Bullet Train to Murder | ONC novella ✓

5 | ominous silences

Molly paced back and forth in her hotel room, her mind racing with unanswered questions. The note she found at the conference lingered in her thoughts, its cryptic message gnawing at her resolve. She knew she had to confront Mr. Bingo, but he had gone ominously silent since their last exchange.

"Come on, Mr. Bingo," Molly muttered to herself, her fingers tapping impatiently on her phone screen. "Don't play games with me now."

She sat in her hotel room, her fingers drumming anxiously on the table as she stared at her phone. After several moments of hesitation, she finally decided to make the call she had been dreading.

The phone rang twice before Miguel picked up, his voice crisp and professional on the other end.

"Hey, Molly, what's up?" he greeted her.

"Hey, Miguel," Molly replied, trying to keep her tone steady despite the turmoil churning inside her. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Sure, shoot," Miguel said, his curiosity piqued.

Molly took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before plunging into the conversation. "You remember the case of the murder on the bullet train?"

"Yeah, of course," Miguel replied, his voice tinged with concern. "What about it?"

Molly hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much she should reveal. But then she remembered that Miguel was her colleague, her friend, and she needed his help now more than ever.

"I think I've stumbled onto something big," she confessed, her voice low and urgent. "Something that goes beyond just a simple murder investigation."

Miguel's interest was immediately piqued. "What do you mean?"

Molly took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to say. "I think Mr. Bingo is involved."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line before Miguel spoke again, his voice incredulous. "Mr. Bingo? Is he some mysterious messenger?"

"Yeah, him," Molly confirmed, her heart pounding in her chest. "I've been getting these cryptic messages from him ever since the murder, and now I think he's behind everything."

Miguel listened intently on the other end of the line, his silence stretching as he processed Molly's words.

"And what do you plan to do about it?" His voice was steady but laced with concern.

Molly took a deep breath, her grip tightening on the phone. "I need to find him. Confront him. Get some answers."

There was a brief pause before Miguel responded, his tone grave. "Careful, Molly. Mr. Bingo is playing a dangerous game. You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"I know," Molly replied, her voice determined despite the caution in Miguel's words. "But I can't just sit back and do nothing. Not when there's a killer on the loose."

"Alright then," Miguel finally said, resolve firm in his voice. "I'll help you. We'll track down Mr. Bingo together."

"Thanks, Miguel," she said gratefully. "I knew I could count on you."

"Anytime, Molly," Miguel replied, his voice warm and reassuring. "We're a team, remember? We'll get to the bottom of this, no matter what it takes."

-x-x-x-

Molly stepped out of her hotel room, the weight of her conversation with Miguel lifted from her shoulders. With a renewed determination, she made her way down to where her team was stationed.

Upon entering the office, Molly was greeted by the familiar hustle and bustle of her colleagues. Lisa Connor, the head detective, spotted Molly and beckoned her over.

"Molly, you made it!" Lisa exclaimed, flashing a warm smile. "We're about to start Sandro's birthday celebration. Come join us!"

Molly couldn't help but return the smile as she followed Lisa into the gathering. The room was adorned with colorful decorations, and the scent of freshly baked cake filled the air. Sandro Tsiklauri, one of Molly's younger colleagues, was turning 28, and the team was eager to celebrate.

As the celebration began, Molly was swept up in lively conversations with her fellow detectives. They delved into memories of past cases, exchanged anecdotes, and updated each other on recent happenings.

For a brief moment, the weight of their current investigation was lifted, replaced by the warmth of camaraderie and friendship.

The jovial atmosphere was soon shattered by the arrival of an officer with urgent news. His expression was grim as he delivered the unsettling report.

"Detectives," he began, his voice heavy with solemnity, "there's been a string of murders in the city. The bodies have been mutilated beyond recognition, seemingly by some sort of chemical attack."

Word Count: 716

DUN DUN DUNNN what is even happening- a body count, a trail of clues, and a nagging suspicion.. who could possibly behind this all?

and here's a board of clues so far, its my first attempt, not the best, but, hope it works:

The plot gets thicker, what are your theories🧐

BTW- i made a new cover for the book, what's your opinions?

how's your ONC going? are you doing alright? sending hugs ♥

cheers,
sara <3