By: Jasmine Tang

I was working late in my office, eating a pack of Skittles, when someone ran into the room. Without looking, I assumed it was my friend, Via.

“Via, what have I told you about knocking?” I said, still looking down at my paper.

I was solving the Katz’s Case, the hardest one yet, so I couldn’t go wasting my time talking to Via.

“I’m not Olivia,” my secretary said.

“Oh, sorry Astrid, I just can’t seem to solve this case,” I said, finally looking back.

I’m Bailey Miracle, a 12-year-old detective known for solving cases in less than a week, also known as the orphan detective.

“Oh yes, um, I’ve come here to discuss that,” Astrid said nervously. “The Katz’s want to see their children this Tuesday.”

“Tuesday?!” I said in disbelief. Some Skittles fell out of the bag and rolled onto the floor. “That’s in two days!”

“Yes, but your badge says that the maximum number of days is 5, and it’s been a week.”

“But I can’t solve a case without any facts!” I said. “That’s practically impossible!”

“I can move your deadline back a week,” Astrid offered.

“No,” I replied, surprising myself. “I’ll just dig into it tomorrow.”

“Ok, well it’s the end of my shift, so I’ll be going back home.” she said. “Get some sleep, ok?”

“Mhm,” I mumbled.

She left the room and I sat there for a bit longer. I popped in my earbuds and started blasting Taylor Swift music. I looked out the window in front of me, and I saw Astrid get into her car and drive off. I sighed then looked back at my paper.

I studied the set of clues I had and noticed a small mark on each of the papers. I knew I had seen it before. I sighed, then thought that I must just be sleep deprived.

I walked downstairs to my room. I lived in the office. I was too tired to take a shower. The second I touched my pillow I was fast asleep.

The next morning, I jolted up out of bed.

“Of course! It’s the old, abandoned library downtown!”

I ran upstairs to my desk and grabbed my notepad and clues. I took a bag and shoved everything inside.

I ran outside and a blast of fresh air hit my face.

“Oh, great it’s raining.” I groaned
I ran back inside and grabbed an umbrella.

“Good morning, Bailey,” Astrid said, getting set up at her desk.

“Not now! Clue! Run! Katz!” I yelled crazily.

“Good luck.”

I ran outside and saw a taxi. I ran over to it.

“The abandoned library! Now!” I yelled.

“Yes, ma’am!” the taxi driver said.

The driver dropped me off and left.

I sighed, “I got this.”

I saw two people huddling by a trash can. One looked 12, and the other looked 2. The older one had dark brown hair and blue eyes, and the younger one had blonde hair and blue eyes.

“By any chance have you seen the Katz twins?” I asked.

“Twins?” the older one asked, “Our parents really don’t care about us, do they?”

“Your parents?” I asked.

“Yeah, we’re the Katz children,” she said. “We ran away.”

“Why?”

“Look, bring this fake proof to my parents and tell them we died, got it? I’ll explain everything tomorrow.”

“Ok?”

I looked at her and noticed that she had some pink tinsel in her hair. I touched my own brown hair and remembered that not everyone had tinsel, especially me.

“Meet here at two,” she said sternly. “Now leave.”

“What?” I asked.

Then she just walked away. I stood there in confusion. After a little bit, my phone rang. I snapped back into reality.

“Hello?”

“I want in.” Via’s voice said coming through the speaker.

“On what?”

“I know what you’re up to and I want in.” Via demanded.

“Were you spying on me!?”

“Maybe,” Via admitted. “But I haven’t seen you since you got the Katz case!”

“What but–“

“Your glitching,” Via interrupted. “Meet me at the cafe on Baker’s Street! 7:00!”

She snickered then hung up.

Classic Via.

After the phone call, I walked home for the night.

Image Credit by cottonbro studio