Part twelve of Lilith's Escape

The next morning, Edward began to search for the missing man. He had a name, an old photo and the last known address for Lawrence Levi. This investigation would take him to a rundown section of London. After flagging down a taxi, Edward climbed inside.

                                      

“Are you sure you want to go there?” the driver asked.

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“There was another shooting last night, possibly gang related. Several people were killed…didn’t you hear on the news?” the driver asked and quickly glanced in the mirror to catch his customer’s reaction.

                                           

“No, I’ve been distracted with other matters, but there’s always trouble in that section,” Edward replied. He wasn’t concerned, he was armed.

When the driver realized that his passenger wasn’t at all worried about the shootings, he talked about the weather. “Strange even with all the rain we’ve been having, there’ve been reports of dust storms on several of the streets.”

                                             

“Lilith,” Edward thought to himself. It had to be her car.

When the taxi had finally reached its destination, Edward handed the driver money to wait for his return, but the driver appeared uneasy with the request. “I won’t be able to get another taxi as easily in this neighborhood,” Edward argued.

                                           

“I’ll come back in one hour,” the driver suggested.

The deal made, Edward entered the apartment building. He made his way up the three flights of stairs and each flight brought its own symphony of sounds, a baby’s cry, a couple's disagreement, and a woman crying…sounds from people who were trying to survive in a heartless world.

                                                       

When he had reached apartment 320 C, he knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked once more and this time with more force, but still no sound of movement or reply.

                                                

“What do you want?” the elderly woman asked. She stood in the open door of the apartment across from where he was standing.

“Do you know the man who lives here?” Edward replied to her question with one of his own.

“Keeps to himself, but I haven’t seen him in a week,” she replied, but when she realized that Edward had no further questions for her, she closed her door.

He picked the lock and quietly entered the apartment, making sure there were no nosey neighbors observing him. The placed had been trashed, but what troubled him more was the spot on thr rug near to the overturned sofa.

                                             

                                                       

                He knelt down and touched the dried blood. Did this blood belong to the man he was searching for? If not, whose blood was it and where was Mr. Levi? He sure as hell wasn’t looking forward to telling Lilith about this.