“At 11:42 PM…”

Already a dangerous time.

"Someone slipped an envelope beneath Jake’s apartment door.”

No name. No stamp.

Just—

“a cryptic vibe that screamed THIS IS DEFINITELY A GOOD IDEA TO OPEN AT MIDNIGHT.”

Jake opened it immediately.

Because survival instincts are optional for fictional detectives.

Inside—

a black-and-white photograph.

A teenage boy standing near Redwood Harbor.

And behind him—

“an abandoned lighthouse shrouded in fog…”

“…like it was auditioning for a horror movie.”

Outstanding visual.

On the back—

five handwritten words:

THE KEY OPENS EVERYTHING.

Jake grinned slowly.

“…like a cat that just found the cream stash.”

Mia immediately pointed at him.

“No.”

Jake blinked innocently.

“What face?”

“The ‘I’m about to ignore all rational sleep patterns and chase a criminal conspiracy’ face.”

Perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Jake grabbed his leather jacket dramatically.

“Ladies…”

“…it’s time.”

“We have clues.”

“And also, I may or may not be obsessed with lighthouses.”

Aria rubbed her forehead.

“Jake, if this lighthouse leads to buried pirate treasure…”

“…I’m pretending I never met you.”

Jake opened the door dramatically.

“Pirate treasure, haunted lighthouse—”

“…this is just Tuesday for us.”

And honestly?

That sentence explains their entire friendship dynamic