The Hunter - Chapter 10 When Scarlett meet Reid

They made me into betting object, how dare they are. I’ve almost experienced the most humiliating event in my life at that slum area you know? And you make me as gambling things, I don’t believe it.

That thinking makes Scarlett so angry that she stomps her feet and leave Daily Metropolis. Well, as a reporter she doesn’t have to stay all the time in the office. She can go outside to collect news material. She gets into her car and drives to her favorite coffee shop near Sunset Lane. She used to go there to calm her mind. The barista in that coffee shop already accustomed to her order, so when Scarlett arrives there, she doesn’t need a long time to wait her order done. A cup of Java coffee presented in her table in short time with some snacks.

While sipping the coffee, she put the earphone to the recorder and start listening what she has a record last night at Joe’s Bar. However, nothing significant was recorded there. With a heavy sigh, Scarlett turns off her recorder. Her investigations about the hunter whereabouts meet another dead end.The hunter didn’t appear when she was in danger, instead, another man had helped her. Her curiosity rise when she remembers that man. This is an unexpected thing to be found there. In the nest of all decadence and moral degeneration in the slum area, there is still a person with kind heart. Scarlett tries to remember the voices that whispered in her ears when he helps her. She somehow ever listening to this voice somewhere. Scarlett tries hard to remember where she ever hears this voice with domineering tone, finally, she remembers that voice. That voice similar to the man she met at the back door of the bar.

Scarlett smiles, she finally has something worth to write. That man exists in the slum is unique, like a diamond in the muds. She doesn’t waste much time, immediately send the message to her informants to collect data and dig information about that man. After couple hours, one by one information entering her phone inbox. Start with his name, age, place and works and other personal data being gathered.

Scarlett writes down and arranges that information in her notes. After all the information has neatly arranged in her notes, she read it carefully.

“Hmmm…. Mr. Reid Blackstone, age 21 years old. He’s 2 years younger than me. Live in church orphanage since child until now. Works in there as a helper, with other jobs in various places. Currently, work as a delivery crew at a beer company. His body remarks are large burn scars in his check which result from a fire in that orphanage when he was seven. His personality is good, calm and peaceful. He did not have any criminal records”.

Scarlett looks at her note again. There’s Reid address in her note and she considering if she should go there or not. After thinking a while she decides to go there, and meet with Reid. He helps her once, so she feel at least must say thank you to him. She drove her car to the orphanage, and when she arrives there, she parks her car on the roadside near the orphanage. She didn’t immediately get out from the car. She sits inside and watches the orphanage first for a while. There’re a lot of children playing in the orphanage yards. She also sees a young man among them. He has a burn scar on his cheek.

The children play joyfully with him. Sometimes he carries to children on his shoulder and walks around the yards. The happy laugh can be heard from the yards. Scarlett smiles, she the only children in her family, sometimes she wonders how it looks like to have brother or sister in her family. Seeing the children there play happily among themselves, a little envy comes in her heart.

So, after watching for a while, finally, Scarlett get out from her car. She walks slowly across the street heading toward the orphanage. When she entering the orphanage yard, the children stopping their play and stare at her with full curiosity. One of them asked her,

“Sister, do you looking for someone here?”

“I want to speak with Mr. Reid there,” said Scarlett with a smile

“Brother Reid! This beautiful sister want to see you!” that kid shouting to Reid

Scarlett faces getting a bit blushed. She already hears many people, especially man, said she’s beautiful. But hearing that from a kid giving her another sensation, because she knows children didn’t like to pretend like adults, and what they said is sincere, coming from within their heart.She saw Reid put down the children on his shoulder and told them to play with themselves and after that come to meet her.

“Good morning miss, do you want to see me?”

“Ah yes, pardon me for the intrusion. My name Scarlett Johnson and we meet yesterday”

Reid doesn’t say anything and only titled his head like trying to remember something. Scarlett a little bit irritated with this, it’s just one night passed and he already forgets her? Her pride as a woman that called beautiful a bit hurt with that.

“Last night at the back door of Joe’s Bar” Scarlett tries to help him remember.

“Ah, that gutsy miss back there. I’m sorry, would you like to talk inside? It’s not proper to receive guest and let them stand in the yards like this”

“Can we talk in there?” Scarlett point at the chairs in orphanage veranda.

“Sure. Please…” Reid welcoming her to sit in the veranda.

After they sit there, Scarlett continuing her talk.

“Sorry, I haven’t introduced my name. My name is Scarlett Johnson”

“Hello Miss Johnson, my name Reid Blackstone, but I guess you already knew it”

“Call me Scarlett. I come here want to thank you for your help last night”

“Okay, Miss John …. I mean Scarlett. But I don’t do anything there”

“You don’t have to hide it, Mr. Reid, um … you don’t mind calling you Reid, right?”

“I don’t mind, but really, I don’t do anything big. And please leave that Mr. things, just call me Reid”

“Alright Reid, maybe for you it’s not something big, but for me, it’s something that maybe I can’t repay for a lifetime”

“Really … I only advise you not to enter the bar. That’s nothing big about that which need you to repay the favor”

Scarlett chuckled, this young man really pique her interest to the max. Either he pretending or he really humble and low profile, she must admit that he good at that.

“I’m not talking about our conversation at backdoor Reid, I’m talking about your help at the dark”

“I don’t understand what you talking about”

Scarlett smiled, it’s not easy to make him admit that he help her. It seems flank attack didn’t work, she must use the frontal attack to break him. A direct statement without beating around the bush, to expressing her mind.

“Reid, my profession require me to be a good listener. Although it’s only three sentences, I will know who’s speaking if I ever heard his or her voice before”

Reid rises both of his hands, but not over his head, just as high as his chest while shaking his head. It seems he understands it’s useless to deny anymore.

“I must praise your hearing ability then. Still what I do is just take you out from that bar. Just a coward act that use darkness to escape. Not a heroic action”

Scarlett smiled. She gets confirmation that young man in front of her is her savior last night. She doesn’t care anything else.

“Reid, cowardice or heroic I don’t care about that. No matters what means you used, you save me. That’s the fact and I’m very grateful for that”. Scarlett saying that while bowing her head as the sign of respect and gratitude.

“Please raise your head, Scarlett. I just do what I should do”

Scarlett raises her head, she can see that Reid being a little shy and awkward with her gratitude. Somehow this gives her a warm feeling that different from the first time they meet. When they meet for the first time Scarlett feels a bit scared, especially when look at Reid’s scar. But now that scar didn’t give her an eerie feeling. That scar now looks like a scar that soldier get from battles, proof of their bravery.

“If there’s something I could do to return this favor, please don’t hesitate to ask me, Reid. Here’s my card, you can contact me at that number”

Scarlett gives her business card to Reid. He accepts it, take a glance and insert it in his pocket.

“Okay I will”

“Can I come again next time?”

“Sure, this orphanage isn’t my own, I can’t forbid you to come”

“If I come to see you, would you see me?”

“Ugh … if I’m not out for working, why not”

“Can we be a friend?” Scarlett raises her hand

“Alright. We’re a friend,” said Reid accept her hand and make shake hands.

Scarlett smiled. She already makes her first step to make relation with Reid. There’s no need to rush to dig further information about Reid, she can do it later. After some pleasantries after that, Scarlett bid goodbye to Reid and leave the orphanage.