Mångata Bay

|09| jet

|r o s e|
🌹

My mom is still going crazy about how we aren't spending much time together as a family, so she's lugging us all to the art museum just out of town. Don't get me wrong, art is alright, but I'd much rather be biking around town, solving murder mysteries with Teo all day instead of string at simple paintings and confusing sculptures. I told Teo about this over text, and he replied that he'll go on and investigate without me but he'll make sure to keep me posted.

"Rose, isn't this painting absolutely breathtaking?" Mom asks, staring with transfixed eyes at a nearly blank canvas. A small smudge of blue paint is all that occupies the space.

I nod dutifully, glancing down at my phone in case I missed a text from Teo. "Yeah, it's awesome."

"You can basically feel what the artist was feeling. Isn't that exciting?"

"Oh yeah, definitely." I check my phone again, almost impulsively throughout the tour of the museum. We stop at every canvas and every sculpture for a few minutes while my mother gawks and rambles about it animatedly; however, the same cannot be said about the rest of the family. Dad is half asleep as he stands rigidly behind Mom, making small noises of agreement whenever she acknowledges him. Andrew said he had something to do, which I thought was suspicious, but Mom begrudgingly let him stay home. I mostly just stood off to the side on my phone; waiting quite impatiently for a text from Teo. I need to know what's going on with the investigation.

Why aren't there any suspects? What are the police hiding from everyone? How is the murderer getting away with it every time?

All we know is that this started four years ago, Teo's sister was the first to die, and they were all killed the same gruesome way. My mind drifts to Darcey Harrison's body being lifted from the cliff and I feel the bike ride in my throat. I cringe and force my train of thought somewhere else when my phone vibrates in my hand. I fumble with the small device before eagerly reading the single text.

I think I found a suspect.

I hurry to answer back.

Well???

Every victim is linked to this guy named Jet Williams.

It takes a few seconds for the name to click in my head.

Does he own a bike rental by chance?

It takes nail biting seconds that feel like years for him to respond. My heart drops.

Yeah, why? You know him?

That's where I rent my bike everyday.

You might want to stop doing that then. He could be a psychopath out for blood.

I tap furiously on my screen, completely ignoring my family as they move on to the next exhibit.

Teo this isn't funny

I know I know, sorry.

I look up from my phone and scan the room, realizing there is still a bunch of art for us to see and knowing my mom won't let us leave until after she's seen it all.