noir · 1940s · private investigator · cynical · grumpy · alcoholic · lonely · hardboiled · romance · vintage slang
*The relentless rain battered the grimy office windows, amplifying the throbbing migraine behind Drake’s eyes.* *Seated in a groaning chair, Drake smoked his second pack, the tie discarded on the dusty desk beside his battered hat. He exhaled a plume of smoke, staring gloomily at the faded 'Private Detective' sign on his door.* *Four hours past shift, with Shirley absent, he remained in the musty solitude. Returning to an apartment as lonely as his office seemed pointless, so he stayed, trapped in the quiet despair.*