I was sitting on one of the corner tables in the cafe with my friend, Julia gossiping random items and sipping our chocolate milkshakes. Treats are on me cause today I got my first paycheck for the job I started last month. I'm so happy and so is Julia. She's the one who pushed me to work and earn my own money from the beginning.

We both work as Private Detectives for the NYC Police  Department. Well, Julia was mainly incharge and literally forced me to apply for the post of the assistant detective because she needed another hand, or should I say brain and she saw "explicit" potential in me. Well, I can't deny that I like solving mysteries, in fact, I adore them. I've got a shelf full of Agatha Christie and other mysteries. But working as a full-time detective in a Police Department was way out of my league, or so I thought.

The Chief Officer had given me a temporary task to solve when I applied and I passed "with flying colours" which I was told so. I'm sure Julia brainwashed him before I even got there. But after some training sessions and a whole month working with my fellow officers, I found it not bad. And, after I solved the murder case where a young lady was found dead hanging from the ceiling which showed clearly a "suicide" (as her husband told us) when it actually was a devastating murder by the husband himself, I had been welcomed by the whole Department. Well, through my eyes it was an easy case. The husband was an amateur and he left tons of clues without even knowing, like his fingerprints on the woman's neck since he suffocated her to death. But, since it was a couple of days after I joined and I "aced" it, I was considered a jackpot. But oh, of course, there are people who can't even look at me without a grunting noise. They say that it was my luck that was in favour and not my merit. But meh, who cares what people say? As long as I enjoy my work, I'm cool.

So, back to the present. We were discussing about the case we'd recently got from the chief about a "chocolate" thief downtown. I know right? A freaking CHOCOLATE thief, like you could ever imagine such thing can be a headline. I mean, Who'd steal Chocolates??? I glanced at the basket beside me, resting peacefully on the chair, is full of random chocolates I bought with my money. What? You can't blame me for being a chocoholic! Only because I catch murderers doesn’t mean I can't enjoy my life with my own likings! Well, the problem here is, that it's not just a normal theft. Now you might ask, what's the problem in stealing chocolates? After all, It's just food. But there's more to it. According to evidence, the "owner" of the chocolates are suspiciously  found dead within a week of the theft. It is weird, I know. And very suspicious too. What's more is that the thief doesn’t steal chocolates wherever he sees, he steals very specifically, I glanced at my chocolates again and then started to inspect the pictures of the crime scenes, three to be exact. I was wondering what and why would chocolates be involved in murder???

My head was pounding so I decided to demolish my last piece of KitKat from my basket. As I stretched my hand towards the chair without looking, my hand met only air, I then turned my head and what I saw made my jaw fall downwards. Unbelievable! It was right here a second ago! I checked under the tables and seats so to be sure it didn’t fall over but no, not a single fleck of a basket, let alone chocolates. Julia also searched with me but all went in vain.

I was Furious! I can't believe that the thief we're talking about was sitting right here in broad daylight and stole my basket and I didn’t even notice.

Julia was starting to say something but I stopped her with my hands. It didn’t have anything to do with me before, but this just became my business. No one and I mean NO ONE comes between me and my Chocolates. And if the evidences are true, I only have one week to find out!

Thank you for reading! Please, Vote if you like it. :) And share your thoughts through the comments. How was it? Mysterious enough... 🤔?

~Ettila