The Photographer and the Thief

Chapter 2

     As Charlotte came into town that night she weaved through the crowds of people that wandered through the streets.
     When she came to her usual table outside the pub on the corner, she pulled out her camera and waited for inspiration to come. She snapped a few pictures of the people who gathered in the streets below the strings of lights that crossed back and forth from building to building. The crowds radiated excitement at the lovely decorations that Amy had been so right about.
     Charlotte continued to people watch until something caught the corner of her eye. A person in a dark gray hoodie swiftly ducked into the alleyway beside a closed café. Her curiosity got the better of her and she quickly snatched up her camera and walked over to investigate.
     She spotted the young man pull down his hood and press his hand against the brick wall as he caught his breath. She peered at him from around the corner so she would not be seen as he then ripped out a cigarette and a lighter from his pocket and frustratedly attempted to get a flame.
     The light glowed and revealed the handsome features of his face. Charlotte sucked in a breath, caught off guard as she now saw his deep blue eyes, though his jet black hair still hung over them, and sharp jawline. Out of habit, she couldn't help but raise the camera and catch the scene before her as the lighter made for such an interesting lighting.
     Before she remembered she had it on, the flash took over the whole alley, catching the man's attention instantly. She cursed at herself and lowered the camera but stayed frozen in her place. He marched towards her and in only two strides he had the camera in his hands. He looked down at her, towering her, anger but also possibly fear filling his eyes.
     Shock filled Charlotte's, but also an equal amount of anger to his. "Give it back. I should've asked, but still give it back and I can delete it." She held her hand out but he only lifted it away from her more.
     "What do you think you're doing? Who sent you?" The man kept at a whisper but for some reason it still felt like he was shouting at Charlotte.
     "Who sent me? What do you mean? No one. I take pictures of everyone in town and they never seem to mind because I guess at this point they're used to it" she held her hands up to show she was harmless. The man looked at her questioningly, still not believing her story. "Give. It. Back." she said much more sternly now.
     "Not likely" he murmured as he lowered his eyes to the camera now scrolling through her pictures from that night. He looked up to her intrigued, then back down again, then back up to her with a look of almost being impressed. "You took all of these?" he asked.
     She rolled her eyes at him, "Yeah obviously. Who else?" He didn't answer her and continued scrolling picture after picture. "Hello? I'd appreciate it if you stop looking at that. It's private."
     He snapped his focus back to her with an eyebrow raised " Oh now you care about privacy?" She shrank back embarrassed, realizing the irony of her statement, but still not wanting the judgement of her work. "Wow you really catch every detail in these. If I wasn't here already, it'd feel like I was here!" he laughed at his little joke, but Charlotte just stared down at the ground ready for this awkward moment to be over.
     "Ok I've made a decision," he said suddenly, forcing her to meet his eyes, "You are going to help me find someone who has stolen something very valuable from my family. I have reason to believe they are currently nearby this very town. I'm going to need your attention to detail," he turned the camera to her showing one of the photos she had taken at the diner of an old man drinking from a worn down mug of steaming coffee. It had been early in the morning, and the sunlight streamed across the man's face in a way that revealed all of his tired features and made the overall scene feel pretty somber. It was one of Charlotte's favorite pieces. "And I can pay you of course," He smiled at her as if what he was saying wasn't completely insane.
     "Uh what? No, I think not," she let out a small laugh assuming now he would hear how he sounded. His smile dropped and he looked back at her confused. Charlotte gaped back at him, shocked, and sighed "Wow you're serious? I don't even know your name, let alone if I can trust you!"
     "My name is Jack Dorrance, and of course you can trust me," he simply stated and once again wore a smile on his face.
     "Oh ok well then yeah, I'll go with you," she said sarcastically and hit her forehead with her palm as if she had been the one to act odd. But when his smile grew wider she realized she had to clarify, "No, I will not go with you! How can you be serious when I just found you in a dark alleyway? And you asked who sent me! If people are after you for some reason why would I feel safe going with you? And where are you going?" the questions flooded out of her one after the other, her voice raising to a full shout until Jack leaned forward and covered her mouth to quiet her.
     Suddenly all the fear and urgency had returned to his eyes and he brought his voice back to a low whisper and said "Ok I get it it is risky, but it could be fun. Yes, there are a few people after me, but you're telling me you've never wanted a little adventure and a chance to get out of this town?"
     She could practically hear her heart beating against her chest. Charlotte thought about it for a moment keeping to herself how of course that is all she ever wanted. All she ever wanted was to get out of this suffocating town. To go somewhere where she didn't know anyone and was only surrounded by strangers.
     She must not have been able to keep the look of longing from her eyes because the side of his mouth lifted up into a small grin and he leaned back finally removing his hand from covering her mouth. "As for whether or not you can trust me, well, you'll just have to trust me on that."
     Charlotte sighed, giving in, "I don't even know how I would help!" she said lifting her arms and letting them fall to convey how useless she felt she looked.
     "Oh you can help plenty! If my information is correct, they own a storage unit near this town and we can start there. I don't know my way around so you can show me," he said with a new excitement he hadn't had only moments before.
     Charlotte eyed him up and down with an eyebrow raised, "What, and you think I just happen to know everything about this town?" Jack looked at her accusingly, "Well, I basically do, but you shouldn't have assumed! Come on." She started to head out of the alley before he made her stop.
     "Wait, I- I can't go out there. Like I said, people are after me. I only just outran them. I need to find a place to hide and stay hidden while we find the person who stole from me."
     "You're kidding right? How will we do that? Your hood isn't doing much to make you unnoticeable." she blushed at how blunt she had been. "I just meant in such a small town most people notice when someone is new on the streets." He let out a small laugh but didn't say anything in response. He looked down and his hair fell into his blue eyes making him even more striking. She sighed, "I guess you can stay at my place for now. I don't really have anything of value you could steal unless you find ramen noodles valuable."
     He nodded "Sounds like a plan. Thank you." He pulled his hood up and gestured his arm to the alleyway's entrance, "After you."