'staring at the bottom of the glass,

hoping one day, you'd make a dream last

but dreams come slow, and they go so fast...

well you only need the light when its burning low,'

Mr. Bingo was sitting at his desk, his brows pinched in concentration as he moved his cursor on the screen and typed the next line of code.

Morning light beamed through the windows, waking Molly out of her sweet slumber. Her wavy hair fell to her shoulders and glowed in a bronze shade as it reflected the light.

She yawned as she got out of bed and tied her messy hair in a makeshift bun and walked out of her room.

The laptop screen glowed with various colors glinting off of it.

'What is he doing this early in the morning?' Molly thought to herself and walked to the edge of the room, standing near the door.

Mr. Bingo was so immersed in his code that he didn't realize Molly's presence.

'only need the sun when it starts to snow,
only know you love—'

When he finally did, he unplugged the audio jack from his laptop and kept the headset beside his device before finally turning his attention to her.

The music seemed to have a mind of its own because when he did that, it changed.

'I am begging, begging you!'

Mr. Bingo bit his lip down, wincing at the song playing. He didn't however bother to turn it off but instead, turned the volume down.

"Well?" Molly asked as she raised her brows and leaned against the door, refusing to go in unless she was allowed to.

She figured it would be best to give him space before she steps in. He had done the same for her and it was only fair to return the respect.

"I— uh... I was just listening to music." He grinned sheepishly.

"I can see that," She observed, "Would you like to continue floating in your blues or do you want to talk about it?"

"I could appreciate some company, yes!" He smiled enthusiastically, waving his hands in the air and gesturing her in.

Molly walked into the room and took a seat beside him.

"So, what have you been up to?" She casually asked him like nothing had happened.

She wanted to ask him about what happened but decided that if he needed to talk, she'd have to allow him the chance to bring it up himself.

"Man, I miss Miguel!" Mr. Bingo said with a wistful sigh and stretched his left arm on the table before finally placing his head on it to face Molly.

"Really? You guys fight all the time!" She noted.

"We have our moments," He said as he now propped his head on his palm, resting the elbow on the table for support, "But, I miss being around him."

"He really was a key member in our group, wasn't he?" Molly said as she observed him, "I miss him too. But, he had to go to work as well."

"Why, yes he was." He sighed.

The silence stretched between them like strings on a cello played in a harmonious tune, soothing and comforting.

"Actually, being with him kind of filled a part of me that I didn't quite know existed. We were so in sync and mischievous that my heart ached. It was like living a childhood memory that was locked long away in a buried treasure chest. Now that he isn't quite around, I feel the ache coming back for me."

Molly instinctively stretched her hands and almost placed on his head before pausing and looking at him.

He subtly nodded and she ran her hands through his hair in an attempt to comfort him.

His hair was dry, possibly because it hadn't been oiled in a good while but it felt good.

"Would it hurt to reconnect with Paige?" Molly said as an afterthought.

He shook his head.

"I wish it was as easy. He's busy with his law college, he took after dad," He smiled wryly, "And I have made it a point to text him everyday but its not the same as being around him in person, you know?"

Molly nodded, understanding his plight. Siblings could be annoying but being away from them for a long time definitely felt like torture.

"Besides," He continued, "The three of us made a good team. Now its just the two of us. I am not complaining about being around you, but... its a bit lonely."

Molly shifted her chair near his and scooted closer to put her arm around his shoulders.

He was lost in his thoughts and didn't notice it until he felt the comforting warmth radiating around him.

He shifted in his seat to allow more of it and wrapped his own arms around her neck, resting on her right side.

She was slightly taken back by the gesture but returned the favor by giving him a gentle squeeze and placed both her arms around him, pulling him closer.

"Thank you" He mumbled as he nuzzled against her neck, making her chuckle.

They lay their heads against each other, sitting in the comforting silence as the music from the playlist played Sway.

'like the lazy ocean hugs the shore,
sway me more, sway me more.'

※※※

Miguel unpacked his suitcase onto his bed and looked through his clothes, trying to figure out which clothes to wear for the office today.

He yawned as he picked out a light blue shirt and formal black pants.

'I should get a really strong coffee' He thought to himself and scratched his head.

The 4 A.M. flight exhausted him but he had to return to work. He wanted to stay another day and join from next week but Molly insisted that he should get back without unnecessary delays. Besides, they didn't have any immediate commitment and things were set on the slow burn.

He missed being around them already. He wondered what Mr. Bingo and Molly might be up to. Did they miss him too? Were they also feeling a bit lonely from the separation?

'Maybe.' He declared to himself before heading for the shower.

He prepared a quick breakfast of fried rice.

'This has to work. I will have coffee at the office.'

He ran a quick pat down his pocket to check for his car keys, wallet and phone and headed for work.

"Good Morning, Miguel" The security guard at the door greeted him in his usual tone.

"Morning, Mr. Ashwood, how are you today?" Miguel paused in his tracks and turned to the guard who had, over the years, become a good acquaintance.

Mr. Ashwood didn't need this job. His sons earned enough and their family was tight-knit. It was a way to relieve his boredom.

Being old and finally retired meant dealing with the itch of wanting to work and boredom that wasn't easily sated. He did well here since it wasn't often demanding.

They heard people gathering around a cubicle as they looked on to the chaos ahead. They looked equally confused about what was happening.

Miguel gave his regards and headed towards the scene.

Pushing through the crowd, he finally found his team lead, Dean who was looking pale and struggled with incessant coughing, his face turning to a shade of bluish purple.

"Did someone dial an ambulance?" He asked as he looked around the room.

His colleague, Dimitri, was holding Dean's head on his lap and was caressing his hair in an attempt to soothe him.

"Yes, I did," Dimitri answered, "They must be on their way. I called around ten minutes back."

"Good," Miguel noted, "What happened exactly?"

"Dean was having his usual PB&J sandwich when he suddenly started coughing. At first I thought It was due to the food stuck in his throat but after a bit of inspection, I couldn't find anything stuck in his throat. In fact, it is very clear. Must be something with the food that he ate."

"Okay then," He stated, "Everyone else can go back to their work. We'll take it from here."

The wail of the ambulance siren pierced through the bustling morning air, growing louder as it neared Chicago Police Department (CPD). Red and blue lights flashed rhythmically, casting eerie shadows on the neatly trimmed lawns and parked cars. Passerby stopped to look at the ongoing commotion, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

The ambulance screeched to a halt in front of the headquarters. The driver, an experienced EMT named Alex, quickly radioed their arrival to the dispatcher while his partner, Jenna, jumped out and grabbed the medical bag from the back.

"Over here!" Miguel's frantic voice called out from the first floor.

He waved his arms, beckoning the paramedics inside. "He's turning blue! Hurry!"

Alex and Jenna exchanged a quick nod and followed Miguel into the building.

They found Dean Mandeville, a middle-aged man, slumped against a desk in the precinct's lobby. He struggled to catch his breath between violent coughing fits. Dimitri stood by looking worried and helpless.

Jenna kneeled beside Dean, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hi Dean, I'm Jenna. We're here to help you. Can you tell me how you're feeling right now?"

Dean gasped for air, barely managing to speak. "I... I can't... breathe..."

Alex quickly set up an oxygen tank and mask and handed it to Jenna. "Let's get you some oxygen, Dean. This should help you breathe a bit easier."

Jenna secured the mask over Dean's nose and mouth and Alex took out a stethoscope and listened to Dean's lungs. The wheezing and crackling sounds indicated severe respiratory distress.

"We need to get him to the ER quickly!" Alex said urgently.

He looked at Miguel and Dimitri. "We'll take good care of him, I promise."

Miguel nodded and mumbled a prayer under his breath.

Alex and Jenna carefully lifted Dean onto a stretcher. His coughing had lessened slightly with the oxygen mask but he was still struggling to breathe. They secured him in the ambulance with Jenna who stayed by his side and monitored his vital signs.

As the ambulance sped towards the hospital, Jenna held Dean's hand and spoke soothingly to him. "You're doing great, Dean. We're almost there. Just keep breathing."

Inside the brightly lit ER, the medical team was ready and waiting. The ambulance doors flew open and the paramedics swiftly transferred Dean onto a hospital bed. The ER staff took over, whisking him away to a treatment room.

Alex and Jenna watched as the doors swung shut behind him.

※※※

Currently, Miguel and Dimitri stood with four of their other team members — Arlen, Bradd, Eva and Amirah.

The inauspicious incident of Dean had shook them all and they tried to understand what had happened.

Amirah took the lead.

"Another case," She sighed and turned to Dimitri, "Was the sandwich brought from home or store?"

"From Blue Land Bakery," Arlen answered, "I saw the packaging in the bin."

"And how far is it from here?" Amirah asked him.

"Around a mile," Arlen said after some thought, "Though, I couldn't have been sure its the same outlet."

"Okay, so there's more than one outlet here, did we have a check with them yet?" Miguel asked this time.

"We have sent down a team to inspect it. Hopefully, we're able to figure out what has gone wrong."

Miguel nodded in understanding and pulled out his phone to send a message.

He quickly put it back into his pocket before opening a file and noting the details of the case.

※※※

"This is getting frustrating. Can't we focus on something else?" Mr. Bingo asked as he pushed his chair back and leaned back.

"No, this is important." Molly answered, "We can't get to the bottom of these cases if we don't know the basics ourselves."

"Fair enough," Mr. Bingo complied as he focused back on his screen, "Why are we studying sucrose again?" Molly raised her brows at him. "No, I mean, I understand that sucrose is generally used with food and isn't an issue. But, its not harmful, right?"

"It depends, Bingo," Molly said, "In a normal scenario, sucrose is only added in least amounts to add a richness to the sweet taste of a food. But, the source matters."

"Sucrose is generally derived from sugarcane, no? What could go wrong with its source now?"

"Or it could be lab prepared." She stated in a matter-of-fact tone, "In which case, chemical contamination could cause harm to the person consuming it. Plus, lab-prepared batches are cheaper. I wouldn't be surprised if I found that some restaurants or food factories used it for their advantage."

A ping sound of notification flashed on both of their phones. It was Miguel in The Bingo Pirates group.

Molly quickly opened the message and her eyes widened in surprise.

"Speak of the devil." Mr. Bingo mumbled.

Miguel: Our team lead Dean was escorted to the ER this morning and things are not looking well.

Molly: What happened exactly?

Miguel: He was eating his usual PB&J sandwich which he had bought from Blue Land Bakery and suffered from incessant coughing that turned him blue.

Molly: Was the bakery tracked down?

Miguel: Yes! It was near Illinois road, but... it's strange that he bought it from there instead of the nearby bakery.

Mr. Bingo: Hey, maybe he just wanted to try it from a new outlet!

Molly gave him a stare and he quickly backed up.

Mr. Bingo: How far is it from his place?

Miguel: Around twenty minutes. I understand that he probably had some extra time and wanted to try at a new outlet, but... that's not very convincing.

Molly: It isn't, especially when it has caused such a health hazard. Did we check with the bakery's reviews and customers? What are they saying about it?

Miguel: We did. Apparently, they were starting a new batch and Dean's was the only case that was reported so far. The bakery has a very good reputation otherwise.

Molly: Maybe its a one time mishap? It can happen all the times.

Miguel: Could be. But I recognized this one ingredient that was slightly off than others. Its called ES02. Wasn't that a sucrose derivative?

Mr. Bingo: Yeah, it is. But it isn't supposed to be harmful. Unless, someone had prepared a special filling particularly for Dean.

Miguel: I will come back to it. Gotta go.

Molly closed the chat window and turned her attention to him, "How do you say someone could've prepared for a special filling? It wasn't like they could've known he was coming there, right?"

Mr. Bingo put his phone down and turned towards Molly, "Well, its an assumption. They might be trying to hide the evidence and investigation, both. It has happened before."

"ESO2 is fairly harmless unless it was unprocessed." She observed, "Pieces of sugarcane still left in the mix, maybe? That could be carelessness on the factory's behalf but... something feels off about all this."

"Why not have some cinnamon minxes in the meanwhile?" Selene said as she entered the room, "Oh, rolls! My bad, cinnamon rolls. How's the work going for both of you?"

"Going well so far," Molly said as she grabbed a cinnamon roll from the plate.

She felt a stinging sensation in her mouth and paused to look up at Selene who was still standing in the room.

"Mom, which bread did you use?"

"Oh this," She said as she wiped her hands on her apron, "Its from Blue Land Bakery. It's around our area. They were throwing a celebration for a year anniversary by giving its customers a fifty percent discount. Why do you ask?"

Molly looked hesitant towards Mr. Bingo and he seemed to share her thoughts too.

"I think we know what happened." He said at last.

※※※

a/n: MOLLY AND MR. BINGO FINALLY HUG SKFKHGKFGJ ;-;

after 30+ chapters, quite literally! (considering book 1 and till this chapter in book 2) and it makes my heart squeeaal!

i have tried my best to keep the consent enthusiastic between them because I hate tropes where consent is almost an afterthought and that goes for all romance/dark romance tropes except a few very rare ones that give consent an actual forefront. i hope I am doing justice to these characters!

we're finally getting on to our case! since this work is more of a cozy mystery/general fiction, i wanted to take time to develop the characters, setting and other things before finally getting here.

now, sucrose in and of itself isn't harmful. it is used very often in food, mostly processed food items to get you addicted to food taste. not too bad, they want you to buy their items and you do. moderation is key but that's a discussion for another time.

ES02 (E S zero two) is a derivative (albeit used fictionally) of sucrose. now, since sucrose is in and of itself a closer derivative of sugarcane than the white/brown sugar we consume, it can contain sugarcane pieces if it isn't carefully processed and that can be harmful and cause incessant coughing, like in Dean's case.

Note that Mr. Bingo and Molly are in West Wisconsin while Miguel went to Chicago early morning to resume his work. The Blue Land Bakery having multiple outlets and it having celebrations at the same time isn't the exact issue, cause that's not uncommon. What is particularly concerning is the fact that both the outlets have the same issue and it is causing health risks — which is the real concern.

how do you like the chapters so far?

do let me know your thoughts and comments of the story!

with loads of cats and purrs
Sara