continued the hills became less and less until they weren’t there at all.  Then we came upon some multi-million dollar homes. They were some of the biggest houses that I had ever seen. I had to remember to close my mouth.

            We crossed a bridge and came to a busier part of the city. A lot of people crowed the streets and the traffic was horrible. I had to look straight up to see some of the tops of buildings. After turning right, the taxi stopped.

The taxi driver knocked on the glass that separated us.

“We’re here, Miss,” he said in a thick Hispanic accent. I paid my fee and stepped out.

            The weather was slightly warmer here. The air was thick with smog. I quickened my step to get inside. The lobby smelled of fresh flowers. My shoes squeaked against the dark hard wood floors. The receptionist stood behind a large circlualar desk. When she looked up from her computer, she greeted me. I walked over to her.

“Excuse me, but do you know the apartment number of a Celine Mitchell,” I asked

“Yes, one moment,” She typed quickly on the computer in front of her. “D114, on the 5^th floor.”

“Thanks you.”

Once inside the elevator, I felt the nerves really hit me.

This is what I have been waiting for.  My search finally ending. Could it be possible?

The elevator crept along. I wanted it to go fast at the same time I wanted it to go slower. Then the ding sounded through the speakers, telling me that it had reached my destination. The doors slowly pulled apart.

I walked down the red carpeted hallway until I came to the door I was looking for. After a deep breath, I knocked

I heard foot steps coming closer and closer to the door. I watched as the door knob slowly turned. The door opened.

This was it.

Chapter Three

Over a week had passed and still no progress on the Sanders case. I had searched all the databases for an Anna Sanders, but with no avail. None of them matched any of the girls in the picture. Instead of working on the case, I was at the moment with Henry at the junk yard. I felt I could go here to get my mind off work. It was a Saturday after all.

“Have you found any links to the berries that use to live here?” he asked me as he organized what looked like junk to me.

“No, I haven’t found the time. I have been working on this case,” I replied

“Case? What are you? Some kind police woman?”

“Private Investigator,”

“Like the ones you see on TV. My wife is into those kind of show, lord knows I don’t understand it.”

I laughed.

“Well, can you tell me about it or is it one of those if you told me you’d have to kill me?”

“Unfortunately, my job is not that exciting. No, the case is me trying to find a lady’s birth mother.”

“Oh,” he dragged out.

“Yeah, I have been working on it for over a week and still nothing.” I sighed. I pulled out the picture again and stared at it again hoping something would pop out at me. Then I notice the girl furtherest to the right's jacket had a llama. Maybe a school mascot. I asked Henry.

“Yeah, that the mascot of Sugar Valley University.” He answered

“Henry, you just helped a lot. I have to go,” I said as I ran to my house. I called a taxi and left for the library. 

At the library, I used the closest computer and googled Sugar Valley University. The school website popped up. My mouse quickly went to the tap that read Alumni. In the search box, I typed in Anna Sanders. Two pictures popped up, but only one matched a girl in the photo.

Anna Maria Sanders had fair hair that was cropped short and a tan complexion. She was smiling big for the camera making her green eyes light up. So this was Tamara’s mom. I scrolled down to read more information then tabbed over to her pictures. My eyes scanned them till I saw the one that I held in my hand only this one happen to have color. That's when I discovered that one of the girls was blue.

I quickly read the caption and jotted down the name Celine Mitchell. Though I didn’t have time to check into it now, I knew this could be my first lead.

I went to the station. It was empty save for the blonde.

“What are you doing here?” Sabrina said “It’s Saturday”

“Could ask you the same thing, but I don’t really care so I’m going to save my breath” I replied curtly and turned to my office.

I immediately searched Anna Maria Sanders in the database. It popped up several, but I found the one I was looking for. Unfortunately, this one was dead.

A newspaper article on her said that she died during the birth of baby girl.

That can’t be right, I thought, Mrs. Johnson said that she last saw her mother when she was three. Maybe she was thinking of one of her foster mothers.

Either way, it stilled didn’t explain how she ended up in foster care, because it said here in the database that Anna was married to a William Davis. Where was Tamara’s father?

After a few minutes of searching, I found him. Apparently after the death of his wife, he went crazy, blaming the child for her death. He currently resided in the Sugar Valley Mental Facility.  

I printed out the articled on her mother’s death and all the information about her mother along with her father’s information. As I waited for the old printer give me my papers, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed Mrs. Johnson’s number.

“Hello,” her soft voice answered.

“Hello, Mrs. Johnson, I am calling you to tell you that I have found your mother and father. Would you like to come down to the station today?”

“Oh, yes, I’m on my way.” The call dropped.

I sat down in my lumpy chair and took a look around my office for the first time. It was very plain with gray walls and green carpet like the Chief’s office. There was nothing more that an old wooded desk, the chair that I now sat in and two chairs in front of my desk. I made a mental note to get some plants or something for my office. If I was to stay here for an extended amount of time then I couldn’t stay in this boring office.

A soft knock disrupted my thoughts.

Thinking it was Mrs. Johnson; I grabbed the papers off the printer and sat with my back straight before I said come in.

Tamara stepped in and grabbed a chair in front of my desk.

“Your mother is Anna Maria Sanders married to William Davis, your father.” I began “She graduated from Sugar Valley University and unfortunately died while giving birth to you. Here is all the information I could get for you.”

“And what about my father,” she asked “Is he dead, too?”

“No, he is currently living at the Sugar Valley Mental Facility.”

“Oh,”

“I’m really sorry for your loss Here is the information I could get on your father.” I handed her all the papers.

“Thank you, so much.” She got up to leave. “Now, at least I can know where I came from.”

“You’re welcome,” then she left.

Case Closed.

I sat in my office for a few more minutes, before I remember the name I had gotten. Using the database, I searched Celine Mitchell. Luckily, there was only one blue Celine Mitchell. I printed out all the information on her before locking up my office.

When I arrived at home, I walked over to the junk yard where I knew Henry would be getting ready to leave. The sun began to set leaving the sky a beautiful pink and blue. The air was just beginning to turn cold for the night. I knocked on the office door of the junk yard.

“Hey, Katie. Solve that case of yours?” he said in a friendly tone.

“Yeah, I did. Thanks a lot for your help.” I said “I also think I might have a lead on the Berries.”

“Really, now”

“Yep, but I probably won’t look further into it until Monday.”

“Good, go home and get some rest. And stay in bed tomorrow.”

I laughed

“That I will. That I will”

Chapter Two

            That night I tossed and turned. My mind would not calm down long enough to get some real sleep. A loud alarm suddenly filled my peaceful silence telling me it was time to prepare myself for a long day.

My first day of work.

My boss had transferred a letter of recommendation to the station down here. I got into the field of law enforcement after I had grown tired of looking for others. Desk work just didn’t suit me so my boss set me up as a private investigator and I was good at it. One of the best in the field, and my boss assured me that I would pick up where I left off when I move though he was very upset to see me go.

            I dragged myself out of bed and into the shower. When I looked into the mirror, my eyes showed my lack of sleep. As I dressed myself, I mentally prepared for the points and stares of people. The drive down to the station was short. Before I knew it, I was standing on the threshold of my new work place. With a deep breath, I walked in.

            A flurry of activity greeted me. No one even noticed me at first. Maybe if I was lucky I would make it the door that read Chief of Police on it before anyone would notice me. I knocked on the door and a “come in,” signaled for me to enter.

            The Chief was a rather plump man, but not fat. Though he sat behind a large desk, I could tell he was stout. His hair was thinning and gray styled in a bad comb over.

“Awww, the new PI has decided to show up today. Don’t I feel special?” he said gruffly “Where were you yesterday? I was told you were going to be here.”

“There must have been a mix up, because I was moving yesterday.” I replied

“Well, in my station I don’t like tardiness so make sure it doesn’t happen again,” before I could answer he carried on “I may already have a job for you but seeing that you are of ahem color I don’t know if that is going to work.”

“With all due respect, sir I can do any job that any of you normal colored people can do, so please do not limit me because of my color. I am one of the best and…”

Chief cut me off. “Look, I’m not the one trying to hold you back. It’s just that people in this town aren’t too welcoming to Berries” 

“Well, give me the job, I can handle myself. If you haven’t notice, I have kind of been this way all me life.” I said sarcastically.

“Here’s the file, Sabrina” He called out. A short blonde came to the door. “Please show our new PI to her office. Katie follow Sabrina.”

The blonde made a come motion with her hand and turned the corner. I quickly caught up to her. For a person with such small legs, she moved fast. She stopped suddenly at a door and pointed for me to enter. Then she left without a single word uttered. I guess she wasn’t going to like me much. Fine by me. I’m not here to make friends.

 Once the blonde was gone I opened the file. I read it at least three times before I left to visit my newest client.

            A Tamara Johnson was looking for information on her birth mother. The last time she saw here mother was when she was three and now she was 30.  This type of case was not uncommon. I looked out the window while the taxi drove me to her house. We were passing a park when I spotted her. I told the taxi drive to stop here and paid my fee.

“Mrs. Johnson,” I said as I approached her.

“Yes, may I help you,” she replied, her voice very soft

“Hi, I’m Katie McLevin. I’m the private investigator assign to your case. I’m here to help you find your birth mother.”

“Oh,yes,”

“Mrs. Johnson, is there anywhere we can talk so I can get more information to begin with.”

“Here would be just fine,” Mrs. Johnson replied “I carry the only links I have to her with me; afraid I might lose it and never will be able to find her.”

We walked to an available picnic table and sat down. She handed me two folded pieces of paper. I took them and gentle opened them careful not to rip them. One was a small black and white picture of four young women and the other was a birth certificate.

I asked if she knew which her mother was, but she didn’t know. She only knew that one of them was her mother. Tamara told me that she has had the picture all her life. I studied it carefully, looking to see if any of them had features that resembled that of Tamara’s, but the photo was too worn down for me to tell. I flipped it over and discovered that there was once writing, but that too was to worn down for me to read.

Next, I looked at the birth certificate. My eyes scanned the document in search of a name. I found one quickly. Anna Sanders. Well, I have had to start from less. Mrs. Johnson and I said our goodbyes and I left for the station.

When I arrived, I made a bee line for my office passing the blonde from this morning who stared me down as I passed. Another good thing about being a PI, I always got my own office. My shoulders hunched when the door of my office closed. My body felt physically and mentally exhausted though not because the day was hard, but because even though I pretend to be ignorant to my surroundings I knew that all day people had looked, stared, and judged me. I had not been through that in nearly five years. I suddenly wondered what my new client thought of my colorful skin. She seemed to not have any qualms about it but then again, who knew?

I considered the option of just going home and going to bed, but I decide against it. Though I wanted to, I knew that I couldn’t. I had to push on. I continue to work until six, when I was officially off. I put all my files into the drawers and locked up my office before leaving for the night. I was glad when I opened the door to my house.

I went straight to my kitchen and made myself a cup of tea. I wrapped my hands around the warm cup and slipped the amber liquid. It warmed my stomach and made my muscles relaxed as I sat on the sofa. Soon the cup was empty and I dragged myself to bed. I slept until the sound of the alarm filled the air once more, telling me I had to do it all over again.

Chapter One

Deep Breathe, you can do this, I think to myself. Was I crazy for moving to the unknown, because of a rumor? But what choice did I have? To live in solitary for ever. No, I have to push on. I have to find others.

            A light breeze billowed through the air raising goose bumps on my pink arms. My white hair fluttered around cape of my neck as I look out to the rolling hills that form my new home. The scene was beautiful, yet a wave of nostalgia washed through me with a faint bit of nerves. I missed the friendly neighbors that I had surrounded myself with for the last five years in the small town of Riverview. Here in the big city of Sugar Valley, I didn’t know where to start.

            When I first turned 18, I looked everywhere to find people like me, to know I wasn’t alone. I wasted nearly two years of my life to the search only to hit a dead end after dead end. I finally decide to give up and waste no more time on the hopeless. I promised myself to be done yet here I am, at it again. Done with my self-pitying, I decide to finally go inside to my new abode.

            It wasn’t much, just two bedrooms, but I was lucky to have found it. There were not any houses surrounding it which was my main requirement when I was looking. Unfortunately, that left me next to a junk yard. I guess the caretaker, or who ever worked there, was off duty as I saw an old car begin to pull away. The car suddenly came to a screeching halt.

A middle-aged man stepped out. He was wearing a faded old flannel shirt and a pair of faded blue jeans. He began to walk towards me.

“Sir, can I help you?” I called out to him

“I’m sorry ma’am, but I have to ask. Are you pink?”

Great, just what I wanted, to be put on spotlight, when all I want was to go inside.

I waved him off and began to turn around as I answered “Yes, sir. I am.”

“Ma’am I don’t mean to offend. It’s just I haven’t seen a berry since I was a young child.”

I stopped. “Wait, what did you call me?”

The man was now at the bottom of my poach steps. “A berry, colored people like yourself. I thought people in this town ran them all out.” He seemed to be talking to himself.

“Sir, did you say you knew people like me?”

“Yes, there once was a time in this town when berries where the run of the town. I went to school with them before, well before the rebellion. I’m sorry, I didn’t even introduce myself. I’m Harry Phillips”

“Katie,” I said “Harry, are there ‘berries’ still left in here?” I was getting excited. Maybe I wasn’t as crazy as I thought I was. I might not be alone.

“Not that I have seen, though there have been rumors about berries being seen during the night. That’s why I stopped when I saw you. I just had to talk to you. Do you live here now? Do other berries live with you?”

“No, no one lives with me. My parents died when I was a baby. I never got meet them.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. I’m here because I’m looking to find more about what I am and maybe meet another.”

“Well, I’m happy to help in any way possible. I won’t bother you anymore tonight. If you ever want to talk, I work over in the yard there.” He pointed toward the junk yard.

“Thank you, night,”

“Night, ma’am.”

I walked inside my home; my head racing with thoughts. This place was giving me hope. Maybe I wasn’t alone.

Author's Note: This is the beginning of a new story I'm writing and I really don't know where I'm going to go with it. There aren't that many pictures (only two), but I will try to put up more picture for my next chapters.