The Noir series: The Dilemma of the Missing People on Blackson Street

Chapter 1: The Talk

I sauntered into the bakery, but it was as silent as a grave. The owner, Donny, a dame with a mix of light skin, dark curly locks cascading down her shoulders, and brown peepers, was sweeping the floors. Her on-brand black apron, sporting a slimy dessert logo, hung on her frame as she leaned on the broom. I took a seat, observing her quiet demeanor and sour expression. She quit sweeping and sat opposite me, like a suspect under interrogation.

"Got any leads on the recent kidnappings?" I leaned in, my eyes fixed on hers. She hesitated, her finger twitching nervously. It was clear that the abductions were taking a toll on her business - no one dared to venture down to Blackson Street anymore.

"Information doesn't come cheap, you know,"

she finally spoke, her voice tinged with uncertainty. I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out a small bag filled with gleaming gems. Donny was one for all things shiny, and I knew how to play to her weakness.

"Perhaps this will sweeten the deal,"

I offered, holding out the bag. Her eyes lit up as she reached for it, but then she hesitated.

"My memory's not what it used to be,"

she confessed, rubbing her temple. I raised an eyebrow, skeptical of her excuse. But before I could press further, she pulled back, flustered. I knew just how to disarm her - I grabbed her hand and planted a gentle kiss on it.

"Now, now, let's not play games," I said smoothly. "What do you know about the kidnappings?"

She looked away, her voice barely above a whisper: "It's a strange case, but I think someone's been...eating them." My jaw dropped at the absurdity of her words.

"Eating them?" I repeated incredulously. This case was turning out to be more bizarre than I ever could have imagined.

"Yeah...lately, I've been noticing some strange activity around these parts. There's been a sudden surge of peculiar sweets being sold, with names of missing folks plastered all over them. At first, I thought it was just some lowlife copycats trying to mimic my sweets and slimes based on the favorite foods of the missing. But then, I saw Audrey, the owner of the candy shop, dragging a suspicious black bag into the back of her store when it was raining yesterday, It had red liquid seeping out of it" Donny replied," It's enough to make a man wonder if there's a cannibal lurking in Happy Hills." I thought to myself

"I gotta find 'em before they make their next meal out of some poor sap," I replied as I handed her the bag. Thanking Donny for the information. I then left and made my way to Audrey's Freeze Dried Candy Shop. I had a lead on this case and I wasn't going to let it run dry.