Chapter 14: Points of Intersection
The entire group huddled around the board as Gideon explained what he thought he had found.
"It's in the map and the position of the bodies, something we never looked at," he said, "If we look at the places where each victim was killed in relation to each other, we find that their respective points are-"
"- the corners of a triangle," Amelia said with a gasp.
Gideon nodded.
"And if we look at the way the bodies were found, they all have one thing in common; their arms are all pointed out forwards."
Taking a closer look at the photographs, Amelia found it was indeed so. Though the bodies were at slightly different angles, each had only one sticking out, almost as if they were waving at somebody. Once she had noticed it, she couldn't believe she hadn't spotted it sooner.
"I believe the bodies are signposts," Gideon said, "leading prospective Death Eaters to the place where they can officially sign up."
"How would anyone get that?" Rowan said incredulously.
"Well, that's what the napkins are for," Gideon said.
"A starting clue," Amelia said crossing her arms, "Solve it and, not only does it keep the whole thing hush hush, but it proves you've got the brains for the operation."
"The deaths would've been put in the papers at some point," Gideon continued, "We were unwittingly giving them free advertising."
"So the victims weren't actually chosen for a reason, only that they were convenient," Frank said, shaking his head.
"Kieran Swann, living alone. Fredrick Bartholomew," Amelia said, "wife and daughters out of town and Francesca Dyer."
"The girl no one would miss," Fabian quoted with a sigh.
"Yes," his brother agreed, his brow furrowed, "It was certainly a crime of opportunity."
Every death was a waste, a cruel waste of a life, but somehow this was more; it was unfair. Now, Amelia was definitely not an advocate of murder, but at least other victims had some kind of emotional value, there was a personal motive. But people like Kieran Swann wouldn't have even entertained the idea that someone had it out for them. 'Had it out for them' wasn't even a good description. They were merely pawns in someone else's game, disposable, replaceable, just in the wrong place in the wrong time. But perhaps that what all killings were; somebody getting into the wrong situation at an undesirable moment. Amelia shook her head; it didn't pay to philosophical in this business.
"Each of our killers chooses a victim," she continued, "one that won't be connected to the others."
"Except they are," Fabian butted in, "Mitchie Williams works it out."
"He solves the puzzle!" Amelia said, turning to look at him, "Finds the signposts."
"And because of that they have to silence him," Fabian nodded, "Fast."
"Without any prior planning."
"Which is why they do it in a back alley!"
"And why it goes wrong. Mitchie doesn't die."
They stood grinning at each other. Everyone else just stared at them.
"I think this," Frank said, indicating his co-workers, "is cute. But you've forgotten, Sherlock, that we haven't solved the puzzle yet."
Amelia frowned and turned to the other Prewett.
"Fabian," she said, "Does your theory extend to where exactly the signposts point?"
Gideon took the map down from the board and laid it out flat on the desk. He reached over and picked up a quill, dipping it in ink. Then, with a steady hand, he connected the dots marked out, forming a black triangle with perfectly straight lines. His face wrinkled with concentration, Gideon flicked his eyes back up to the photographs, taking in the exact angles of where each body was positioned. Then he drew three lines, each one originating from a different corner of the triangle. He lent back a bit and Amelia surveyed what he had drawn closely. There was a point, a place on the map where all three lines intersected.
"Where is that?" she asked.
Dolores got another map from her desk drawers and gave it to her fiance, who spread out the clean map next to the other.
"146 Hardgrave Street," he said after much cross checking.
"That's in a Muggle area," Rowan said, "Surely people would notice?"
"What's there to notice" Frank said, "People in black, walking in and out of a house? This is London! People don't see things until they've already passed by and I'm guessing there isn't a flashing sign saying 'Join the Dark Side in Here!'"
Fabian nodded his agreement.
"People in Muggle residencies aren't on the alert like those in Wizarding communities. There's nothing for them to be suspicious about."
"Still," Amelia pondered, "why there? Who owns it? When are they actually planning to have these meetings?"
"We could get our contacts in the Muggle Police Force to look into it?" Frank suggested, "They'd have access to those kinds of records."
"Good idea," Amelia replied, "Jane, Darling, would you mind?"
"I'll get on to it," the secretary said and she began to write out a letter.
"In the mean time," Amelia said, "I'd like to get eyes on the place. Do we have any people from the Animagus unit available?"
Fabian shook his head.
"I checked a little while ago and they're all booked out on assignments. Unless you want Sam Faraday."
"And what's he?" Amelia inquired.
"A horse."
"Right," Amelia said slowly, "In that case we're going to need wheels. Something that would fit on a Muggle street."
"A hearse?" Frank suggested.
"Something less ominous."
"A taxi?" Rowan piped up.
"Something less inviting."
"A white van with tinted windows?" Fabian said.
"Something less..." Amelia hesitated, "creepy."
"A black Sedan?" Gideon said.
Amelia thought for a moment.
"That sounds perfect," she smiled.
The team pulled on their jackets and got their wands. Then, after they had tidied up at Dolores' insistence, they headed out to the lift and made their way to the transport storage area. There were all kinds of vehicles at the Ministry's disposal, including a Sedan, black, with magically expanded interior. Amelia signed for it, on the condition that neither Frank or Fabian were aloud to drive, something she agreed to despite their protests. With their leader in the driver's seat, the four Aurors went off to find 146 Hardgrave Street.