Ockham's Razor: A Deductive Riddle

Chapter 32

The first police car arrived with the lights flashing about ten minutes after Dean had left the gas station. Ian, not wanting to be used as a witness, stood well back.

Dave, understandably under a lot of stress, stood beside Ian. "I've never been so afraid in my life. I don't think I can stay."

"C'mon, you are stronger than anyone I know" countered Ian, honestly. "You will be OK."

"How can you say that? Why aren't you stressed about this?" The look in Ian's eyes was painful for Ian to see.

Ian wanted to tell Dave that he knew it was Dean. He wanted to make Dave's stress go away. But, in doing so here, he would have to expose himself far more than he would ever want, even to his best friend. Instead, he said "I wasn't the one being held up. I was hidden in the back. I did not feel threatened." He began to wonder if his actions or words were going to lead Dave to the conclusion that it was Dean who did it.

"Were you able to at least get a look at the robber?"

"No, I didn't" Ian lied. "I was crouching down so he would not see me."

"Argh!" Dave was just on the verge of tears. "I was so scared, I did not even get a good look. Maria says she did, but another description would help, wut."

Ian breathed a small sigh. Dave could not identify Dean. And Maria had not come out and said it was Dean, just someone she might recognise in a line up. "Can't help you there. In fact, I want to squeeze out before the police get too interested in me."

Dave nodded. Ian assumed that Dave understood that Ian, being a visible minority, did not like to attract any police attention. On more than one occasion in Great Plains he had been accused of being a terrorist.

Ian was glad for Dave's understanding.

The responding uniformed police officer first finished his sweep of the area, parked the car in the parking lot, got out and walked over to the store. He spent a few moments poking the package left by the door, and then picked it up and inserted it into a large, clear plastic bag. Ian moved over towards the washrooms to allow for a quick exit once the cop got into the store. A second car pulled up with its lights on and out jumped Smooshface, the cop who worked for the Benefactor. Ian started to panic. He needed to get to the exit to cross the parking lot to his bike, but he was afraid that Smooshface would notice him and connect him to Dean. He moved into the back of the store, in the opposite corner from the office.

Smooshface entered the store, said something to the cop that had arrived first and was directed towards Dave with the wave of a hand. Smooshface pointed at Dave, pulled out his notebook and walked with Dave into the office, ostensibly for an initial interview. For the moment, Smooshface seemed fixated on Dave and did not notice Ian hiding behind a display of snack foods.

Ian tried to get closer to the office to hear, but it was not possible. He would sneak out and wait for Dave to tell him the scoop.

A disturbance at the front of the store brought Ian's attention to the door. The Bulldog was coming in. Ian had to jump out of the way without being seen, now hiding amongst the displays of windshield washer fluid and motor oil.

The Bulldog went to the door of the office and called in. Smooshface came out of the office, and luckily, Ian could now hear their discussion.

"There's no doubt, it was Dean." The Bulldog cut straight to the chase. "We were watching him as he approached, and as he left. It was not until it came over the radio that we knew that he held up the store here."

"Uhrn. Do we know where he is?"

"Yeah, we think he headed back to his house."

"Okay, get the tactical team together and get them to Dean's house. We need to hit it now."

Ian was stunned. They were going to hit Dean's house, and then, who knew.

He had to get Dean away. For Ian's own sake.