The Case of Elaina

The Blind Banker [5]

Photographs of the shelf had been added to the earlier photos stuck around the mirror in the living room of 221B. Sherlock and John were standing at the fireplace looking at the pictures.

"So, the killer goes to the bank, leaves a threatening cipher for Van Coon; Van Coon panics, returns to his apartment, locks himself in. Hours later, he dies,"

"The killer finds Lukis at the library; he writes the cipher on the shelf where he knows it'll be seen; Lukis goes home," John continued

"Late that night, he dies too,"

"Why did they die, Sherlock?"

Sherlock ran his fingers over the line painted across Sir William's face.  "Only the cipher can tell us," He thoughtfully tapped his finger against the photo as his expression sharpened.

***

Elaina walked towards the entrance to the National Gallery and straight around it to the rear of the building where a young man had spray-stenciled onto a solid grey metal door the image of a policeman holding a rifle in his hands. The image had a pig's snout in place of a human nose. A large canvas bag was at the man's feet and he was holding spray cans in both hands. With one of the cans, he had sprayed his tag, 'Raz', below the image and he was now adding the finishing touches to his 'artwork'.

Raz continued spraying, unperturbed, as Elaina approached. "Part of a new exhibition,"

"Interesting," Elaina said

"I call it Urban Bloodlust Frenzy," Raz chuckled

"Catchy,"

"I've got two minutes before a Community Support Officer comes round that corner," Raz said as he was still spraying and looked round to Elaina "Can we do this while I'm workin'?"

Elaina took out her phone and held it out towards Raz, who turned around and tossed one of the spray cans into his duffel.

Raz took Elaina's phone and scrolled through the photographs of the yellow ciphers from Sir William's office and the library.

"Know the author?" Elaina questioned

"Recognize the paint. It's like Michigan; hardcore propellant. I'd say zinc," Raz explained

"What about the symbols: d'you recognize them?"

Raz squinted at the pictures "Not even sure it's a proper language,"

Elaina rolled her eyes "Two men have been murdered, Raz. Deciphering this is the key to finding out who killed them,"

"What, and this is all you've got to go on? It's hardly much, now, is it?"

"Are you gonna help us or not?"

"I'll ask around,"

"Somebody must know something about it,"

"Oi!" A voice exclaimed

The two of them looked around and saw two Community Support Officers hurrying towards them.

Elaina instantly grabbed her phone from Raz and ran off in the opposite direction.

***

Sherlock was standing at the fireplace again. The mirror was now almost completely covered because he has added several sheets of paper with various ciphers and pictograms on them. Sherlock had his head lowered and was consulting a book.

Elaina entered the flat and slumped down on the couch.

"You've been a while," Sherlock noted

"Community Support Officers," Elaina simply said