07 SEPTEMBER - AUROR OFFICE
“Well, I highly doubt you called me down here for a how’s it going,” Alicia said, taking a seat at the round table in a small conference room across from Perry Derrick and Susan Bones.
Perry raised an eyebrow at her but didn’t say anything just yet. Instead, he pushed a file with a few pieces of parchment towards her nodding when he saw a questioning look.
Alicia opened the file and looked down, frowning. It was information on her sister's boyfriend and a wanted poster from India. He looked a little bit different but it was the same guy.
“So, can’t you just go arrest them?” Alicia asked looking up.
“Not yet,” Perry frowned. “We need more hard evidence.” He looked to Susan with a nod.
“Perry’s right. Arresting them before it happens would only mean we’d have to prove they’ve committed previous crimes. If we can catch them during the act or with the art after it’s stolen, we’ll have a much more better case against both of them.” Susan gave Alicia a sympathetic look, not out of pity but because she truly felt bad that they were here discussing the arrest of her sister.
“Once we have set times and places, which shouldn’t be hard to narrow down, we’d be able to place people there. Since this seems to be a large and public event, it won’t be hard to blend in with the rest of the crowd.”
Frowning Alicia just wanted it over. She wanted Elle arrested and all of it to be over. "Well, they do seem to be doing some of the planning from my parents' place." She offered. "It wouldn't be weird for me to show up there with an old mate or two. Although it would raise suspicion from Elle if it isn't someone I already know too well." She sighed. "Especially a former rival." Alicia looked over to Derrick.
Perry smirked and nodded. He knew he'd raise suspicions, so he looked to Susan who was less likely to be a huge surprise to be seen at the Spinnet house. "You're friends with Emilia, aren't you?" He asked as more of a way to confirm. He didn't like the idea of using any of them but gaining more intel would be a good plan.
Susan was nodding along, agreeing with what was being said but then she realized both Perry and Alicia were looking at her and about her friendship with Emilia. “Me?” She asked, pointing to herself as she looked back and forth between the both of them. Oh.
“Yes? I mean, we’re friends, sure, but I don’t know if I’d say we’re close enough that I could show up randomly or unannounced without raising some suspicion.” Especially if Elle Spinnet or her boyfriend knew that she was an auror. “Much less conspicuous than you, but I’d still need a reason to be there.” They could probably think of one, but she’d also have to be careful around Emilia since they didn’t want her to find out what was happening behind the scenes either. Susan didn’t like that part about it, but it was important if they wanted this to work.
“Would there be anything that could be dropped off at the house?” Susan asked. “Even if it’s not directly from me; I could be delivering it for someone else but using it as an excuse to drop by to say hello to Emilia. Or, well, either of you really.”
Alicia sat back and thought for a moment, yeah, showing up at her parents house without a reason would be a bit awkward. Alicia showing up wouldn’t be all that weird, but what would make sense for Emilia to invite Susan and other friends. Biting her lower lip she looked between the two of them.
“You like animals yeah?” She asked looking directly at Susan, she was pretty sure but she wanted to triple check before bringing up her idea. Perry just gave her a curious glance.
“Sure, yeah I like them,” Susan nodded. She knew Alicia had her foundation and that the other members of her family could be pretty active in it at times. “I have one cat, but I like pretty much anything. Well, a big no to most reptiles or creepy crawlies. Please don’t make me pet a snake.”
She was mostly joking, but also please no to the snakes. There was probably a lot they could work with in regards to the foundation, but Susan wasn’t sure exactly how she’d be tied into it. “What did you have in mind?”
Laughing, Alicia smiled. “How’d you like to be the Ministry member on the board? We’ve got room on the board for one more, and I easily could get you in, that’d give you a reason to come to the house with me to sign papers.” She shrugged. “My father helped me write it all out and take a keen interest in new people.”
Perry smirked and looked directly at Susan to judge her reaction to it.
As soon as Alicia laid out her idea, Susan’s eyes stayed wide, surprised at the offer to be on the board of her foundation. She paused, her mouth gaping a bit but she caught herself and closed it. “Really? You want me to be a board member? Are you sure?” She was still in some disbelief. “I mean, I’m flattered, obviously, but I wouldn’t want to take up a spot for someone who knows… you know, what they’re doing.”
She’d served on a few small committees here and there, sure, but nothing to this level. “I’d love to, but only if you’re sure. And I’d understand if you even wanted to give me the boot after this is all over. If you’d rather it be for the duration of the case, I mean.”
Susan hadn’t even looked at Perry yet and probably would have scowled a little at his smirk, but she was still working out the offer Alicia had posed to her.
Perry barely suppressed a chuckle at Susan's reaction but turned his attention to Alicia.
"Yeah, course, you're an Auror, you are more than capable and being on a board isn't about having loads of money and being stuffy, it's about doing good and providing different perspectives, I think you'd make a great addition." Her voice was optimistic and honest.
"I'm not going to kick you when it's over. I've always wanted a board that's a bit more honest and not stuck in one view of the world." That was very true.
"It'd be a great in," Perry offered, finally speaking.
Susan thought over the idea more as Alicia spoke and gave the reasonings why it would be a good fit. She probably should have said that she'd think it over and get back to her, but instead she found herself starting to smile. The idea that she could be in a position and have a say in a foundation like that was a pretty cool thing. Plus, they didn't really have the luxury of time to mull it over.
"In that case, I'd love to," Susan replied. She didn't know what her responsibilities would be other than actually attending the meetings, but she figured she'd find out about that soon enough.
"So, in the spirit of also using this to our advantage, I could stop by the house with you to sign some of the paperwork?"
“Great!” Alicia grinned with a clap as she bounced a little bit in her chair, it felt hopeful to her and she needed that hope.
“Exactly, what’ll happen is I’ll talk to my father about it, tell me that’s what I’m doing and owl you after the conversation and we’ll set a time for you to come to the house, sign things in person, there is likely to be dinner, be prepared for it, and well the rest of the job will be easy, sneak about, poke, whatever.” She nodded.
Perry nodded. “We’ll set up some things on our end as well,” he said glancing to Susan amused by the excitement. “Is there anything else we should know?” Perry asked.
“Layout of the home, where you think she might be keeping things, you can write it all down.” Perry added looking back to Susan. “Meanwhile let’s make sure you’ve got everything you need.”
"Okay. Yeah, that should work." She nodded to Perry and Alicia both. Having the house plans and a general idea of what to find where would help too especially if there were multiple people inside the house. It didn't sound like her parents knew about what was going on either, and Susan could easily make up an excuse for not really knowing her way around and ending up in the wrong place too.
"Once we have some of the particulars, Perry and I can get a few things together," Susan said, thinking aloud. "Oh, and I'll do some research into what pieces may be the most valuable that will be shown at the event. That could narrow down what we may be looking for if we don't find any specifics at the house."
“I imagine the rocks they mentioned is jewels of some sort unless there are some crazy expensive rocks out there.” Alicia didn’t know and she figured she’d remind them of that anyways. “But okay, I’ll draw the house out as best I can and we’ll go from there.
08 SEPTEMBER - SPINNET HOME IN BATH Alicia was standing outside the gate as she glanced to Susan. She’d left the day before and talked to her father at once and everything moved a lot faster than she anticipated. Her father was pleased she’d figured out a good fit. As he’d put it “Someone with a grounded sensibility.” Alicia had laughed when he’d said it but not for the reason he thought she had.
“Are you ready for this?” She asked looking over at the Auror. “I’m not sure who all will be here right now, but I’ll make sure you get some time to poke about.”
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Susan said with a small smile. She was a little nervous, but really that had more to do with the fact she was being brought on board as a member of the foundation, not the investigating and snooping around she’d be doing as her role as an Auror. It wasn’t often that she was brought into a case involving someone she knew, but this was all part of the job.
“I have a silencing charm I’ll be using to help keep the poking about bit much less obvious in case there are others around the house,” she said. “Oh, and a few other items I have in here,” she patted the messenger bag draped across her body. “The work tools are located in a hidden compartment. Everything else inside looks Ministry official and information about the foundation.”
Alicia grinned. “Great!” She took a few steps but paused and looked at Susan. “If you need me to create a distraction of any sort let me know yeah? I’m very capable of creating a massive distraction.” Especially if Elle was around she would purposely start some sort of argument and make sure it got rather loud.
“It’s going to be alright, and you’re going to be great on the foundation,” Alicia added as she started to walk forward again. When they got to the front door she opened it stepping back letting Susan step through first.
“DAD!” Alicia yelled loudly.
Susan nodded and smiled at Alicia and walked inside the house. She’d never been inside the Spinnet home, but it was absolutely lovely. The grounds on their way in had been beautiful enough, but the house was impressive as well. She was gazing and looking around and before too much longer, an older man entered the room whom Susan assumed was Alicia’s father.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Mr Spinnet,” said Susan and held out her hand to shake his. She’d known Alicia and Emilia for years, but she’d never met either of her parents until now. “Thank you so much for having me; I’m delighted to be even a small part of your foundation. I’ve always admired and respected the work and events you support.”
Tristan Spinnet shook her hand and smirked. “You can call me Tristan, anyone willing to join her board has that right.” He offered waving an arm behind him. “Let’s head into the kitchen.” He offered leading the way. It was a short walk but he remained quiet.
When they got to the kitchen there were a few wine bottles set up. “Alicia didn’t mention if you had a favorite wine and my wife insisted on getting a selection to choose from after you sign the papers and we make this official.” Alicia snorted, rolling her eyes as she followed behind.
“Alicia says you are an Auror?” He asked. “Impressive line of work.”
“On, um, that’s so nice of you,” said Susan. Even though this was technically for a job, she knew that she’d still be on the board once this was all over. It just hadn’t fully hit her until Alicia’s father was going on about celebrating after the papers were official and signed. “Anything you have in a Sauvignon Blanc would be brilliant.”
Susan nodded as she followed Mr. Spinnet into the next room. “Yes, sir, I am. I knew I wanted to work within the Ministry somehow, and I ended up working to become an Auror a year or so after graduating school. I work with a partner and still continue to learn, but I enjoy the work we do. It can be a lot to handle at times but also rewarding at others.”
Tristan Spinnet nodded at her prefered wine and poured three glasses. "Respectable work," he told Susan with an approving nod, Alicia held back a small chuckle.
"Here is everything you need to sign," he said, waving his hand over the island in the kitchen holding a few different pieces of paper. "You'll sign, I'll sign, Alicia will sign, and you'll be part of the board."
"We've got this bag for you with more information, schedules, and a few gifts." The bag included several shirts, hats, wine glasses, wine bottle openers with the Spinnet Foundation logo on it.
Alicia stood back, letting Susan first sign, her father and Alicia signed quickly.
"To our new respectable board member," Tristan commented with a glance to his daughter which caused her to roll her eyes before looking back to Susan with a bright smile. He held up his glass for a cheers, and he and Alicia took a sip afterwards. "Now, let's celebrate. There is more food and wine outside." He glanced at Alicia, indicating she should show the way.
"This way," she smiled. "I'll give you the tour of the house first before we settle outside."
As much as Susan knew that this was an important job and would be protecting people in the long-run, she did feel a slight pang of guilt. Mr. Spinnet didn’t know the full truth of what was happening, and while she would certainly do her best as a new board member going forward, she was ultimately there right in this moment to investigate his eldest daughter. It was the downside to being on a case involving friends or someone you knew.
She smiled at his excitement, though, and held up the glass and took the sip in celebration. As they ventured out of the kitchen, she nodded to Alicia. “That would be great.” Out of the kitchen and into what looked like one of the main living areas, she complimented the room, not sure if Mr. Spinnet was still within earshot.
“It’s such a lovely home,” she said, making idle conversation until it was clear. “Do you come back to stay often?” As she spoke, she reached inside her bag and found her wand so that she could cast the silencing charm once she was alone.
"I don't really stay the night as much as I used to, but I like to stop by from time to time. I like to visit the house in Italy more often though." She smiled. She kept it up, adding little comments as she watched Susan use her wand.
“Alright, it’s a bit of a catch on where she’s going to keep things, my bet it isn’t her room, but it might be one of the smaller rooms, or perhaps the cottage, or,” she paused. “The barn might be a good place to look.” She sighed. “Elle’s likely to be very careful where she’s hiding things but I don’t think she’ll think anyone is around looking.” She wasn’t sure on that but regardless if they ran into anyone giving Susan a tour was an easy answer.
“Okay,” Susan said aloud, partly to Alicia but partly to herself. Her mind was going over the blueprints and descriptions of the Spinnet home that she’d gone over numerous times with Perry and on her own before the meeting today. The layout of the bedrooms, the spare rooms, and structures outside the main house such as the cottage and the barn that Alicia mentioned.
“Check her room first since we’re here and then the barn and cottage. The cottage could be a smart location as long as your parents don’t have guests that use the rooms often.” Out of the way and in a place where she’d be undisturbed for the most part. She could spend time there without notice, even by her parents.
Reaching Elle’s room, Susan closed the door once inside and began looking. She didn’t bother with the obvious spots like under the mattress or even in the desk. She was more concerned with magically concealed locations or even spots where Muggles sometimes hide their valuables. Inside vents, fake electrical outlets, and other hidden spots. She tried a couple of reveal spells but came up empty there too. She sighed and shook her head, looking around to make sure the room still looked in order. “Do you think your father would suspect if we take the time to go to the cottage and barn?”
Alicia looked in Elle’s room and felt that same odd chill she always did when she walked in there. Alicia made sure not to touch anything but watched carefully as Susan looked. She wasn’t surprised that there wasn’t anything to find in her room, that’d be too obvious.
“I made sure that some of the animals are out and about and anytime they are tours take a lot, lot, longer,” Alicia commented with a shrug. She’d put some thought into how this could work and what might happen. She still had a weird feeling about everything but tried to push it down.
As they walked out one of the side doors Alicia led them to the cottage first. “We haven’t had guests stay here for a while, last were some of my Mum’s family.” She informed Susan in case she might need to know that.
At the cottage, Susan did a lot of the same as she had in Elle’s room, but this time she did a little more digging and paid more close attention to each section of the rooms, making sure to cover everything. Magical and Muggle hiding spots. If Elle and her boyfriend were involved in stealing Muggle paintings then it made sense that she might have other Muggle methods of preparation for the job. Those spots might be less likely for someone to find, too.
In the second room, there was a bed and a desk by the window. She examined the bed carefully, checking for any hidden slits in pillows, mattress, or bedding. Nothing came up, and eventually she moved to the desk. It was a beautiful roll top desk with a dark wood finish. Susan’s eyes scanned over the drawers and outside of the desk. She was about to open the top when something on the side caught her eye. It was ever so small, but there was a line, slightly darker than the original wood, going down the edge of the front edge.
“It might be nothing,” she said to Alicia but knelt down anyway, her fingers going over the thin line. It felt like just a grain in the wood, but in a desk like this, it didn’t seem right. She plucked out her wand from her bag and gave a small wave and quietly spoke an expansion spell, ’Volvendo’. Barely a couple seconds passed before the side of the desk unfolded and expanded with a hidden compartment. Susan looked up at Alicia. “I think this is it.”
There was a part of Alicia that wanted to be wrong, she didn't want to be right about her sister, but she knew that she was. She worked to shove down all of her mixed feelings as Susan looked around. Alicia made sure to get one of the dogs to take a note back that they got stuck in the barn hanging out with some of the animals and would be there soon as another safety.
Alicia looked over at Susan when she said she thought she found something. "I think this desk has been passed down on the Spinnet side of the family," she told Susan. "It'd make sense that it had..." She said as she let Susan look into what could be in there. "Just," she added quickly, "here" she offered her finger. "It might be sensitive to Spinnet's."
At first Susan wondered if she’d merely stumbled on old documents that had been passed down through the Spinnet family or even sensitive documents relating to the family. There might have been a few of those, but the papers on top looked newer than some at the bottom. Carefully, they removed the newer parchment as well as an odd rolled up blue paper. There were lines and what looked like odd drawings. “These look like those Muggle papers,” she said, thinking aloud. “Oh, what do they call them-- blue prints, right.” She unrolled a portion of the plans.
“This is the warehouse on Stodging.” Susan moved the blueprints over enough so Alicia could see and kept looking. “And research on an art curator and a handful of individual pieces.” She knew this had to be hard, even despite having suspicions, but seeing the proof -- it would make it much more real.
Making sure to handle the papers with care, Susan was able to take a few pictures and conduct a duplication spell for a few of the larger papers. They’d have to put everything back as neatly as possible so Elle or her boyfriend wouldn’t realize someone had found her hiding place.
“Wait,” Alicia said before Susan put them back, catching some notes on the back of one of the more faded pieces of parchment about the artwork. It was hard to make out, but it seemed to have a scribbled name on it and some other information. She watched as Susan captured it before they put it all away.
Alicia made sure that the Spinnet aspect of the desk was put back and locked, only something a Spinnet could do, and stepped back.
“Well, I guess we should go meet the animals, so we are at least furry enough to go back to the party,” Alicia said holding in the anger and mixed emotions that were storming around her.
Once everything was put away and back in place, Susan took a deep breath. “I’ll take this back to the office and touch base with Perry about what our next steps should be.” They needed to get familiar with the layout of the space, contact someone with the organization, and develop a strategy for the operation.
“You won’t hear me argue with that plan,” said Susan with a smile. Getting to pet and say hello to the animals would be the best part of the afternoon. Even though, yes, she did get a small thrill in her casework. This one was just a little more awkward than most considering the suspect.
They were just outside the cottage when Susan paused and placed a hand on Alicia’s arm. “I know this isn’t easy on you. Having suspicions about what she might be up to is a lot different than seeing confirmation.” She nodded a little and fell back into step with her towards the barn.
Hesitating she was about to say she was fine but that was far from the truth. Alicia had always known Elle was up to no good, but this was serious. This wasn’t small or run of the mill bad, it was more than that and knowing Elle was using Emilia and Rocco grated her more than anything.
So, she shrugged and nodded, words at a loss. Alicia pointed insteadd to a rather excited horse and a cople of dogs were rounding the corner to say hello. As they got closer another two horses approached and Alicia let the animals distract them before they’d head back to everyone else.