Tales From the STAC Casebook
David Robinson
Published by David Robinson at Smashwords
Copyright © 2012 David Robinson
Edited by Maureen Vincent-Northam
Cover Design: David Robinson & Maureen Vincent-Northam
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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Tales from the STAC Casebook
The Tanzanite Manoeuvre
Joe Murray stepped into the Sanford branch of Yorkshire Jewellers and shook hands with the manager, Paul Bailey.
“Good of you to come, Joe,” said Paul.
“Anything for a friend,” Joe replied, “and it is Wednesday afternoon. The café’s quiet.”
Paul led the way behind the counter. “Come on through, and I’ll introduce you to the area manager.”
He paused at a door marked ‘staff only’, punched in a four digit code on the electronic lock and then led the way into the rear of the shop, and his office.
When they entered the small, compact room, a short, grey-haired man studying a laptop screen at the desk, stood to greet them.
“Alex, this is Joe Murray, chairman of the Sanford Third Age Club. I told you, my wife and I are members. Joe, this is our area manager, Alex Cowan.”
The two men shook hands. “Good to meet you,” Cowan greeted. He waved Joe to a seat opposite, while Paul drew up a chair alongside his boss.
“Right,” Joe began, “Paul was a bit vague on the phone, but he tells me you need help.”
Cowan rubbed his finger at a scrub moustache. “Paul was deliberately quiet, Joe. It’s a delicate matter. Theft. And Paul tells me you’re a detective.”
Joe grunted. “I own the Lazy Luncheonette, a café on Doncaster Road, but I like puzzles, and I pride myself on my powers of observation. I’ve solved any number of crimes here in Sanford, and further afield. I have to say, though, if you’ve been robbed you should call the cops.”
“It’s not that simple,” Paul said. “We know who the thief is, but we have no proof. We think we know how he got the item out of the shop, but we don’t know for sure. All we can say is he did it.”
Joe shrugged. “I’m a businessman. The simple solution is to confront him and fire him.”
“That’s where the problem lies,” Paul admitted. “He’s been with us a long time and if we simply fire him and he goes to court, it could cost us thousands.”
“Maybe hundreds of thousands,” Cowan said. “We need to prove he did it, Joe. If you can point us in the right direction, then we can go to the law.” He cleared his throat. “You’ll not find us ungenerous when it comes to recompensing you.”
Joe shook his head. “I’m the biggest tightwad in Sanford. Ask Paul. But my detective services come free on one condition. You permit me to write it up as one of my cases, and I put it out as a booklet for my customers to read in the Lazy Luncheonette.”
Cowan blanched. “I, er, I don’t know about that. Names and all that, you know…”
“I’ve read some of them, Alex,” Paul interrupted. “Joe changes all the names. No one will ever identify you, me, the shop, or anyone.”
“Oh,” said Cowan. “Right. In that case, there’s no problem.”
“Good,” said Joe. “Now, tell me what happened?”
The two men exchanged glances. Cowan spoke first. “You tell him, Paul. You’re the man on the ground.”
“All right, here goes.” Paul settled himself into a more comfortable position. “I’ve been manager here for the last ten years. No one expects miracles in a small town like Sanford, but the shop does well. My number two is a chap named Stephen Atherton. He’s been with the company for thirty years, and assistant manager here for the last three.”
“He’s never had his own shop?” Joe asked.
Cowan shook his head. “We find Atherton good, but not quite good enough. He lacks that certain edge that we need in general managers.”
Joe nodded. “Go on.”
Paul took up the commentary. “In a comparatively poor town like Sanford, you don’t stock high value pieces. They simply will not sell. So our most valuable piece is a tanzanite, triple cluster engagement ring, retailing at sixteen hundred pounds.”
“What’s tanzanite?” Joe asked.
“A purple coloured gemstone,” Cowan explained. “The ring in question was formed of white gold, with two tanzanite stones either side of a single diamond.”