"That will be $39.46." Daniel placed the 50 dollar bill into the cash register and handed the change to the customer.
The clock struck 12, signaling the end of Daniel's shift.
Now time to go to the firm. Daniel had been living in Manhattan for so long but never did he arouse any suspicion. It was easy really.
Don't get too close to anyone. Get shabby part-time jobs and never repeat the same school or college. Also living in an urban city where everyone was too busy to look at anything but their phone also helped.
Putting on the cheap black trench coat from the locker, he slammed the door shut. When walking out the main door, Jimmy, the manager blew a long whistle "For a part-timer, you sure know how to dress nice"
Daniel just softly smiled; another way of not standing out was by dressing up the way everyone else did.
Daniel left the store without giving a reply to Jimmy.
Daniel took the long way to his apartment. He had a nice spacey condo down the east street.
Daniel had a law firm down the street from the condo. That was, of course, a sham. The place was actually a cover for a private investigation firm. There an old lady will always sit at the reception, not really be able to listen to customers. This caused many clients to eventually forget about hiring a lawyer from the place. The amount of annoyed potential clients gave the place quite a reputation.
Daniel smiled, looking at the empty office with only Lisa sitting at the reception watching ball games on full volume. This is how he liked the place. If any actual clients came around they would call him first.
Walking into the apartment complex, he took the elevator. Pressing the 16th floor he waited.
The elevator went up and up till it stopped at the 7th floor. The red light buzzed and the doors opened. Daniel stepped aside letting the woman, who seemed to be in her early thirties, enter.
She pressed the 15th button and waited beside Daniel.
Daniel knew he looked to be in his twenties. But his precise age was hard to guess he looked too old to be a teenager but too young to be in his thirties. This helped as he could go to high schools as well as having a few short-lived carriers.
He felt her gaze on his face. Turning his face to her, he smiled. Her eyes looked at him in curiosity. He took a deep breath. Defiantly human, yet from the way she was looking at him.....something was amiss.
She dropped her gaze. Slowly taking out a card from her purse. Seeing that Daniel had no reaction, she dejectedly put the card back into her purse. Perhaps she had done this quite a few times today. She didn't look too disappointed as if she were expecting this outcome.
A ghostly smile appeared on Daniel's face, " Would you like to drink some vegetable soup at my place?"
Her eyes brightened immediately. She smiled, a dimple appearing on her left cheek. She extended her hand.
Daniel shook her hands firmly and just then the red light buzzed and the doors opened revealing familiar stranger with those deep silver eyes