Welcome to the solve-the-mystery contest. Five posts. One mystery. One prize.
Read all about it here.
The Drop-off
Agent Chloe admired her sleek new haircut in the rearview mirror. She fumbled in her purse for the sunglasses – reflective ones – so a bystander couldn’t tell if she was searching their ears for hidden microphones or observing telltale crumbs on their lapel. She’d been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl – ever since Barfy Bobby with the bushy hair had stolen her whoopee pie at lunch in third grade. As she gnawed on celery sticks that lunch period, she’d vowed to make a difference in this world. And stop crime.
She finished off her Diet Coke, then opened the door and stepped out. The warm May air whispered past, carrying with it the smell of success. Today was her day. Her shining moment. She tugged her black jacket over her stomach roll. Okay, she really needed to cut back on the whoopee pies. It would ruin her image.
After a few wobbly steps on her new stiletto heels, Agent Chloe threw her shoulders back and strode toward the Marriot Hotel in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. She’d been hoping for someplace more exotic for her first assignment. Something with a private spa and a sexy massage therapist. Cocoa Key Water Park with teenage lifeguards didn’t quite cut the mustard.
The door swished open. And she slid into the lobby of the hotel. In her head, the cameras rolled. In slow motion, with a confident step and her arms swinging, she crossed through the plethora of people huddled in groups to the appointed drop-off. She’d spent the last few weeks studying Jennifer Garner’s every move on Alias. Thank God for Netflix.
Minutes passed. Agent Chloe tapped her fake nails against the wall, next to the humongous potted fern. She shifted from foot to foot and tried to look suave as she crossed her legs. She couldn’t miss the drop-off due to Diet Coke. Finally, unable to stand it, she rushed to the little girl’s room. She closed the stall door with her elbow, wishing like hell she’d brought her hand sanitizer.
As Agent Chloe zipped up her pants, an envelope slid across the floor and landed at her feet. The word AGENT was written in bold black letters across the front.
The drop-off.