The Hostage

Happy Haley Productions

Samson walked into the studio and was met at the reception. "Excuse me miss, my name is Samson, Ruby knows my partner and I would like to know if I could talk to her?"

"Hold on I will see if she is available." The receptionist, a middle aged African woman, spoke and got on the phone. On close observation Samson saw she was dressed in a brightly coloured neon green and pink top and a black skirt. 

Sassy but professional, wonder if Ruby is like that? Samson asked himself as he looked around to see posters of the cartoon 'Mits and Kits' hanging around as well as promotional posters of other little known cartoons.

"She says before she talks to you, she wants to know what your partner's name is. You didn't tell me and she is a busy person. She had police come in yesterday and she got pissed they took up her time especially when the deadline of the next season of 'Mits and Kits' is the end of this month." The lady spoke with a tough attitude

"Well...Roxanne, " Samson stated reading the badge before adding "My partner's name is Eileen Priestwich who is currently working as a private investigator and has a few questions about the recent disappearance of Angelo and her brother Damon who disappeared ten years ago. I ain't a police officer, I just write game reviews and work night shift in a warehouse."

"Damon? Oh my Lord! I heard about him from Ruby all the time! She really liked him. Well, let me tell her." Roxanne told Samson before she got on the phone. A few minutes later she got off the phone.

"Well?" Samson asked curiously, waiting for the verdict.

"Oh she's happy to talk to you about that as long as you respect her. She has been a tad sensitive since police came. They think she has something to do with it. Personally, I think Kenny Clark has but she left. Strange woman really. All I can say." Roxanne spoke before she stood up. "Last door on the right hall is her office."

"Thanks." Samson thanked Roxanne before he turned right and walked down the hall. When he reached the door and saw the sign 'Ruby Haley' he knocked on the door.

"Come in." Ruby called from the other side.

Samson walked into the office and was stunned. The office itself was elegant yet quirky in its own way. The white walls held posters of 'Mits and Kits' which was Ruby's children's show about two kittens, one grey and one orange, that go on many adventures. A long wooden desk was in front of them and held figurines of the main kitten characters as well as a large thin computer monitor and keyboard. Samson believed that Ruby, quite frankly, believed in practicality over style. Behind the desk was a slim African woman whose hair was in cornrows. She wore a bright orange top that had a small black tie, similar to the uniform in Japan for girls. The lady also had a black skirt on with black ballet flats

"You Ruby Hales?" Samson asked curiously still trying to take in the random appearance of the office itself.

"If you had to ask then that shows you didn't read the sign." Ruby spoke sarcastically then laughed "Yeah that's me. You Eileen's partner and I have a feeling I know why you're here."

"Yeah?" Samson asked pretending not to know.

"Obviously ever since Angelo disappeared everyone is linking everything together and since Damon was the first to disappear and now Angelo, to think they both went to the same school and were friends and rivals it caused Damon's case to be reopened because of similarities," Ruby started before she took a deep breath and drank water. "The police came in and asked all sorts of questions. Literally enough that I could write a whole story. With Jackson disabled it only leaves me and Jean and since Jean cannot be found I am the only one left that remains suspicious. Quiet women always are suspicious."