An Outdoorsman's Guide To The Calls Of Common Thieves

A mysterious symbol

08/06/2024
TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter mentions the following: Dementia. Reader discretion is advised.

Unhinged - LSPLASH

I head into the back room, where sure enough Mac is. He's facing away from me, and he looks like he's meddling with something, but you can never be sure.
"Hey Mac."
He jumps and turns around, seemingly positioning himself to hide what he was looking at.
"Oh. Z. Hi."
"What are you doing?" I subtly try to peer over his shoulder at what's behind him but he gets in my way again.
"N-nothing. Just tidying stuff away. Why are you here?"
"Oh, Riley said you might need some help."
"Well I don't, so you can go."
"You sure? I can do this side of the room while you finish up on that side. There are a lot of pape-"
"-don't! Don't touch them- I need them!" He blurts out. Looking at the papers, they seem to be... Eleanor's documents? Medical bills, receipts, transactions...
"...for what? Aren't these Eleanor's?"
"Well... yeah But don't you think it's suspicious how Riley conveniently stumbled upon a buried piece of paper?"
Ah. So he's suspicious of Riley.
"She waters those flowers every day. Wouldn't she notice if something was different? Plus, it was half buried. What are you looking for?" I try my best to keep a friendly tone. Everyone seems to doubt Mac, so maybe he'll open up easier if he receives a bit of respect instead. "Maybe you're onto something, but we won't know if you keep it to yourself."
He looks hesitant to let me in on his plan, but eventually he gives in.
"I was just trying to see if that symbol is here. The note had a logo on it. I remember it from when Riley showed it to me. It looked like a... a flower pot."
"Let me see. The symbol."
He rummages around for a spare piece of paper and draws the symbol he saw on the note.

Huh. A plant pot. I slide the paper towards me on the desk, racking my brain for any other explanation. Perhaps I need a new perspective? I turn it all different ways, vertically, horizontally, upside down. It still looks like a- wait. It could be...
...I got it.

Z: "I don't think it's a plant pot. Look. It could be a lantern."
I show him the upside down drawing.
"A lantern... oh! As in the Black Lantern! Meaning whoever planted the note there has been to the Black Lantern, probably recently. I've seen that symbol is on the napkins and receipts, it has to be-"
R: "-what happened to the Lantern?"
I jump a little and turn around, the voice already clocking in my head as my favourite Haven ranger.
Z: "Oh, hi Ryan. Mac just figured out something." I nudge Mac a couple times, and he looks between me and Ryan, confused for a second. I put the drawing into his hands, and he realises what I'm talking about.
M: "Huh? Oh- the person who placed the note goes to the Black Lantern. The symbol on the note is the logo. See, here at the bottom."
R: "Oh, yeah. Nice find Mac. You should go tell the others, they're just packing the last of the stuff in the storage area. Remind them to lock it!"
M: "Will do."
Mac goes off with his new found information, a little happy and a little smug, and I gather up the papers he had scattered on the desk.

Hell N Back - Bakar

"Was that a pun?" Ryan asks as he puts some of the files on the shelf in a box.
I look up at him, a puzzled expression on my face. "Was what a pun?"
"'The person who planted the note'?"
It takes a moment to register what he's talking about."No." He chuckles, and I start to chuckle too. "Ok. Maybe."
"I think I'm starting to influence you."
"Should I be worried?"
"Maybe you should."

"How long were you listening?"
"Only to that last part. You handle Mac pretty well, considering you've seen how much trouble he can cause with his... assumptions."
"Well maybe he makes assumptions because people doubt him. I think he's got spirit. Maybe the wrong direction, but with a bit of guidance he's mostly on the right track."
"At least we have something more to go off of. A Lantern regular knows something about the robberies."
"Does Pike know what's going on?"
"Yeah, Eleanor just came back. She went to tell him. He probably came back with her."
"Well we'll go see what he has to say when we're finished with this room."

While we bring two giant boxes filled with documentation and other items from the back room into the storage area, the others are in a circle receiving information from Pike.

P: "...and then I- oh, hey there you two."
Ry: "What's up?"
Z: "What's happening?"
P: "So now that we've secured all of the items, it's just a matter of waiting to see if the hunch was right and this actually was a clue. That will definitely narrow our suspect list, thanks to Mac's discovery."
Mac smiles, and Steph pats him on the back. I smile too.
P: "I'll be here on patrol tonight. Just keep an ear out, but don't get yourself caught up in something dangerous, alright?"
Everyone gives him determined nods, and starts to discuss evening plans.

Ry: "You still up for coffee and Stan Kelly?"
Z: "Yeah. The coffee will probably keep me up."
I feel a gentle tap on my arm, and I turn around to see Riley looking a little sheepish.
Ri: "Hey Z? Can I talk to you for a sec before you go?"
Z: "Yeah sure." I turn to Ryan. "I'll be out in a second."
Ry: "No sweat."
S: "Hey Ryan! I need help to check if this cupboard is locked."
Ry: "Coming!"

I return my focus back to Riley. "What's up? Everything ok?"
"Yeah yeah, it's nothing worrying or anything. I just wanted to know if you had any availability at the moment? You know, appointment-wise?"
"Oh, yeah I have tons of time."
"Phew. I thought the whole town would've been swarming to your aid." She let's out a soft sigh of relief. "That's all I reall- oh one more thing. Do you have any experience with uh... dementia? Or Alzheimers?"
"Oh tons. Kinda runs in our family. Why do you ask?"
"Eleanor is... well she started showing symptoms about a year ago and well... it's a little scary for me still. I was wondering if you had anything to help with that?"
"Of course! I have tons of stuff."
"Gosh, you're the best. Anyways, I won't keep you from your date. I've got to lock up here anyways."
"See yo- wait a second- I-it's not a date-!"
"Ha, sure. You guys are too cute. Speaking of which I also have a date."
"Ooh, who's the lucky guy?"
"I don't kiss and tell. But I will tell you that I'll be getting drinks for free at the bar."
"Harry?"
"You got it."
The shy Harry and the confident Riley. Sounds like a great match.
"Awww you guys would make such a cute couple. No wonder I've seen him gawking at you from across the Lantern."
"Really?"
"Totally."

After jokingly discussing the probability of what Harry would wear to their date tonight, which happens to be their second, and a few more giggles, we regroup with the other who had just figured out how the lock worked.
A: "It's definitely harder than it looks."
Ry: "We had better go, I forgot when the coffee shop closes."
Z: "See you later!"
S: "See ya!"

M: "Since when were they dating?"
A: "I don't know but I love it."