The Detectives Daughter

Chapter 11: The Blind Banker: Train Tracks

~ Brooke's POV ~

John and I managed to get Lukis' diary and we began retracing his steps. After dragging John around half of London we ran into Dad. He began to explain that Van Coon must have dropped off a heavy package in this area. I pointed to The Lucky Cat Emporium, an oriental curio shop across the street.

"Look that's the shop that's written in here. John and I had guessed the address was important cause he wrote it down," I spoke up.

Dad nodded in understanding and followed me into the shop. Once inside we discovered that most of the goods have numbers on them, the same as the ciphers. Oh and a Chinese lady was trying to get John to buy a lucky cat, I couldn't help but laugh at him as he tried to walk away from the crazy lady.

We snooped around and realised that the numbers are in Hang Zhou numerals... so Dad said and I'll take his word for it. They are an ancient Chinese numeral system now only used by traders. Dad using his huge brain determines that the numbers at the bank are 15 and 1.

Dad, John and I headed over to a small restaurant across the street and begin to discuss a few things.

"I remember Sebastian telling me that Van Coon lost five million pounds in one week but made it all back the next," Dad began to explain.

"Wait so you think Van Coon smuggled things into London to make easy money?" I asked.

Thinking about what Dad just said it sounds like he was a smuggler. How does someone make that much money in a week?

"Exactly, the idea of Van Coon and Lukis both being smugglers is not far-fetched, given their cover careers: Van Coon, a businessman making frequent trips to Asia; Lukis, a journalist writing about China. Both of them must have smuggled things back in their suitcases, and used the Lucky Cat as their drop off," Dad explained a little more.

As we talked John ordered some weird looking food and I eat a bread roll. I'm not a big fan of Chinese food.

"So why did the murderer kill them?" John asked while taking bites out of his food.

"Oh, oh maybe one stole something from the cargo?" I guessed. Why else would they be wanted dead?

"Close but no, they stole something from their employer," Dad corrected me.

I groaned; I always get something wrong!

"I was close," I pointed out and sat back in my chair.

Dad chuckled at me then looks out the window. "Brooke, when was the last time it rained?" Dad asked while looking at a wet phone book package that was left outside an apartment.

Quick as a flash Dad left the restaurant and begins to look around.

I was hot on his heels and John's taking his time."You know breaking in is actually against the law," I pointed out and Dad glared at me.

"Brooke do something useful!" Dad growls at me.

Before I could say anything he ran, jumped up then grabbed a ladder that was hanging in the air. He pulled it down then climbed up it, I lean up the wall and watched him go up. Just then John ran down the alley towards me and tried to grab the ladder... He failed terribly.

"Why didn't you go with him?" John asked; He seems surprised that I didn't go with Dad.

I laughed lightly. "Already broke into one apartment, I don't fancy doing it again," I pointed out.

"Fair point," John nodded.

*BEEP**BEEP*
My phone went off telling me I had a text.

(TEXT)
Back on the street is one of my cars.
Tell John that you're coming with me.
- MH