valuable pieces in each home. Some of them then continued to steal crap, but nothing else of true value. It is almost as if they were stealing on order.”
“A crime syndicate?” I asked. This was a feasible theory.
“That would explain the differences and similarities.” Manny sat up and looked more animated. “The main guy found a way to get into the security companies’ systems, getting the security codes and specs for each of these homes. He employs small-time criminals to do his dirty work for him, giving them everything on a silver platter. All they have to do is get him something very specific from that home. If they choose to take anything else, it is their prerogative. Hence the stolen iPads and ice cream.”
“And he gets them to leave a red flower,” I said.
“Yes, I have not forgotten. The questions now are why were these houses specifically targeted? Why were those specific items so significant to the brains behind this ring? And why the flower?”
Manny’s phone started ringing and he took it from his jacket pocket. A brief and one-sided conversation ensued. He ended the call and put the phone back in his jacket pocket. He took a deep breath before he faced me. “I have to go. Work your magic, Doc. Find out what connects the art, the flowers and the other things.”
I ignored Manny’s final order to phone him, and waved off Phillip reminding me to take breaks and eat something. There was something about this case that didn’t sit right with me. My subconscious had already recognised it and I needed to get to work so that it could filter through to my conscious brain.
Chapter FOUR
“Jenny?”
I blinked at the monitors in front of me. I had been staring at the ten monitors for what felt like hours. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to me if I had started hallucinating. I took a shaky breath and turned to my right. I wasn’t hearing voices in my head. Colin was sitting next to me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Right now I’m appreciating the amazing equipment in this room. I had no idea you had such a set-up here, Jenny. This stuff is seriously high-tech.” He glanced at the three antique-looking filing cabinets. “Maybe not everything, but you have a super-cool place here. Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?”
“What would be the purpose of such a discussion?” I was annoyed. This reminded me of the first time I had met Colin. Then he had also avoided answering my questions by diverting my attention. I was not going to let it happen again. I lowered my chin and stared at him from beneath my brows. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled. “Office buildings are not quite my hang-out spots, but Phillip insisted.”
“Phillip phoned you? Why?” That was odd. And suspicious.
“He is worried.” Colin leaned back in the chair and awkwardly stretched his right leg out in front of him. “What’s this all about? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I took a deep breath and lifted my eyebrows to remove the frown on my forehead. It wasn’t that easy to not tighten my lips though. “What exactly did Phillip say?”
“He simply asked if I could come to the office. He said that you needed some help on a case and he thought I could give you some inside views.”
I looked hard for any sign of deception, but couldn’t find a single one.
“I’m telling you the truth, Jenny. But I don’t think that Phillip was telling me the truth. I think something happened that got him worried and that is why he phoned me.”
“I believe you.”
Colin exhaled and his facial muscles relaxed. “Thank you. Now tell me what happened. Did you have an episode?”
“No.”
“Okay. Then what happened?” Colin narrowed his eyes and I watched his mind work. It was fascinating to see his thoughts being represented in and around his eyes. His mouth remained largely passive. A slight widening of his eyes warned me. He straightened in his chair and looked at me
“A crime syndicate?” I asked. This was a feasible theory.
“That would explain the differences and similarities.” Manny sat up and looked more animated. “The main guy found a way to get into the security companies’ systems, getting the security codes and specs for each of these homes. He employs small-time criminals to do his dirty work for him, giving them everything on a silver platter. All they have to do is get him something very specific from that home. If they choose to take anything else, it is their prerogative. Hence the stolen iPads and ice cream.”
“And he gets them to leave a red flower,” I said.
“Yes, I have not forgotten. The questions now are why were these houses specifically targeted? Why were those specific items so significant to the brains behind this ring? And why the flower?”
Manny’s phone started ringing and he took it from his jacket pocket. A brief and one-sided conversation ensued. He ended the call and put the phone back in his jacket pocket. He took a deep breath before he faced me. “I have to go. Work your magic, Doc. Find out what connects the art, the flowers and the other things.”
I ignored Manny’s final order to phone him, and waved off Phillip reminding me to take breaks and eat something. There was something about this case that didn’t sit right with me. My subconscious had already recognised it and I needed to get to work so that it could filter through to my conscious brain.
Chapter FOUR
“Jenny?”
I blinked at the monitors in front of me. I had been staring at the ten monitors for what felt like hours. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to me if I had started hallucinating. I took a shaky breath and turned to my right. I wasn’t hearing voices in my head. Colin was sitting next to me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Right now I’m appreciating the amazing equipment in this room. I had no idea you had such a set-up here, Jenny. This stuff is seriously high-tech.” He glanced at the three antique-looking filing cabinets. “Maybe not everything, but you have a super-cool place here. Why didn’t you ever tell me about this?”
“What would be the purpose of such a discussion?” I was annoyed. This reminded me of the first time I had met Colin. Then he had also avoided answering my questions by diverting my attention. I was not going to let it happen again. I lowered my chin and stared at him from beneath my brows. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled. “Office buildings are not quite my hang-out spots, but Phillip insisted.”
“Phillip phoned you? Why?” That was odd. And suspicious.
“He is worried.” Colin leaned back in the chair and awkwardly stretched his right leg out in front of him. “What’s this all about? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” I took a deep breath and lifted my eyebrows to remove the frown on my forehead. It wasn’t that easy to not tighten my lips though. “What exactly did Phillip say?”
“He simply asked if I could come to the office. He said that you needed some help on a case and he thought I could give you some inside views.”
I looked hard for any sign of deception, but couldn’t find a single one.
“I’m telling you the truth, Jenny. But I don’t think that Phillip was telling me the truth. I think something happened that got him worried and that is why he phoned me.”
“I believe you.”
Colin exhaled and his facial muscles relaxed. “Thank you. Now tell me what happened. Did you have an episode?”
“No.”
“Okay. Then what happened?” Colin narrowed his eyes and I watched his mind work. It was fascinating to see his thoughts being represented in and around his eyes. His mouth remained largely passive. A slight widening of his eyes warned me. He straightened in his chair and looked at me