Sariling Mundo

[AU] To Catch A Thief

A/N: Hi everyone! Long time no update! Sa ganda kasi ng nangyayari sa dalawa, parang reality is SOOO MUCH better than fiction.

Anyway, I've written an update for I, Explore but unfortunately, we didn't manage to post an update there.

I changed the characters' names before posting here para fit kay Maine and Alden 😉

Part 1 is up today; the last part will be posted tomorrow.

I hope you enjoy this story! Happy reading!

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She smiled at him from across the table. "I get why she would choose you," she said quietly.

He frowned, his confusion growing by the second.

She leaned back into her chair and inhaled deeply. "You're special. So very special. I understand her now."

"Inspector, please stop speaking in riddles! I do not understand what you mean and why I am here!"

Inspector Natalie Taylor stood up and leaned across the table towards Richard Faulkerson, Jr. , a good-looking man in his late twenties who was invited into the police station for a few questions regarding the increasing amount of reports of stolen valuables in sleepy Townsville.

"Really Mr. Faulkerson? You do not have any idea why, all of a sudden, a slew of reports of missing objects are filed from this peaceful community? And that you were always in the same location when the objects were stolen?"

"If you are implying that I am involved---"

"Oh no, Mr. Faulkerson, I am not implying you are involved," she assured him. "But someone you know quite well is."

His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. He turned beet red and exclaimed, "Well that's preposterous!"

"Why don't we try this then? Tell me all the details from the time you met your wife and her family until yesterday when she left for the city. Then I'll tell you what I think actually happened and how you managed to get involved."

"Do I have a choice?"

"You do. But I know that your curiosity has been piqued and like me, you would like to get to the bottom of this."

*****

It was a blustery afternoon in Townsville. Dark clouds loomed overhead and one can hear the wind howling from time to time. Walking slowly as he breathed in the smell of rain in the air, Richard suddenly felt the little drops fall as the skies finally opened up. Hurrying towards his little book shop and trying to open his umbrella at the same time, he crashed into a soft yet solid object whom he eventually realized is a woman. A petite brunette with hazel eyes that looked absolutely mesmerizing.

He could see her mouth moving but couldn't for the life of him, hear the words she was saying. Then suddenly...

*SLAP*

"I'm sorry, sir, you looked like you were in shock and I didn't know what to do so I had to slap you," she apologized in a rush in her soft, angelic voice then worried her lip.

By this time, he was already soaked by the rain but he didn't feel cold; all he felt was warmth as she clasped his hand in hers to help him up.

"I- I'm fine, miss. I'm sorry to have bumped into you and caused all this commotion. My shop's just around the corner; let me make it up to you with a dry place to stay until the rain stops and some tea to warm you up faster," he offered with a smile in her direction.