Missing You

Chapter 4

Luke shortly arrived at the hospital and entered the waiting room, feeling a little nervous as he did so. He wasn't an investigator. He was a homeless, unemployed 19-year old without a cent in his pocket. He took a deep breath before ringing a bell on the desk. "H-hello?"

"Yes?" A woman hurried in from a back room and up to the desk. She looked him right in the eyes. "Do you have an appointment?"

"I was just wondering if... there are any witnesses from when that medicine was stolen?" Luke smiled anxiously. "I'm investigating..."

"Oh, you are?" The woman gave a smile. "There is one... Do you want to talk to him?"

"Yes please." Luke nodded and tried to smile without looking too awkward. He wasn't sure how he was managing to pull this off.

He later sat in an empty room with a chair and another chair opposite. He felt a little nervous still and hoped he could get some information out of this.

A man walked in wearing the hospital uniform but no name tag. He took a deep breath, smoothing his hair and looking anxious before spotting Luke sitting in the chair.

"Oh! It's you again! You're looking young, friend!" The witness smiled and plopped himself down on the chair, crossing his legs casually. He seemed at complete rest and didn't seem anxious at all. Luke decided he should try and play along.

Luke nodded and gave a smile. "Thank you." He felt a little anxious still, he didn't know who the man was and he got the feeling if he asked the man would stop talking and lock up the information in his mind.

"You're a little early, I still need to get the anaesthetics... Should I go get it now?" He got up from his seat.

"Well-- of course. Please do." He gave a simple gesture and snapped his fingers to get the man to rush out.

Luke heard some footsteps behind him from behind a closed door. He felt his heart speed up. Was this the person the man was talking about? He hastily stumbled away at speed and hid in a dark corner and shrunk down to try and hide.

A man walked inside, wearing dark glasses and a dark hoodie with the hood pulled up. He had his hands in his pockets and he was staring at the floor but he stood up straight and carried his height quite well. He kicked some sneakers before lifting his eyes to the door.

"I'm back!" The man in the hospital uniform ran inside carrying a chilly bin and a whole cardboard box. "I got the stuff!"

"Ah. Thank you." The man took the box and chilly bin and somehow didn't notice Luke in the corner.

"So, the famous criminal, Clive Dove... You faked your death 4 years ago and you're still out there! Committing crimes!" The man squealed. "What're you using this for anyway?!"

Luke's eyes widened at the name of "Clive Dove". "You're dead..." He mouthed and felt incredibly apprehensive.

"I'd rather not say." He said. "There could be someone listening." He swung around and left the room holding the stuff. The other man left the room as well and started calling out to some of the staff.

Luke got up and carefully crept after Clive. There was absolutely nothing that wasn't suspicious about this.

Clive was walking through the reception holding a box labelled "First Aid", with his hat pulled low over his eyes so that nobody could see his face. Luke followed him with a bit of caution but paused at the reception to quickly jot down a note saying "it was the witness" before going back to stalk his target.

Clive's car was outside and he had his head down to try and avoid attention as he walked through the hospital parking lot. Luke crept around and stalked him. He placed the boxes down next to a beat up old faded red car and unlocked the door.

Luke hopped in the back seat and threw some blankets over himself to hide and somehow Clive didn't notice while he lifted the supplies and put them in the car boot. He was trying to maintain a low profile.

Luke could feel his heart thudding loudly in his ears and a nervous ringing. Judging by the blankets and the state of the car, bags of groceries and supplies in the other seat, Clive was living in his car. He concluded it was so he could hide and stay the night wherever there was a road.

Clive took a deep breath and smoothed his hair with his hands. "Ugh. I hate my life..." He groaned and started his car, music beginning to thud through the speakers. Luke tried not to move but felt panic flooding his veins.

My old man is a bad man, sung the speakers. But I can't deny the way he holds my hand.

Clive drove and tried to keep his head down to try and potentially protect his identity. He started to drive and Luke couldn't see where they were going. He was stuck with only his thoughts of what would happen if he was found.

The car eventually slowed to a halt somewhere extremely eerily quiet. Clive hopped out and Luke assumed they'd reached their destination. He sat up and anxiously pushed the blankets away and carefully sneaked outside.

The second he left and shut the door, Clive - now with a bright blue flower tucked behind his ear - re entered his car and immediately drove away.