do you think of the art? Worth sitting and looking at all day?”
“It’s interesting, that’s for sure. Who made it?”
“He did. We found his studio upstairs where he created them.”
“Can I see it?”
“Of course.”
“So, part of his income was from selling these pieces?”
“I don’t believe he sold many, if any.”
“That’s strange.”
“Like I said, a lot of things about this case are a bit odd.”
He led her up the stairs to the studio. She ran her hands through the different tiles neatly sorted in their boxes.
“It takes a different mind to carefully place tile, row upon row, and call it art. It also takes a different mind to sit alone in a room with it with nothing else to keep them company. It doesn’t look like he came up here in a very long time. Look at the dust that has collected on all the tiles and workstation.”
“No, maybe he couldn’t get up here after his leg was removed.”
“I see.” She turned around and leaned against the worktop. “I suppose you want to know what I found out about Maddock’s uncle.”
“Uncle?”
“Yes. The one who worked for the government. That’s one of the reasons why you texted me wasn’t it?”
“Um, actually I did know Mr. Tipring’s uncle worked for the government but I didn’t know what sector. He worked for MI5 ? This might be the break I was looking for. What did you find?”
“Earnest Tipring did work for MI5 but he died in the 90s. I haven’t had the time to go through all his files but I did find something interesting. Earnest held a file on his nephew.”
“Really? Why? Do you think he worked for the government as well?” Theo asked.
“I don’t know. I went back in the records but as far as I know, and really I’m not sure how much information I have complete access to, I couldn’t find any mention of Tipring as either an agent, enemy, or informant for the intelligence service. Only this.”
She pulled a file from her bag. Four pages fell out and onto the floor. Theo bent down to retrieve them and flipped through them on his way up.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Often, to protect information, agents will write notes in what is called coded shorthand. A type of shorthand only the creator can understand. And sadly, the only thing in the file other than basic information available to any police officer, is written in code. It’s almost like Earnest wrote these for his eyes only which makes me believe Maddock may have been an informant of some sort.”
“Shit.”
“What?”
“Well, you know what that means, don’t you? It takes the case from a random killing or killing for financial gain to who knows what. He could’ve been involved in anything. His past could have caught up with him. Where the hell do I start?”
“Well, we do have these,” Sophia said and held up the pages.
“And cracking code is your specialty. Let’s see what you can come up with. In the meantime, I can ask the people he came in contact with if they have noticed anyone suspicious hanging round the house. I’m so sorry, Sophia.”
Her hands fell to her side. “What?” she asked.
“I’m sorry to drag you back into one of my cases. Probably the last thing you want to do is work another police case.”
She laughed. “If you had any idea what I’m working on now, you would throw me five cases. Mind, this has to be kept secret. I don’t know what the notes contain and until I do, I don’t know what I’m getting involved with. Even though it looks like the pages haven’t been touched in years, I don’t know what mess we may be getting ourselves involved with.”
“I understand. Until we find out, I will make enquiries as if I have no knowledge these pages exist.”
“Thank you. I’ll make us some copies and replace the file tomorrow.” She went downstairs. “So what will happen to all the art?”
“They go to auction.”
“How many pieces are there?”
“When I counted, thirty-two. Why, are you thinking
“It’s interesting, that’s for sure. Who made it?”
“He did. We found his studio upstairs where he created them.”
“Can I see it?”
“Of course.”
“So, part of his income was from selling these pieces?”
“I don’t believe he sold many, if any.”
“That’s strange.”
“Like I said, a lot of things about this case are a bit odd.”
He led her up the stairs to the studio. She ran her hands through the different tiles neatly sorted in their boxes.
“It takes a different mind to carefully place tile, row upon row, and call it art. It also takes a different mind to sit alone in a room with it with nothing else to keep them company. It doesn’t look like he came up here in a very long time. Look at the dust that has collected on all the tiles and workstation.”
“No, maybe he couldn’t get up here after his leg was removed.”
“I see.” She turned around and leaned against the worktop. “I suppose you want to know what I found out about Maddock’s uncle.”
“Uncle?”
“Yes. The one who worked for the government. That’s one of the reasons why you texted me wasn’t it?”
“Um, actually I did know Mr. Tipring’s uncle worked for the government but I didn’t know what sector. He worked for MI5 ? This might be the break I was looking for. What did you find?”
“Earnest Tipring did work for MI5 but he died in the 90s. I haven’t had the time to go through all his files but I did find something interesting. Earnest held a file on his nephew.”
“Really? Why? Do you think he worked for the government as well?” Theo asked.
“I don’t know. I went back in the records but as far as I know, and really I’m not sure how much information I have complete access to, I couldn’t find any mention of Tipring as either an agent, enemy, or informant for the intelligence service. Only this.”
She pulled a file from her bag. Four pages fell out and onto the floor. Theo bent down to retrieve them and flipped through them on his way up.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Often, to protect information, agents will write notes in what is called coded shorthand. A type of shorthand only the creator can understand. And sadly, the only thing in the file other than basic information available to any police officer, is written in code. It’s almost like Earnest wrote these for his eyes only which makes me believe Maddock may have been an informant of some sort.”
“Shit.”
“What?”
“Well, you know what that means, don’t you? It takes the case from a random killing or killing for financial gain to who knows what. He could’ve been involved in anything. His past could have caught up with him. Where the hell do I start?”
“Well, we do have these,” Sophia said and held up the pages.
“And cracking code is your specialty. Let’s see what you can come up with. In the meantime, I can ask the people he came in contact with if they have noticed anyone suspicious hanging round the house. I’m so sorry, Sophia.”
Her hands fell to her side. “What?” she asked.
“I’m sorry to drag you back into one of my cases. Probably the last thing you want to do is work another police case.”
She laughed. “If you had any idea what I’m working on now, you would throw me five cases. Mind, this has to be kept secret. I don’t know what the notes contain and until I do, I don’t know what I’m getting involved with. Even though it looks like the pages haven’t been touched in years, I don’t know what mess we may be getting ourselves involved with.”
“I understand. Until we find out, I will make enquiries as if I have no knowledge these pages exist.”
“Thank you. I’ll make us some copies and replace the file tomorrow.” She went downstairs. “So what will happen to all the art?”
“They go to auction.”
“How many pieces are there?”
“When I counted, thirty-two. Why, are you thinking
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