They came to the homeless shelter to get more info about the man. The woman on the phone had said she knew him and now she was waiting for them at her desk.
‘When was the last time you saw Mr Bleak?’ asked the inspector. His partner decided to let him do the talking.
‘I don’t know. I would say it was over two weeks ago,’ replied the woman. She was leaning against her desk and in her right hand she was holding her glasses.
‘And he didn’t come here again.’
‘No, he didn’t.’
‘Maybe one of your colleagues saw him,’ suggested the inspector.
‘I am here every day and I am telling you he wasn’t here since then. He used to come only once or twice a week. Sometimes he didn’t show up for a whole month,’ said the woman.
‘What else can you tell us about him?’
‘Not much. He never gave any trouble. He just came in, had his meal and spent a night or two. He always helped with little things around. He was a gentleman. Quiet and friendly.’
‘Did he have many friends here?’ asked the inspector’s colleague. She was standing right next to the inspector and she was looking into the woman’s eyes.
‘No, actually he didn’t have any friends. Every time he came he sat alone.’
‘Do you have any idea, why he jumped? Did he look worried about something two weeks ago?’ asked the inspector.
‘No, I wouldn’t say so. He looked OK to me,’ replied the woman behind the desk. ‘Anyway, why are the police interested so much in a dead homeless man?’
‘Because he wasn’t homeless.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘He had half a million in a bank account on his name.’
shelter /ˈʃeltə(r)/ – (prístrešie) – a building, usually owned by a charity, that provides a place to stay for people without a home, or protection for people or animals who have been badly treated
lean against /liːn/ – (opierať sa o niečo)- to rest on or against something for support
show up – (ukázať sa, prísť) – to arrive where you have arranged to meet somebody or do something
Sparrow's English Reader 