I was seated in my chair behind my desk when a knock came on the door of the office. The office was at 222 C Ambient Way. It was in the front of the two-room job that served for both work and home. My name is Drag Shergi and I’m a private detective. Detective work isn’t the best paying job so I keep things pretty simple. When I looked at the clock that sat on the corner of my desk, I noticed that it was mid-afternoon on Thursday. When my eyes went up I saw two people.

The first was a pretty thing with wavy hair down her back, wide blue eyes, and a delicate young looking face. She couldn’t have made it to twenty. Her outfit was all in white, a sleeveless summer dress which hit perfectly on her curves. Hers was a natural beauty that would make anyone look twice. What struck me as odd was that it was late-fall, but who am I to question ladies clothing?

Another accompanied her, the two as different in appearance as night and day. He was a young man who held a world weary look to him, making him look near thirty. His face was a darkened tone, with green eyes glancing about with a suspicious gaze. Strands of black hair brushed his cheeks with the rest pulled back in a scruffy ponytail. A battered trench coat wrapped around his form, skinny probably from malnutrition. He would not move into the office, but rather hung around the doorway.

I stood from my chair to greet the lady. The chair sits behind an old battered desk. To the left of that is a bookcase and to the right is a window which faces the street. It’s a second story window. The building itself was sublet into many different businesses and shops about a dozen years ago. The lady took a seat in the only chair I had, after I pulled it around.

“I don’t know how to explain this to you,” she said with a hesitant smile. “But I woke a few weeks ago in a house I didn’t recognize. I tried to remember how I could have gotten there, but I soon realized that I didn’t remember anything except my name, Mary Sukii. In a panic I ran out of the house. While I tried to find someplace I recognized I ran into him.”

“My name is Burke Lancaster,” said the man she gestured to. “I couldn’t leave her in that state so I took care of her. When she told me her name I went to inquire about where she might have come from. It was then that I learned a woman with the same name as hers had been missing for some time then had been found murdered in another town. I tried to find out if it was another girl, but the two of them have the same age and description.”

The young woman spoke up again. “I have to find out who I am. If I’m that girl reported dead then I have to find out who really ended up dead. I need to know if I’m not that girl, then who I really am.”

“Due to my past, the police would never take me seriously,” said the man. He coughed while he adjusted his position against the doorframe. “I have the money to pay though.”

“It is a curious case,” I said with a nod. I looked from the woman to the man then the woman again. “Tests will probably take money as well as time. If you’re sure about this then I can try. I don’t know how much more I can do than the police did for the poor girl found dead, but I’ll try.”

“That’s great. Mary knows how to reach me, so I’ll be on my way. You take good care of her now.” Burke Lancaster spoke while he stood upright. Before I could say a word he disappeared out of the doorway.

There was something about him that made me wary of going after him. Instead I looked down at Mary. With a smile that I hoped was reassuring, I held my hand out to her. “I’ll only need you for the tests at the hospital. After that you can go back to him. I’m not sure how long it will take, but I’ll keep you both informed as I go along in the investigation.”

With a smile like an angel’s kiss, Mary took my hand. She held it softly for a moment then broke away. She left my chair and wandered to the door. Then she lingered just outside.

I grabbed my trench coat from the back of the chair. While I slid my arms in, I pondered how I’d go about figuring out who the lady was. I twisted one button through the hole with one hand as I patted my pocket to check for a pen and pad of paper with my other hand. Assured that I had what I needed, I left the office; locking the door behind me.