A case of pies and plotting

Ch.1 A room with a scheme

It was a dreary Saturday morning in London when Professor strode through the crowded market, glancing idly at stalls hawking various wares. In truth, his mind churned with plans far removed from shopping. Having recently completed a lucrative job, he now sought comfortable lodgings from which to orchestrate an even more ambitious affair.

A bakery's sweet aromas caught his attention. Through its windows, Professor spotted an elderly woman arranging trays of pastries and pies. His keen eyes noted the rooms visible above—just what he required. He entered, politely introducing himself to the proprietor Mrs. Wilberforce.

"I'm seeking temporary accommodations while pursuing music studies in the city. Might you have a space to let?" Professor inquired charmingly. Widowed Mrs. Wilberforce tended to be wary of strangers yet found his genteel manner reassuring. After briefly discussing terms, they shook on a monthly rental agreement.

That evening, Professor began moving books and belongings upstairs under cover of darkness. Once settled, he set about recruiting suitable partners for his lucrative scheme. His first recruit proved reluctant Gordon, skilled at safecracking but anxious by nature.

"We'll be in and out without a hitch. I've cased the target and our cut will set us up for life!" Professor assured the wary man. Gordon mulled it over, tempted by the payoff despite trepidations about the plot's risks.

In the coming days, Professor welcomed three more specialized recruits. Hardy and brawny Bob happily accepted, eager to indulge violent tendencies if needed. Tech-savvy Thomas, an expert programmer and hacker, joined for the intellectual challenge alone. Lastly, sly pickpocket Melissa joined for adventure as much as riches.

Each brought complementary talents essential to Professor's blueprint, which targeted one of London's most prestigious casinos. Together in the upstairs rooms, they pored over schematics and security details, fine-tuning their operation. Late nights were spent cementing trust and ironing out contingencies, though Gordon remained uneasy.

Downstairs, Mrs. Wilberforce grew increasingly curious about her new boarders. Late into each evening, she discerned muffled male voices and noises of furniture moving—odd for supposed scholars. One night, spying through a wall crack, she glimpsed maps and photographs plastered across tables and walls.

"Whatever are those hooligans truly plotting?" she muttered suspiciously. Mrs. Wilberforce resolved to quietly investigate without alarming the tenants, lest they vacate before she uncovered the truth. Opportunity arose when Professor requested her butter tart recipe, claiming an interest in baking. She happily obliged, though her pastries would contain more revealing ingredients than most.

The following evening, Mrs. Wilberforce spent hours carefully preparing trays of tarts laced with a special somniferous spice blend known to loosen tongues. With an eager smile, she delivered them upstairs along with a pot of tea. "Please, do enjoy these while your studies carry on. No charge for such dedicated pupils!"

Her ploy worked like a charm. Within an hour, raucous debates dissolved into loopy slurs and wandering stories. Mrs. Wilberforce listened intently from the bottom stair, learning of plans to raid a casino vault through air ducts and heating shafts. "I knew those ne'er-do-wells schemed no good!" she thought triumphantly.

However, Professor remained more cognizant than his companions, sensing the bakery woman's meddling. He began having suspicions about what exactly fueled such uncharacteristic oversharing. Though tempted to confront her straight away, Professor decided it best to keep his guard up and let the operation carry on as scheduled, for now.