Letters of the Phantom

Chapter 4: The first assignment

Audrina had always known that stress was the most debilitating thing to hinder an investigation.On one hand, going undercover sounded thrilling and exciting. But on the other, Audrina began to feel an overwhelming sense of pressure. If she was going to do this, she could not afford to make any mistakes, and failure was certainly no option.

"Me? Undercover?" She asked, sounding skeptical.

"Yes. I know it is super sudden. But we shouldn't be stalling. We cannot afford to lose any more time. You would be perfect for playing the part." Detective Caldwell concluded.

"Playing the part?" Audrina said confusingly.

"You've got the perfect look for it. You're young and no one will second-guess who you are, which is exactly the advantage we need in order to finally have a breakthrough in this case. What I am gonna have you do is go on the website to chat with some of these girls, and they will give you an idea of where they go at night to meet clients. The key is to go to the source of where this all began. Make casual conversation and gather up as much information as you can. I know this is your first assignment, but just stick to your instincts and you will have nothing to worry about. Fanny will give you an earpiece so we can hear and listen in to what is going on when you are there."

Audrina nodded, feeling prepared. Though she was initially skeptical as to whether she could pull off such a demanding task, she began to realize that Detective Caldwell was right in that this was their only chance to having a break in the case. Though, his confidence in her was both empowering and intimidating all at once.

"Alright," she said, trying to sound as confident as possible despite the surge adrenaline rushing through her. "I will do what I can to lead us to more clues."

"That's the spirit-all you have to do is blend in. Remember, you are just looking to have some fun."

"Right. Can't be too difficult." Audrina affirmed.

Fanny came in soon afterward and handed Audrina the earpiece. “This is going to stay hidden. Make sure absolutely nobody sees this. Wear your hair down so it won't draw any attention. If anyone sees it your entire cover will be blown.”

Audrina carefully took the tiny device from Fanny, placing it into her ear. It was so small, that it practically resembled a tiny black dot that was subtle and discrete.

"You can do this," Fanny said encouragingly.

“I won’t let either of you down,” Audrina promised.

Detective Caldwell placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know you won't. And if anything feels off, leave right away. With the earpiece, we'll practically be right there with you."

Audrina felt like she was walking a fine line of danger. Detective Caldwell pulled out his laptop. The website was already open, and he had even made a fake profile.

“Lets do this," she said eagerly.

Audrina's hands were shaking.  Her fingers hovered the keyboard, as she contemplated what to say into the chatroom. She paused to think carefully in order to find the right words. Finally, she slowly began to type.

"Hey. I’m new around here and looking for some fun."

She hit send, and almost right away she got a response. Audrina could feel her heartbeat quicken. She was officially in.

"You came to the right place, love. What are you looking for?"

Audrina pursed her lips,  contemplating on what to say next. Fanny and Detective Caldwell stood behind her, watching the screen.

"I am looking to meet clients, any tips?" she typed.

Audrina began to feel even more nervous- afraid her innocence and naïvité would give her away. To her surprise, she received a reply.

"Ruba Lounge," said the stranger.

"Ruba Lounge... I've never heard of it, have you, Detective Caldwell?" Fanny asked.

"Hm, doesn't ring a bell. Let me see what I can find online," he replied. As Detective Caldwell went over to his desktop to search up the address, the search results turned up nothing.

"Ask her for the address. But make it convincing- say you want to meet her there," Detective Caldwell said.

Audrina nodded and messaged the stranger once again.

"Sounds great- where is it? Can I meet you there?"

Seconds passed by, then minutes. As the trio waited for a reply, nothing came. Had the cover been blown?

"R-u-b-a lounge. Sorry. It's a bar for known working girls only. Xo."

Detective Caldwell and Fanny looked at each other, puzzled.

"So it's some type of secret lounge for working girls only. But why spell it?" Fanny asked.

Audrina analyzed the message. She stared at the screen, trying to figure out the stranger's implication. Why would the stranger spell out the name of the lounge, when it had already been typed out beforehand? The address didn't exist. Could it be a nickname for a real place?

R-U-B-A.

She repeated it over and over again in her mind. Then it hit her.

It wasn't the spelling that mattered. But perhaps its letters! Could it be an acronym for a real place?

"Fanny, get a pen and paper!" Audrina cried in excitement.

"Detective Caldwell, are there any streets in town that have an address consisting of 4 words?" Audrina asked.

Detective Caldwell began thinking of the possibilities. He had lived in the town of Mapleville nearly all his life, and he was familiar with practically every street name there was. There was only one street in town whose name was known for being a huge mouth-full.

"As a matter of fact there is! Riverside Underpass Boulevard Avenue. It is in a rough part of town. There is a small bar on that street too." He said.

"Well then, we haven't got a moment to lose," said Audrina, as she grabbed her jacket from the coat hanger. Tonight, those missing puzzle pieces would finally start to fall into place. There would be no backing down. As she grabbed her coat, she was eager to take on the night and finally gather the clues Mapleville's police were eaglerly searching for.