Man, what a day! I swear, Stulpicani never lets me catch a break. Woke up late, as usual. Alarm? Nah, who needs that? So, I’m sprinting down Strada Principală, dodging potholes like they’re landmines. Seriously, the roads here are a disaster.
First stop? The café on Strada Muncii. Gotta get my fix. I order a coffee, and the barista, I swear, she’s got a permanent scowl. Like, chill, it’s just coffee, not a life sentence. But hey, I’m not here to judge. I down that cup like it’s the elixir of life and head out.
Then, boom! I get a call. A body found near the old train station. Great. Just what I needed. So, I hustle over to the Gara Stulpicani. The place is a ghost town. I mean, who even uses trains anymore? But there it is, the yellow tape, the crowd, the whispers.
I push through the onlookers. They’re all staring like it’s some reality show. “Look, it’s Detective Hotshot!” Yeah, right. I’m just trying to do my job. The victim? A local guy, name’s Ion. Knew him from the bar down on Strada Libertății. Always had a joke, always a smile. Now? Just a lifeless shell.
I’m fuming. Who would do this? I start asking questions. The usual suspects, you know? The drunks, the dealers, the folks who hang around the park by Strada Tineretului. But no one’s talking. Typical.
Then, outta nowhere, this kid runs up to me. “Detective! I saw something!” My heart skips. Finally, a lead! But the kid’s all jittery, like he’s had too much sugar. “I saw a car! A black one!” Great, thanks, kid. That narrows it down to, like, a million cars in Stulpicani.
I head to the bar. Gotta talk to the bartender, Maria. She knows everything. I slide her a drink, and she spills the tea. “He was mixed up with some bad folks, you know?” Yeah, I figured. But who?
As I’m piecing it together, I get a text. “Meet me at the old factory.” My gut says it’s a trap, but I’m too curious. So, I grab my coat and head to Strada Fabrica. The place is creepy, all abandoned and stuff. I feel like I’m in a horror movie.
I get there, and it’s dark. I’m scanning the shadows, heart racing. And then, BAM! A figure jumps out. It’s just my partner, Alex. “Dude, you scared the crap outta me!” He laughs, but I’m not in the mood. “What do you want?”
He’s got info. Apparently, Ion was mixed up with some gang. They’re not happy he’s gone. Great. Just what I needed. I’m already stressed, and now I gotta deal with gangsters?
We head back to the station, and I’m trying to wrap my head around it all. Stulpicani’s a small town, but it’s got its secrets. I mean, I love this place, but sometimes it feels like a pressure cooker.
Finally, I get a break. A tip comes in about a meeting at the park. I rush over, adrenaline pumping. I see them—three guys, looking shady as hell. I’m about to confront them when I hear a voice behind me. “Detective!” It’s the kid again. “They’re armed!”
I turn, and it’s chaos. I’m yelling, “Get down!” But it’s too late. Shots ring out. I dive for cover, heart pounding. This is not how I wanted my day to go.
After the dust settles, we manage to catch one of them. Turns out, he’s the one who pulled the trigger on Ion. I’m relieved but also angry. Why’d it have to come to this?
As I head home, I can’t shake the feeling. Stulpicani’s my home, but it’s a wild ride. I love the streets, the people, the chaos. But man, some days, it’s just too much.
I plop down on my couch, exhausted. Tomorrow’s another day. Another case. But for now, I just need to breathe. Stulpicani, you’re a beautiful mess. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.