The Case of the Golden Telescope (Part 2)
Dear Readers, it has come to our attention that it has been quite some times since we wrote last. We do apologize for a few newer cases, school work, and recent holidays have kept us very busy. However, we now present to you part 2 of The Case of the Golden Telescope.
The Mystery Begins
After hearing the young girls detailed story I couldn't help but be filled with such curiosity. “Well, now that is very interesting...” said I.
Larry Lestrade from Scotland Yard could be seen walking up just behind Jenny.
“Oh Sherlock, I am so glad you are here. I could use your observant eye young man. This case is just so very unusual. I have worked robberies before, but this one just beats all,” said Larry
“Oh I would be very interested in this case...very interested indeed,” said I.
“Can I help?” asked Euros.
“Oh, Euros most certainly. After that Cracker Jack job you did for the Blue Thumb case.” “How did my job have anything to do with crackers?” said Euros.
“Oh, right I keep forgetting...literal statements. What I meant was...you did a great job.” “Oh, thank you,” said Euros. “Come this way...you as well Jenny, I have some more questions for you,” said Lestrade. As we walked through the tall double doors of the bank we were halted by the sound of my sister's voice. “Why does magnet say 'wa woosh' not 'snip snap'?” asked Euros. We all had stopped and I turned to her and asked, “How do you know its...” Euros wiggled the push bar on the door.
“Wa woosh...not snip snap...sound...not right. Mag Locks not right Locky, Ha! Locky Locks. I make a joke...that is funny right?” said Euros. “Excellent deduction sister! Eh...the joke is ok...I guess” said I. “What does she mean with mag locks?” asked Jenny. “You see Jenny these doors are not just locked with a normal locking system, but they also have these magnetic locks that attach at the top to provide extra security. However, they seemed to be tampered with which is mighty peculiar. It's very strange indeed. Inspector Lestrade would one of your men possibly have a ladder of some kind,” asked I. “You not be needing to ask anyone...I got one right over ere in this closet...me names Roger.”
Roger was kind enough to bring me over a ladder. I climbed to the top and took a moment to inspect the mag locks. All seemed to be normal until I noticed something very strange, "Interesting...they seemed to be affected by some kind of water damage. Firstly, where in the world would the water have come from and even with that water wouldn't do much to the locks unless...” “Hot Water!” said Euros, as she pressed her ear to a wall. “What in the world is she doing?” asked Jenny. “Shhhhh! Quiet!” shouted Euros. We stood for a few moments as Euros went back and forth from drawing with her finger on the wall and listening to the wall. “Hot Water Pipes start in the back room...go through the ceiling and pass over back of doors and over to main water pumps in the bottom right corner,” said Euros. “My goodness how could she know all that?” asked Roger. “My sister has the ears of an elephant and can hear with such precise accuracy. The sounds she hears actually allows her to make a mental map sorts of things. Well done Sister! Now, Inspector later today I need you to look up any service records that were done for the building,” said I
“I guess I can do that...don't see what Mag locks and water pipes would have anything to do with a robbery. However, the mag locks malfunction could be a clue to how someone might have broken inside.”
“Oy...if this neck of mine won't stop itching I would have thought some kind of mosquito broke in. Ha! I don't think a mosquito could steal a telescope though. ”
“Not likely,” said I.
We continued to explore the bank's grounds and even the case in which the telescope was sealed. However, I started to notice something a bit odd about the glass around the case. With the help of Inspector Lestrade and Roger we were able to lift off and away one of the glass walls to the display case.
“Would someone mind telling me why this came off with such ease?” asked I.
“That is impossible....” said Roger, completely bewildered by the situation. “Well...now we know the access point for the robbery, but Roger...weren't there supposed to be sensors that locked and monitored the entire display case?” asked Larry. “Yes...well...I should probably show you something....” said Roger. Guiding us over to one of the nearest computers Roger turned on a program and showed it to each of us. “Now listen, I don't know too much about computers, but something has just left me uneasy about this whole computer. I sent in a complaint to the upper administration, and they sent a request for a computer specialist,” said Roger. “On what exact day did the computer specialist come? Also about what time?” asked I. “Oh, it was only just two days ago, I thought it was kind of odd that he came in just after the bank was closing up for the evening,” said Roger.
“May I take a look at the hard drive?” asked I. “Go right ahead...didn't even know a drive could be soft or hard....” Rolling my eyes to the lack of computer knowledge Roger certainly did not posses, I continued to examine the computer. It seemed to be an older Macrosoft computer, now mind you it had been updated to a DOWS 11 programming, but it did seem to be running extra slow even though the memory didn't seem to be full at all. I pulled off the side of the computer to take a look when low and behold I found... “The entire inside of this computer is a bumbling burnt up mess...how could this be...but....” as I stopped my words for one moment I noticed something inside. “Oh goodness...clever, clever, clever...an external hard drive is conected to the main system. Inspector Lestrade we need to get some information about that computer specialist right away. We have at least found one of our crooks. This clever criminal must have come in and destroyed the inside of this computer. They then must have left this external hard drive inside to mirror the regular programming of the computer. However, what you noticed Roger was that it was running at a slower speed. Clever indeed!” said I.
“My goodness! But how Sherlock? How would they be able to get into this computer and destroy the insides so quickly without obviously bringing about suspicion?” asked Jenny
“High Tech,” said Euros.
“You are right, my sister. High Tech indeed. These crooks obviously know plenty about technology. This is a sort of technology though that I have never seen before. I am going to take this hard drive over to my brother Mycroft. His DICE-G club should have plenty of tech-based individuals who might be able to give us more information.”
“Well the high technology based background would also explain how the security camera footage was replaced by a video loop of that Glorriossa's Glamorous Glasses commercials that have been all over television,” said Lestrade.
“Oh dear...please...no....” said I, in fright.
“Gloriossa's Glamorous Glasses....Gloriossa's Glamorous Glasses,” said Euros.
“Oh goodness...give me a second,” said I.
As you know my sister Euros has a form of autism. Now Autism is something that you are born with. It's not a disease or something that you catch. However, one of the common symptoms of autism is when they might do what is called a “stim”. Some people with autism might wash their hands thirty or more times, or jump a certain way, or blink, or even look at a corner of a wall over and over. Think about it as how when you breath deeply to calm down. People with autism sometimes do it to calm themselves or just because their brain really loves that repetition. Almost like when you love that favorite song on the radio and you just can't stop listening to it and singing it over and over. Will imagine if you "had" to keep repeating it. Imagine if it felt like it was "impossible" to stop. Well that is what it feels like for someone with Autism. My sisters favorite (yet highly annoying and disruptive) stim happens to be repeating her favorite rhyming commercial jingles. The only way we have known how to stop it is to help her find anything that has to do with ice cream. The very thought I think of ice cream seems to calm in her in some way. After my sister had finally calmed herself we went back inside and I then spoke to Jenny.
"Jenny, I really think I should have a chat with your mother. I need to learn some more information about this bank.”
“Oh, I am sure we could do that. She was so upset about the whole ordeal that she had to be driven home by a few of her friends by car. My daddy is on his way to pick me up, since they thought it best for me not to see Mum all upset and such,” said Jenny.
A young policeman walked into the room and said “Agent Lestrade, you wouldn't believe what we found on the outside bank cameras. We were able to pull a tiny bit of footage which has a time stamp from last night. When we watched it we noticed that there was a van parked outside with the letters. MSTLS. We looked it up and its some laundry service company called Mothers So Tired Laundry Service.”
“This case just gets more and more confusing by the minute,” said Lestrade.
"Yes, this case certainly is a peculiar one. I rather like the odd cases. They keep me from boredom. I will let one of my Regents Park Regulars handle taking the hard drive to Mycroft. I can't waste time with his silly competitions. Jenny do you think your father would mind if Euros and I were to visit your home?" said I.
"Oh, I am sure he wouldn't mind," said Jenny. "Excellent!" said I.
"Locky?" said Euros.
"Yes, Euros?" said I.
“Locky, how does Laundry get tired?” asked Euros. Having a sister with Autism can also bring about the most humorous moments, but like everyone else, Euros is just another human being filled curiosity about the oddities of our strange world.
