Encoded Email

Word Count: 299

Sunday, my journalist girlfriend is off the Paris to cover fashion week, and my flatmate has been in bed like a lazy cat all morning. My brain is running haywire. There are no interesting cases. I've solved the recent love affair of Mr. Bennington. It was the baker. Obvious. "So bored!" I yelled into the empty air.

Ba-da-bum! My laptop chirps. "Hm?" It's an email with a string of numbers. Big Ben chimes 11 am. One less hour of boredom to go. The message is code, I know, but for what? Even the email address is generated from a third party, so hopefully, when the penny drops, I'll know who sent the bloody thing. I ruffled my hand through my brown hair. "Hmm."

"Morning, Jack."

I jump. "Ahem, morning." I glance at the disheveled Nick, who's still in his black pajamas.

He putters about the kitchen for a clean mug. I chuckle.

"Didn't do the dishes last night, I take it?"

"FYI, I was playing Call of Duty, so don't judge." Nick walks up to the desk with a cup of coffee en route to his mouth. "What're you doing?"

"Hm? Oh, checking my emails."

"Ooh, someone sent you a... what is that?"

"Some sort of code. I dunno." I wrinkled my nose.

He chuckles. "Well, you'd know, being a detective and all."

"I'm going to find an online decoder. It'll make things much faster."

"Good idea."

After I do so, the letters are gibberish. "Ugh. Bloody hell." I stare at the screen for a minute. Pling! "Ohhh!" The penny drops. The message is backward. I grin. The person signed themselves after all.

Wanna prank-call your brother?
-Nick

"Yes," I smirk.

"Awesome!" Nick pumps his fist triumphantly.

Now I definitely won't be bored. This is going to be fun.