“Sounds good,” I said, lying down on the couch. Sunlight streamed in through the window, warming my body, and before I knew it, I’d fallen fast asleep.
When I woke up about an hour later, Biscuit had evidently decided that my warm body made an ideal napping partner, as he was lying in the nook of my arm, on his back, his little eyes closed. I smiled and tried my best not to move so as to not wake him, but a moment later he realized I was awake and woke up himself, looking up at me with curious feline eyes before getting up–rather awkwardly, for a cat–and meowing at me as he made his way to the kitchen.
Evidently my cat had decided it was dinner time.
Before I had time to feed him, though, the doorbell rang. I looked over at Violet, who was typing away at her computer, completely engrossed in what she was doing. I couldn’t hear anything coming from the staircase, so I assumed Andrew had fixed the step and gone.
“Do you mind getting the door?” she asked me.
“Sure,” I replied, making my way toward it. I looked through the peephole in case the murderer had come back, but it was just DCI Williams. I was reasonably sure he wasn’t here to kill Violet. Not this time, anyway.
“Hey, what’s up?” I asked as I opened the door for him.
“I wanted to see how you and Violet were getting on,” he said.
“Well, I just had a nice hour-long nap, but Violet’s at her computer and she at least looks like she’s been productive. Better her than me, I guess.”
Violet had about fifteen different tabs open on her screen, and she was flipping from one to the other at such a quick pace that I had no idea what she was doing, or even what she was thinking about.
“I can come back at another time, if that suits you better,” he said, evidently having noticed the same thing I did.
“That would be good, yes,” Violet replied. “Give me another hour. You are welcome to stay here, but do not bother me. I believe that I will have the solution then,” she continued.
I smiled at DCI Williams. “Don’t you love the warm hospitality you always get here?” I asked, and he laughed. Violet had no reaction; I was pretty sure she’d tuned us both out.
“Well, I just stopped by to see if you’d gotten any closer to figuring out how to catch my criminal, but also to make sure you’re all right. After all, the fact that there’s a triple murderer after you is definitely at the forefront of my mind. I won’t insult Violet by suggesting that we park a squad car out the front, even if just to deter the murderer, as I know she’ll refuse it. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”
“Sounds good,” I said with a smile as DCI Williams made his way back toward the door. As I went to close the door behind him, I saw some mail had been dropped into Violet’s slot; despite my better instincts, I made my way down the steps and picked it up. Luckily, it wasn’t booby trapped or anything, and it was actually addressed to me. I suspected Mrs. Michaels must have found it and dropped it off here for me.
As soon as I saw the letterhead, my mouth dried up. It was from the Imperial College School of Medicine. That had been the first place I’d applied to, and now I had an answer. The envelope was a full-size manila, and a little bit on the thicker side, which was a good sign. It meant it wasn’t just a single-page rejection letter.
Still, this was England, where wordiness seemed to be very much appreciated. Maybe it was a ten-page rejection letter.
I felt like a seventeen-year old again, back when I was in high school, applying for pre-med programs here and there, checking the mailbox every afternoon in the hopes that I was going to be accepted to my preferred program.
Of course, it was nearly fifteen years later, and I should have been old enough not to feel the butterflies in my stomach as I took the letter inside. I should have just opened it, like an adult, and read what it said instead of staring at it in fear. But, apparently, I wasn’t completely an adult just yet.
I walked into the kitchen and put the letter down on the counter. I fed a complaining Biscuit–DCI Williams’ visit had not been appreciated by the cat, as it forced him to wait a further five whole minutes for his dinner–while occasionally giving the letter the side-eye.
Eventually, Biscuit was happily munching on his food and I had no other excuses to put off the opening of the letter. Why was I so opposed to opening it, anyway? Was it because I was afraid of rejection, after having been accepted and almost all the way through medical school back in the States? Was it because I didn’t actually want to go?
Either way, I reminded myself, I was being silly. My personal worth didn’t lie in whether or not a certain university accepted my application, nor was I required to accept if they did say yes. I’d also have to figure out how many years of schooling I’d have to do here in the UK to be considered a fully-fledged doctor; I assumed the transfer of credits wasn’t exactly identical to the United States.
After rationalizing with myself for another ten minutes or so, I finally gave in. I grabbed the envelope off the table and ripped it open, my eyes scanning the page.
Dear Miss Coburn,
We are pleased to accept you into the Imperial College of London School of Medicine…
That was all I needed to read. For now, anyway. I sat down and breathed a sigh of relief. All that worry, just to find out I’d made it. I’d been accepted. I mean, of course I knew I should have been. After all, I’d completed nearly an entire degree in the States. It wasn’t like I had no idea what the human body was like. But it was still nice to get that acceptance letter. And now, I knew no matter what I decided, that I had the option of going back to medicine.
I just wasn’t completely sure if I wanted to yet.
Picking up my phone from the table, I opened it up and texted Brianne.
Just got accepted by the Imperial College for med school.
Her reply came back before I had a chance to text Jake.
Amazing! Well, apart from the whole ICL thing. Wait for Barts and the London to say yes, so we can be study buddies.
I laughed as I read Brianne’s text. To be totally honest, I had long ago decided that if I had a choice between where to go, I would prefer to go to St. Bart’s and the London for that exact reason: being able to spend more time with Brianne. Even if our schedules weren’t identical, we’d definitely be able to see more of each other that way.
We’ll see, they haven’t said yes yet. I don’t even know if I want to do that.
Of course you want to do it silly, you just don’t know it yet, my best friend replied.
Maybe, I texted back.
Either way, celebratory drinks tonight?
Can’t, working a case with Violet.
That’s right, the girl that was next to you, who was strangled? Some idiot in a cop’s uniform came by the other day asking about her. I told him it was a good thing Violet was on the case because he obviously didn’t have a hope in hell of solving it.
Haha. Was it DI Carlson?
Yeah, that was him. He got mad at me when I admitted I let Violet look at Amelia’s things, and threatened to charge me. So, I told him that I only let Violet look at the things because she was smart enough to recognize a murder victim when she saw one.
I bet he loved that.
He definitely wasn’t happy, that was for sure. Anyway, I gotta run. We’re going to have to go out to get drinks to celebrate.
Deal, I replied, smiling as I texted Jake my good news as well. Unfortunately, despite my staring at the phone for a reply, I didn’t get one, and a minute later I heard the doorbell ring again. I made my way to the door and found DCI Williams waiting once more.
“I know it hasn’t quite been an hour, but frankly I just can’t wait any longer. I need to know what Violet has figured out as soon as she knows it.”
“Well luckily for you, I have both figured out the identities of two of the three men involved in the murder of Amelia Waters, and I have also implemented a plan to stop all three.”
“So, you know who tried to kill us?” I a
sked hopefully, but Violet shook her head.
“Alas, that is the man whose identity I have not yet figured out. But please, come with me, and I will show you how we are going to stop these men.”
Chapter 18
DCI Williams sat down in the armchair and I lay myself across the couch, with Biscuit jumping up and lying down on my legs. Violet wheeled in a full-size whiteboard from God-knows-where. While I was pretty sure she wouldn’t mind, I was honestly a little bit scared of looking through Violet’s house. The other day when I looked through the closet trying to find an extra towel I found a full rabbit skeleton. So now I decided that whatever skeletons were in Violet’s closets–literally–were going to stay there.
“Now,” Violet started, like the professor in front of her students. “The main thing that stuck with me with respects to the previous robbery was simply how much jewellery the robbers left behind. After all, their plan was perfect. They entered, they used the algorithm to discover the code used by the safe, and they left with bags full of diamonds. However, the fact that they left so many diamonds and other jewels was strange. It did not fit. Why go to such a risk if not to capitalize on the reward? And then, this afternoon, the answer came to me: it was a practice run.”
“A practice run for what?” DCI Williams asked.
“Wait, wait. If you want the answer, you will let me tell my story in my own time,” Violet said, raising a hand. “Now, supposing I am correct, it means that the thieves will be targeting another location, presumably somewhere in London. I would be willing to bet, given the imperfection in the death of Amelia Waters, and the frankly rather sloppy attempt on my own life, and potentially that of Cassie’s, that the thieves are running on a tighter schedule than they had originally planned on. Evidently, they anticipated having months to practice after getting the program first from Jeremy, and then from Amir. But, their plans have not gone perfectly, and they are having to speed up their schedule. That is to our advantage.”
She took a breath and looked around the room at DCI Williams and me. “And so, we find ourselves needing to answer one important question: what is their eventual target? It must be something valuable, if they were willing to use a simple heist in which they stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of diamonds to be a warm-up attempt. And it must also be a target which uses the same model of safe as at the Oxford Street jeweller. While Cassie was having a nap this afternoon, I made some phone calls. I have determined that there are six local jewellers who use that exact same model of safe. However, none of those six store jewels worth enough in that safe at night to be our target. I would suspect that the eventual safe targeted will contain at least ten million pounds worth of jewels.”
“A jeweller wouldn’t make sense anyway,” I mused. “After all, they could rob a jewellery store anytime. It sounds like you think the robbers are after something more time sensitive.”
“Précisement,” Violet nodded. “So, what is happening this week in London where there would be large amounts of jewellery around?”
I shrugged. To be honest, I had absolutely no idea. I wasn’t exactly the type to go out and party every weekend and keep up with what was happening in London. I looked over at DCI Williams, who shook his head slightly.
“I know Wimbledon just ended a month ago?” he offered lamely, and Violet rolled her eyes.
“For two young people living in one of the most exciting cities in the world, you are both incredibly dense when it comes to culture. London Fashion Week is happening this week, the second week of October. The first events are tomorrow night.”
“And there will be lots of designers around, with jewels,” I nodded.
“Not just jewels, either,” Violet said. “By digging around, I was able to confirm that at one of the parties, being held at the Ritz hotel, a famous celebrity from China, Xin Wu, and her fiancé Hua Zheng, will be unveiling her engagement ring made specially by DeBeers. I was able to obtain a description of the ring from my source as well: it is a four-carat white diamond, surrounded by fifteen smaller, pink diamond stones, set in platinum. My source was able to tell me that the diamonds alone, separated, would be worth well over four million pounds. On top of that, DeBeers will also be displaying numerous other stones at the party, using the occasion of the engagement party to do some marketing.”
I gasped audibly at the figure. “Four million? Just for the stones?
“Yes,” Violet nodded to me. “It is quite the substantial sum, and exactly why I believe that is the target of the thieves.”
“This is excellent,” DCI Williams said, sitting forward in his seat. “Finally, we have a lead! So all we have to do is keep an eye on the ring, and make sure it’s not stolen.”
Violet let a small smile creep onto her face.
“Unfortunately for you, Williams, I am afraid it will not be quite so simple as that. You see, I rather suspect that the thieves have already–how do you say–scoped out the hotel where the party will be held quite significantly. And I imagine that they will continue to do so until the day of the heist, which is to be in two days’ time. Wu and Zheng are arriving from China the morning after tomorrow, and the party is that night. Apparently DeBeers is bringing the ring–and a number of other high-value diamonds which they will be displaying at the party–that morning. Which means that the heist will almost certainly occur between eleven in the morning and midnight, when the party begins. If I were a betting woman, I would expect it to happen later that night, perhaps between nine and eleven.”
“So, you’re thinking any police presence might tip them off.”
Violet nodded. “Oui, I do. In fact, I do not think it is worth the risk at all. Cassie and I, we will stop the thieves. You will remain a safe distance away so you do not spook the thieves, and when we have caught them, you will be able to arrest them.”
“You know that as much as I believe in your abilities, I cannot allow a civilian, let alone two civilians, to perform a high-risk operation like the one you’re suggesting.”
“Fine. I will do nothing, as far as you know. But you are not to do anything either. You will scare them. They are too good to not notice you.”
DCI Williams glanced sideways at Violet. “All right. I’ll make sure we stay away from the Ritz that night, but I’ll be somewhere in the vicinity.”
“Excellent. And if I happen to stumble across three thieves and murderers, I will make sure to contact you.”
I smiled to myself. So, it looked like Violet and I were going to do this anyway. I wondered what on earth Violet had planned.
DCI Williams stood up. “Is there anything you think I should do in the meantime?”
“Just make sure you stay away from that hotel completely. I would not be surprised if the thieves have it under surveillance; if the leader of the task force dedicated to stopping them is seen inside their place of work for any reason, they may decide it is not worth the risk.”
A curt nod from DCI Williams showed he understood. “Please do take care of yourself, Violet,” he said as he left. “And you too, Cassie. Don’t do anything too rash.”
“We will not, do not worry,” Violet replied as she walked him to the door.
“Wait,” DCI Williams said. “You said at the beginning of this conversation that you know who two of the three thieves are. Who are they?”
Violet smiled. “It would be pointless to tell you right now,” she replied. “After all, I have absolutely no evidence implicating any of them in any sort of crime. No jury would convict simply on the basis of my logical conclusions. You will know who they are when I have enough evidence against them to have them jailed for life.”
“Fine,” DCI Williams sighed. “Have it your way. But please be careful.”
“I always am,” Violet replied as she closed the door behind the policeman and came back into the study.
“Now, I apologize, Cassie. I am afraid I volunteered you for this job without asking. Are you willing to help me foil one of the largest robberies in English
history?”
I grinned. “Absolutely.”
Chapter 19
Violet spent the rest of the night figuring out a plan on how to foil the robbers. I could hear her at the computer, sometimes texting away, and sometimes making a phone call. When I asked if there was anything I could do, she told me that she had it all in hand, and that I was free to do whatever I wanted. I watched Ocean’s Eleven on Netflix–I kind of figured the mood required it–before going to bed. After all, in less than forty-eight hours I was going to help stop a jewel heist. I tried not to think about the fact that I hadn’t gotten a reply from Jake yet.
The next day, I decided I was going to put a stop to the slanderous articles about Violet in The London Post-Tribune. After all, I had leverage now. I knew about the plagiarising. I had a list of articles from which Keegan Coors had literally translated articles from Greek newspapers and passed the words off as his own. In some articles, it was just a few sentences here and there, in others it was the whole article.
Either way, it was going to stop now. I was going to make sure of that.
The London Post-Tribune had its offices in Central London, just a few steps from King’s Cross Station, in a modern steel-and-glass building. I made my way through the revolving doors, past security, and to the third floor. As the elevator doors opened, I found myself in a white, modern space as busy as London itself. At least four different phones were ringing, and the hum of people chatting permeated the space. A receptionist spoke hurriedly into a headset, while jotting down notes at a speed no human hand should be able to move.
I moved slowly toward her, feeling completely out of place. Everything moved so quickly here, and everyone around me looked like they knew exactly what they were doing. Straight away I began to wonder if I was doing the right thing. After all, maybe I’d just be laughed out of these offices.
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