I sat for a while in my chair, nursing my drink, even as I nursed my bruises as well. It had been an interesting day so far, and it was not yet over. I just hoped that it wouldn't get any more interesting.

The matter with the Kochak's though, now that was disturbing. They had given me no reason to doubt their story. After all, they were a respectable middle-aged couple living in a quiet part of town. Friendly and polite. In fact, they were the very epitome of trust. Distrusting them would be like distrusting your grandparents.

What is more, they had the key on them and had been able to describe the box in detail. And they knew where it was, in a part of downtown noted for its criminal elements. It was the kind of case you took any day of the week without any questions.

Now I thought of it, that last part should have raised some questions. How would a couple like them be able to find out where the box was if it was in the hands of such rough characters? I hadn't thought of it, let alone asked it, being more interested in getting the job done and getting paid. Well, I'd paid for it all right now.

The recovery itself hadn't been too hard. A trip downtown, a scouting out of the place and then a hiring of a couple of less than lawful types to do a little burglary for me. They had sent the package on to me. It had been neat, clean and without incident. The perfect job, or so I had thought.

Sharky, though, he didn't strike me as the type who could have made up a story like the one that he had told me. It had the ring of truth about it. Which meant either he or I had been lied to by someone. How he had picked up my scent I am not sure. I had not touched the package until it had been delivered to me. Most likely he had found out those whom I had paid to get the job done and convinced them to reveal all.

I sighed and tossed back the rest of my drink, feeling it burn on the way down. It was too early in the day to be drinking. My nerves needed it though. I would have to call on the Kochak's again, to get to the bottom of the whole mess. In the meantime, there was still other work to be done. Hanes was not going to find himself, even though it would make my life much simpler if he did.

I set down the now empty glass and found the piece of paper on which Miss White had written down her telephone number. After picking up the receiver on the telephone, I began to dial in the number. It took a moment for the call to connect through and be answered.

"Hello?" The person on the other end was not Miss White. It was a gruff, male voice, one with hair on it.

"I am after Miss White," I told the person on the other end of the line.

There was a pause before an answer came. "Who is calling?"

"Mister Stone."

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"Wait one moment," I was told. A dull thunk marked the phone being put down at the other end and I heard, barely, the sound of footsteps shuffling off.

It took considerably longer than a moment. I entertained myself in the meantime by pouring another drink.

Eventually there came noise from the other end as the telephone was picked up again and Miss White spoke. "Hello Mister Stone."

"Miss White."

"Do you have any news? Have you found my Nate?"

"I am still looking, Miss White. It is early days though. There are a few more questions that have come up that I hope you can help me with."

"Of course. Ask away."

Cradling the receiver between shoulder and cheek, I recovered my notepad and pencil, making ready to jot down notes. "Do you know of the Blue Butterfly nightclub?"

"Yes, Mister Stone. Nate and I used to go there on occasions."

"So, I have heard. He was friends with a musician there, one Stefan Rex."

"Yes, that is correct. They played together at times."

"And was good at it I have been told. That wasn't what I wanted to ask about though. The last time that you were both there, a month ago, there was a disagreement."

Silence greeted me on the other end of the line for a good half a minute. I waited it out. Eventually she would find it too much and have to fill it. Then a soft sigh could be heard. "I suppose that I should have mentioned it to you. You were bound to find out."

"It would have helped," I told her. "What was it about?"

"It was a minor thing. A simple disagreement such as any couple has on occasions."

"You gave him something I was told. A small box."

"Yes."

"What was in it, Miss White?"

Another silence followed. "A ring," she admitted after a while.

"You broke off the engagement?" I wasn't sure of that, but it seemed a reasonable assumption.

"Yes." So, my guess had struck its mark. "But it is not as it seems, Mister Stone. I had said yes, and still meant it. It was just that I had reservations. On reflection I did not think that it would work out, that there were too many differences between us. He didn't agree."

"Have you spoken to him since then?"

"Yes, Mister Stone. We have met a couple of times and worked out our issues."

"But he had not proposed to you again," I pointed out.

There was a sharp intake of a breath. "How did you know?"

"I found the ring hidden away in his desk at his apartment. I had first thought he was saving it until he found the right time to do so. I had not expected that he had already done so."

"He would have asked me again, I am sure," Miss White told me, though it sounded much as if she was trying to convince herself rather than me, as if she was not certain that he would. I couldn't but help feel sorry for her.

"I plan on finding him so that he can do so," I assured her. "Is there anything else that you wish to tell me, Miss White, any other details that may help?"

"I do not think so." I didn't for a second believe that. Miss White had kept too many secrets already for her not to still have more. If she wasn't willing to share them I couldn't make her though.

"What about his sister? Do you happen to know where she lives?"

"Somewhere in Highbridge I believe."

"Thank you, Miss White. I'll let you know if anything else comes up."

"Thank you, Mister Stone."

The telephone went dead and I hung up the receiver.

I rose up from my seat, gingerly, and made my way out of the office, taking it slow as I did. I had been back and forward for most of the day and had received far too surprises, and bruises, during it. The day was not yet done though. I had far too much to do in far too short a period of time to consider taking a break. And so, once more, I headed out into the misty rains of Spire, to track down leads on two cases that were giving me no end of trouble.