Ockham's Razor: A Deductive Riddle

Chapter 47

The scent of Kate's perfume was still noticeable in the air as Ian looked for anything he could make for breakfast the following morning. He typically did not eat breakfast, and if he did, it was down to the Sunshine Diner with Dave. He contemplated running down to the Diner to get something to go, but was not dressed, had a horrifying case of bad breath, and he did not want to miss out on seeing Kate first thing in the morning.

Last night had been wonderful. He felt like the two of them belonged together. She needed him, as he needed her.

"Good morning."

He turned quickly to see Kate standing in his bedroom door, wearing one of his t-shirts. He was no giant by any stretch, but the shirt drooped down from her tiny frame just enough to leave a little to the imagination. "Good morning. I'm trying to find something for breakfast. I seem to be a bit down on my breakfast foods."

She laughed a gentle laugh. "I might have to skip breakfast. I should be heading to the lab to get some work done. But first, I need a shower and coffee. Whether you like it or not, I'm having my shower here, and you forfeit all beauty products in the bathroom." She displayed her biggest playful smile on while she said that.

"A bar of soap and some men's shampoo? I'm willing to sacrifice that on the altar of Kate."

She laughed some more and made tracks to the bathroom. Ian, looking to see if he had any coffee, tea, cocoa, or any substitute in his cupboard did not immediately hear his phone ringing. When he did, he grabbed it from the table where he had put it the previous night. It displayed "Unknown Caller", so it was either a collection agent – not likely as he was all paid up, one of the gang – not likely as he was supposed to get the info, or Dave – bingo. Probably wanting breakfast.

"Hello Dave."

"Dave? That's twice you've called me Dave. Who is this Dave?" It was Lauren.

"Hello Lauren. Never mind Dave. He's a friend of mine and I'm expecting him to call." A small lie, but should work.

"Ian, are you alone?" This was curious.

He decided to only tell half truths. "I'm the only one in my kitchen, if that is what you mean."

"OK, good. I have a bad feeling about the Courier. I don't like her being involved in our activities. First, I don't like that we are all involved in them anyways, but she is an extra element that I don't like. She is not as vulnerable as we are. She did not do the heist. She can't be arrested for the robbery."

Ian took a second to ponder what Lauren had just said. Typically, she had a very level head and was the one who spoke common-sense when everyone else was speaking irrationally. So, there must be something spooking her.

"What makes you think that she is a threat?"

"I would not say threat. She is an anomaly. An aberration. A weak link. And she has a connection to us that makes us all vulnerable."

"OK. I see your point. But she is being manipulated by the Benefactor, just as we are. In fact, she's been manipulated longer than us. And while we have ostensibly ended our relationship with him, he maintains his with her." Ian was certain that no emotion came out in that explanation.

"That is what she says. We can't verify anything."

Ian thought about that for a second. Lauren was completely correct. But to be honest, he could not verify anything about Lauren, or Bill, or Rab, or Moussa or anyone involved in this whole affair.

He quickly examined all the circumstances about Kate's story. Option 1. She is what she says she is. A researcher at the university who got a favour from the Benefactor to get her degree and gain employment. He then uses her position to recruit people with vulnerabilities to do his work. Option 2. She is an employee of the Benefactor who, when they needed a conduit to the Benefactor, somehow managed to manipulate Ian into finding her phone number, meet the team at Ian's request, help the team at Ian's request and yet remain on the payroll of the Benefactor.

Easily, option 1 is the simplest, and to be honest, the only option.

"Kate is OK."

"You are calling her Kate?"

Oops, "The Courier, whatever. I've spent some time looking at this. We are the ones that approached her. We are the ones that asked her to help us. We are the ones that brought her to our meeting. We are the ones who are doing everything. She has volunteered nothing. She is not our weak link."

"By 'we', you mean 'you', don't you Ian?"

She had him there. "OK, look. I'll run the link between the gang and the Courier. I'll be the one putting my neck on the line. I'll take the fall if this comes off the rails."

"Ian..." She had a serious tone in her voice now. "I trust you. I trust you will do what you say. But, I'm in this, like you, up to my neck. I don't like it. If you can keep us safe with her, I'll keep my lips tight. But I will not let myself be compromised by some woman who comes waltzing into this mess."

Ian thought again about that. He sensed something, something that he might have overlooked before. Was Lauren jealous that a very attractive woman came into their midst? That made sense. Lauren, who had rebuffed his advance, but seemed to be on very good terms with Rab, Moussa and Bill, and even Dean for that matter, is now in competition with a hot colleague. It all made sense.

"Don't worry about it, Lauren. I will make sure nothing happens."

Lauren half grunted an "all right" and then hung up.

Ian put the phone down on the counter and contemplated looking for the coffee again. He had a chance to think about what Lauren had said. She was successful in making him aware, once again, how vulnerable they were. Kate did not partake in the robbery, but she claims to be vulnerable.

The water in the bathroom turned off. He could hear her climbing out of the tub and moving around the bathroom. Did he dare confront her? With what? The questions of a jealous woman?

She entered the room with one of his towels wrapped firmly around her body. Her hair was wrapped up in another towel.

Putting aside his thoughts for the moment, he asked "Did you want to do anything today?"

"No. Unfortunately, I have to get to the university to sort through some results. How about tonight?"

"I'm working at the gas station tonight. Only until 10. Maybe afterwards?"

"That's kinda late. Hmmmm."

She seemed to pause. It felt to Ian like she wanted to make it feel like she was trying to think of how to spend more time together. Maybe it was Lauren's concern, but he was not entirely sure of her now.

"Maybe I could come over to your place tonight, after I'm done work?"

"That won't work, sweetheart. I don't trust my neighbours."

"I'm good at sneaking. Where do you live? I could sneak into the area." He felt this was a good segue. A couple of straight answers under the guise of trying to be with her... that ought to straighten out his brain.

"Ian," she said plainly, "I can't tell you. I've got too much at stake."

"But you know so much about me, and I know so little about you. You know my name, where I live, where I work. I don't know your full name, where you live, really where you work."

Her face seemed to soften. "I understand. I only know what I know because you told me, or I needed to know it to do the job as the Courier. I don't know what 'job' it is that you six did for him. I only know that the six of you were involved in some activity. I know I had to deliver a leather package to a location given to me by the Benefactor. As for telling you more about me, I'm scared. Even seeing you is violating the direction the Benefactor told me. I assume he told you similar things. And meeting the gang, I know we are running a risk of the Benefactor hearing of it, and seeking retribution. But, I promise you, as this thing starts to go away, I'll tell you more about me than you will want to know. I'll talk your ear off."

"I suppose that is all I get for now? That's fair." The conversation about the retribution by the Benefactor reminded him of Dean locked up in the psych ward.

"Perhaps. I do have to be at the university, but it'll be OK if I'm late. Let's go to the Diner for breakfast."