The Scarlet Derby and Midnight Jay - Volume 1: Gallery of Rogues by Mike Cervantes Read Free Book Online

listening?” The Constable spoke as he waved a hand in front of the Derby’s face.
    The Derby, who up until that moment was still thinking of what Mary Jane had said last night, snapped awake and replied. “Oh, yes, right. Sorry Constable. Could you repeat that last part?”
    The Constable sighed “After speaking to the shop owners we’ve determined that each of the three robberies happened within just a few minutes of each other beginning just after midnight. More than eighty percent of the objects within their casing are missing.”
    “Fast yet thorough.” The Derby concluded.
    “Indeed.” The Constable replied. “What we have left to determine is how in such a short amount of time the suspect was able to smash the window, smash the glass case, and make a break with most of the jewelry. Then, hit several adjacent stores and escape quicker than anyone who might have been on the street at the time could have reacted.”
    The Derby turned towards the case, his eyes narrowing to bear witness to the details of the wreckage. “Well, Constable, I can tell you this much: the burglar was wielding a katana?”
    “A katana?” The Constable repeated.
    The Derby nodded in confirmation. “If you look closely at the case there is an indentation in the center of the wooden frame, both on the top and on the bottom. That indicates the use of a sword, but also, you can see that there’s an even deeper gash right through the center of the wooden frame separating the top and bottom glass of the display case. That means whatever weapon struck the case was set deeper in the middle than it was on the top and bottom.”
    “That’s quite the deduction!” The Constable said in awe.
    “There’s more. I wager whoever did this used a precision strike each time.” The Derby put both his hands down on the base of the display case. “If I just use the tiniest bit of pressure...” He gave the table a small shove downwards, and the case collapsed straight to the ground. The whole table separated directly along the straight line made by the katana. The Derby stood upright and dusted off his glove-covered hands.
    “I say, that’s not the sort of skill you’d expect a common burglar to have.” The Constable noted.
    “But it is the type of skill you could expect from a martial artist.” The Derby said, moving back to the window, holding his walking stick in his hand. “The suspect cleared three stores in the span of an indeterminate number of minutes. First, he struck this window.” The Derby mimicked smashing the window by thrusting his walking stick downwards. “Then, he turned on his heel, swung the katana down on the case, shattering the glass thoroughly and grabbing everything he could with his free hand.”
    As he continued to explain, The Derby walked forward, leading with his cane, back out the window. “From here, he made a straight line to the shop across the street, and repeated the motion. Smash. Turn. Grab. Then he went onto the third, using exactly the same motions each time. It was a perfectly choreographed movement, just like that of a martial artist performing a kata.”
    “Perhaps it is time we warn the other jewelry stores.” The Constable proposed.
    “No, that won’t be needed. To a criminal with this sort of precision, this is just practice.” The Derby put a hand to his chin. “I wonder what they could truly be after…”
    “Well, if he or she were still after jewelry, it could be the new collection of ceremonial gemstones they’ve just began exhibiting at the Victoria and Albert museum.” The Constable suggested.
    “Right now, it’s as good a lead as any. Put some men on the premises. I’ll be headed there after hours to investigate.” The Derby turned and began to walk away.
    “Will you be working with Midnight Jay?” The Constable asked.
    ‘I can only hope.’ The Derby thought.
    O O O
    Mary Jane, dressed as Midnight Jay, stood out on the second floor balcony of her home, looking at the