The detective pressed his ID against the spy-hole of the door and announced his name and rank clearly and decisively.
“Police, ma’am. Detective Thomas Patterson. May I speak with you please?”
The door opened slowly and halted as the gold coloured chain locked into its catch. Patterson caught a whiff of Eastern cooking mingled with the scent of Anais Anais as an attractive Asian woman appeared behind the door.
“Yes?”
“Dectective Patterson.” Tom announced again and flashing his ID, “it’s about the prowler you reported. May I come in and speak with you please?”
Patterson stood back as the door closed towards him. He heard the rattle of the chain as the woman unfastened it.
“Yes. Please come in.”
As the detective walked into the apartment, he nodded politely to the Asian woman and stood back while she closed the door behind him. The atmosphere within the apartment was warm and inviting and, after being outside for most of the early part of the evening, Patterson was grateful as the woman ushered him into the lounge. After politely accepting the offer of a seat, he removed his coat and flipped open his black notebook.
“Now, let me see,” he started, “Mrs. Mia Ling, is that right?”
The woman folded herself into an armchair opposite and nodded.
“And this is my husband, Fali.” She said
Patterson glanced over and let his eyes scan the old Asian man sitting silently in a wheelchair. His eyes were glued to the TV set and he seemed unaware of the detective’s presence.
“My husband is rather unwell.” Mia Ling explained. “He knows that you are here but most of his body is incapacitated, I’m afraid.
Rather gratefully, Patterson returned his attention to Mia. It could be no secret that she was more interesting to look at than her husband. Patterson allowed his police-trained eyes to scan her. To say that she was attractive would have been an understatement and, the detective thought, she could easily have passed for Ling’s daughter rather than his wife. Shoulder length dark hair framed a pretty oval face with all the usual oriental characteristics. Her deep green eyes seemed to twinkle and her mouth curled into a pretty smile. She wore a simple “off the shoulder” type dress and Patterson caught himself wondering what her body would look like underneath. Clearing his throat with an uncomfortable cough, the detective brought his mind back the the task in hand.
“Yes. Er, Mrs. Ling. There have been a few reports of a prowler in the neighbourhood. I understand that you saw something earlier this evening? Perhaps you could tell me what happened?”
“Well, it wasn’t much really,” Mia started. She curled her slender legs up underneath her and Patterson realised for the first time that she was bare-footed. “I’m no prude, you understand, but I’m sure that there was a man watching me from under the window there. To be honest I wasn’t that bothered but with all the neighbours talking about a prowler…well, I just thought you should know.”
“I see.” Patterson said as he began writing in his note book
“I probably wouldn’t have noticed at all, but…”
“Yes?” Patterson looked up enquiringly from his jottings.
“Well…I suppose I noticed more because I was naked!”
Mai Ling’s face broke into an alluring smile and Patterson found himself blushing.
“Please don’t be shocked, detective,” she continued, “our apartment is fully heated and I often walk around nude.”
“Er, no, I’m not shocked,” Patterson said “It’s just that…well, you’re an attractive woman…I’m not really surprised that…er…”
“Not surprised that a man was watching me?” Mia was smiling broadly now and Patterson had the idea that there was something else she wanted to tell him.
“Actually,” she continued, “if I’m honest, I quite liked the idea of another man seeing me like…well, like that! Tell me detective Patterson, if you had seen me would you have continued looking?”
Patterson was feeling a little uncomfortable. This was not the way the interview was supposed to go.