Ockham's Razor: A Deductive Riddle

Chapter 21

Ian stared at the envelope in his hand for a full minute. The waiting, the stress of wondering whether this was real, the anticipation and the desire to do the job while fearing the same had all taken its toll. He did not realise it until the moment he saw the envelope. But now, it was all too real.

He darted across the apartment to get to the front window. He wanted to see if he could spot the Courier, who had dropped off the envelope. The perfume, voice and acknowledgement that it was a woman was a strong intoxicant. Given his inability to ever see her made it a bizarre, tantalising mystery.

Not seeing anyone out the front, he went back to his apartment door and made sure it was locked. With shaking fingers, he opened the envelope, read the notes with the anticipation of excitement, a feeling he knew he should not have had. The heist was a go for Thursday. Ian had to focus on his tasks. He knew what he was going to do to open up his escape route. He had to cut open the gate at the high school, but chain it open, so that some kid could not close it. He had to take some "danger" tape and block off the pedestrian bridge. He had already bought three second hand bikes, greased them up and gotten them all ready. He needed to get them to the hotel the day of the heist. He had managed to borrow a cargo van. Actually, he managed previously to get someone involved in a bet where the stakes were an afternoon of using the van, date to be determined. Ian had lied about needing it to move apartments, and the lie was easily accepted. He needed to call in that bet.

Ian felt more focussed than he had ever felt before. His head was swimming, full of his tasks. The stresses of working this job were still there, but were quickly buried under the eager anticipation he felt about doing perhaps the most exciting thing he had ever done in his life.

He hoped the others felt the same.