Trapped!

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

"Thanks you too" the man said and then walked out of the shop with his family.

[The SheoDovah]

Lucy sat down on the stool which was behind the till and kept an eye on the shop floor.

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

Nobody else came into the shop for the rest of the day. The day quickly turned to night.

:

7:00PM

[The SheoDovah]

Lucy was very disappointed by the lacklustre sales she had made today. In total, she had made a grand 8 dollars. She locked up the shop and put the cash into the safe then locked it. She got into her car and decided that she would eat out tonight. She started to drive towards the nearest restraunt.

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

Lucy soon arrived at a restaurant called Pam's Diner.

[dzio]

Ela still wasn't convinced, but the man really sounded upset, so she decided to give him a chance.

"I'll make you a deal - I have some time and I really need some coffee. So if you show me a place here that sells something drinkable, I will listen to this long story of yours and help if I can." She smiled. "Extra points if there's a table outside where I can have a smoke."

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

The man smiled, "Okay great, hop in the car" he said and then walked to his car.

[dzio]

Ela put her hands on her hips.
"Wait just a moment, mister! I said I would go have a coffee and a chat with you, not that I would let a complete stranger drive me gods know where." She looked around. "We're right in the center of the town, there must be at least one decent cafe within walking distance."

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

The man got out of the car. "You are right, I'm sorry. There is a diner close by here. I'm sure that they will have coffee and I know they have seating outside. Lets starting walking." The man said to Ela.

[dzio]

Ela extended her hand. "I'm Ela," she said. "Why don't you tell me your name and explain what exactly the problem is?"

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

"I'm Frank I'm also a bartender. So it all started when some people came in and wanted a lot of drinks I said no because I wasn't going to give them so much tequila because that be crazy. I chose the wrong answer because they started destroying the place, they then took my grandmother's necklace and refuse to give it back. Also if I call the police the police they will kill me, So can you please help me I totally understand if you don't want to." Frank said to Ela.

[dzio]

Ela thought about it for a while. It sounded rather strange to her and she still couldn't understand why Frank would choose her. She certainly didn't look like someone who could deal with a group of angry and clearly dangerous drunks.

"I have some questions, if you don't mind," she said finally, lighting a cigarette. Nicotine always helped her think. "First of all, how could they steal the necklace? Do you keep it at the bar? Because you don't look like someone who wears old lady's jewellery," she smiled at him. "And who are those drunks, do you know anything about them? And the last question, I think the most important one." Ela stopped and looked at Frank. "What made you think that I could help you against people who threatened to kill you? Or that I would be willing to risk trying?"

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

"I keep the necklace in a display case in the bar. I don't really know anything about these people and lastly I have been trying to get people to help I have not have any luck so now I am just picking people off of the streets." Frank finished hoping that Ela would help him.

[The SheoDovah]

Lucy looked for somewhere to park.

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

There wasn't much spots to park, but there was a few near the diner.

[The SheoDovah]

Lucy parked in the nearest space near the diner and payed for a ticket if it was required. She got out of her car and locked it after the engine had been turned off then entered the diner.

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

"Welcome to Pam's Diner, how many will be in your party?" A young man asked Lucy.

[dzio]

"Don't you have any friends or family here? Neighbours? Co-workers? Anyone better suited to something like this than a 5 foot tall schoolteacher on vacation?"

She sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. But you have to admit that the idea of me taking on a gang of dangerous thieves is a bit ridiculous. I mean, look at me!" she exclaimed, spreading her arms.

She frowned. "Which reminds me - how do you know they're so dangerous if you know nothing about them?"

[The SheoDovah]

"Good evening, it's just 1 for tonight." Lucy told the young man in a polite manner.

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

Ela
"From the bar the seemed so dangerous and" Frank paused "If you don't want to help I understand," he said.

Lucy
The young man smiled "Alright right this way" he said and then started to walk to her table.

[The SheoDovah]

Lucy followed the man to her table and would sit down at it.

[dzio]

"There's a difference between thinking that someone is dangerous and being so sure of it that you'd rather ask a plump chain-smoker for help than talk to the police. Did they do something that made you think they'd really kill you?" asked Ela.

She was beginning to think that maybe Frank wasn't thinking clearly for some reason. What happened to him had certainly been frightening and very stressful, but the way he went about dealing with it seemed crazy to Ela. She'd understand if Frank had decided to let the whole thing go rather than risk the thieves' retribution, but asking her for help in getting the necklace back didn't make any sense.

[>EnterUsernameHere<]

Lucy
"Here you go" the young man said to Lucy and put down one menu. "Your waiter will be right with you."

Ela
"They put a [&@%!] knife to my throat and said if I told the police they would kill me, if you do not want to help I understand." Frank finished

[dzio]

Ela put a hand on Frank's arm. "Hey, of course I want to help. But we have to think about this. Maybe there is some way to get them arrested without putting you in danger." She started walking again. "Come on. I'll have this coffee and you look like you could use something a bit stronger."

[The SheoDovah]

"Thank you." Lucy said as she looked at the menu.