Lester

Lester had woken up quite some time ago, but he hadn’t stood up yet. How could he? How could anyone laying in a bed like this? How could anyone pull that warm and soft, but not heavy blanket away and expose himself to the cold that was surely waiting above? Lester let out a big yawn, that made him stretch beneath the covers. He slowly started to understand. Not because of his new-found sense of duty and excitement toward the case. Or that thinking about the coming day wasn't dreadful. And not even because his bladder was starting to get hurtful in letting him know it needed emptying. No, the only reason his hand was wrapped around the sheets now, was that his room was filling up with the delicious smell of breakfast.

He finally tossed the blanket aside and wrapped his arms around himself in anticipation of the crippling cold, that had ruined most of his mornings. All of his nights. But it didn’t come. Instead, he was greeted by a comfortable warmth. A warmth that would have been too hot to fall asleep to. Too hot to spend the day. But was perfect to get out of bed.

Lester left his room, and after a short stop at the bathroom, he followed his nose through the ridiculously high hallway, into the dining room, where Jonathan was already enjoying the food.

»Finally!«, his new partner said. »I was so close to waking you. I appreciate the implied compliment to my guest room, but I just cannot wait.« He waved across the table. »Enjoy your breakfast and then let's go back to the psychiatric ward. There is a question that just keeps popping back into my mind.«

Lester just nodded and sat down. His hand went straight to the croissant. It was still in there somewhere. Still muscle memory. Grab the croissant. Like he had done every morning, while his father had made him work at his uncle's bakery. Until he had ruined it all. Lester sighed. And only after he stopped hearing Jonathan eat and instead felt his eyes on him, he took a bite.

He still loved it. And maybe, he thought, just maybe he deserved it again.

Jonathan

Even with Jonathan walking at a speed many would have broken into a jog for, the way to the Northside Psychiatric Ward felt longer than last time. He would have run, but he couldn't quite ignore the looks he got while they were still near his house. Running was just not something anyone looking like him did around here. It took the buildings getting smaller, the acquaintances fewer and the atmosphere more hectic, for him to run with the butlers, the maids and the guards around him.

Only when he stood in front of the hospital, his hands resting on his knees, breathing heavily, he thought to look back at Lester. His partner didn’t seem too out of breath, but he felt bad for not considering the possibility that he might have been.

»Sorry.«, he said with an exaggerated smile, before going in.

Jonathan stopped in the entry hall to look around. It didn't take him long to find who he was searching for. »Good morning, Dorothy«, he said, loud enough for everyone to hear and before she could react, he had taken the few steps between them and all the thoughts that had kept him awake last night started babbling out. »I assume, of course, that you told us everything you know yesterday. Which means, that you have no idea of anything. But that’s not important. It just means that I can save myself many questions. In fact, there is only one left«, he paused for a second. »Except for asking about poor Emely of course? How is she?«

»The same, unfortunately.«

»That is unfortunate indeed.« His excited smile vanished briefly. »That one question is: Why is no one standing outside at night to see who is bringing these people in?«

»Oh, we did. Of course we did.« Dorothy took a deep rumbling breath. »I did it myself. With one of my colleagues. With one of my friends. And we saw them. And they saw us.« She looked down and pulled her hand to her eye. »She made sure that I got away. And now she is one of the patients. I spoke to the guards afterward. More than once. They are patrolling. They are investigating her kidnapping. Or at least they say so.« She started to snivel.

Jonathan took her into his arms. »I’m so sorry, Dorothy«, he said. »You had the right idea. You made all the right choices. We will try again. We will use all that you have learned. And we will succeed.« He pulled away from her. »I have read from the greatest mind in strategy. I will come up with a plan. Just give me some time.« He pointed to Lester. »Look after her, would you?« He then walked through the closest door.

It was an empty office, as he had hoped. Jonathan carefully put the filled-out pieces of paper aside, looked for an empty one and put the feather into the ink.

A plan. How do you come up with a plan? The issue with faking competence is that you have a problem once you must deliver.

Jonathan looked around the room. It was busy, with cabinets stopping just short of the ceiling and a floor covered in pieces of paper. The few free spots on the wall were covered by paintings. And they were brilliant, bringing the mountains, the rivers, the trees to life. It had been a while since Jonathan had been in nature. Why didn't he go anymore, knowing that he would enjoy it?

He looked back at the empty sheet in front of him. The problem with so much chaos around is the distracting nature of it.

Problems. He wrote the word down. They needed to notice them coming, and they needed to have a way to catch them once they did. Jonathan outlined the buildings and the streets around the hospital. He then marked all the spots someone could come from and all the spots from which they could see them doing so. He then rolled the paper up and hurried back out into the hall, where he found Lester and Dorothy standing around in silence.

Jonathan spread his map on a table. »This«, he pointed at the biggest building, »is the hospital. There are three«, he showed the markings one by one, »Streets they can come from. So, we need three guards to warn us. There is a park two houses down the street.« He drew some trees with a stick figure between them, before looking up at Dorothy. »Is there something to hide in the other two directions.«

»There are stairways to a basement over here.« She pointed at the spot and Jonathan drew a second stick figure. »Nothing I can think of in that direction.«

»Ok. Thank you. We will have a look.«

Jonathan walked back out into the streets, with Lester right behind him. He was not a big fan of this part of town. It wasn't the mix of dark wooden beams and light gray stones, the buildings were made off. It was the lack of space between them. The lack of alleys and gardens. But that’s how cities worked. The real problem was not his distaste for it but the absence of hiding spots it resulted in. After walking up and down the street without finding anything, Jonathan stopped at a random house and knocked.

A middle-aged man opened the door and looked up at them with a puzzled look. »What can I do for you?«, he asked.

»We are investigating a series of kidnappings in the area. And have a suspect, that will, according to multiple sources, come through this area tonight. We are setting up an ambush but are missing a lookout in this direction.« Jonathan paused and gave a little smile. »I don’t want to ask you to let a stranger into your house because frankly, I wouldn’t want one in mine. What I am proposing instead, is for you to spend tonight near a window and make a barking sound whenever someone comes by.«

»Are you ser…«

»There will be a compensation of course.« Jonathan hesitated with his hand already in his pocket.

»You want me to stay up all night to spy on my neighbors?« The man let out a short laugh. »Who are you anyway? Can I see your medallion?«

Jonathan sighed, took his hand, with a gold coin already inside, out of his pocket and held it up. »We just want to catch the guy. Do your work well and you will get another one in the morning.«

The little men grabbed the coin with a big smile. »When do you want me to start?«

»Let's do eight, just to be sure.« He turned toward Lester. »I’ll go set up the other two. Why don’t you look for the best place to jump him?«