Ruby and the Ruby 2 (5): Hammer and Saw

Hammer continued to think about his distaste for Drake Sizzle as he made his way back to the hotel.  However, once he entered, he snapped back to the case he was actually supposed to solve.  He curtly nodded at Dom, who had apparently not moved since they left a half hour ago, and made his way to Ruby's room with careful feet.

Source: Monchocho

Hammer got out the keys that Ruby had lent him on their way to the PSA and quietly opened the door.  He searched every room of the house, but didn't find a soul or any traps.

In fact, there was little reason for Hammer to come.  Ruby had given him a simple explanation, but it was also a good one; despite the short amount of time that she had spent investigating, she had picked up on all of the key points.  There was only one thing that differed from her description.  Ruby had said two rooms had been ransacked; now, there wasn't a single room that was still in order.  Hammer figured that whoever was after Ruby's ruby had kept the sounds going all day so she would continue running away from the apartment and they could search the place completely.  But there was still the problem of how the sounds were only being heard by her.

As Hammer made his way through the house a second time, this time not looking for a threat but actual clues, he noticed that windows were open in each room that had one.  Additionally there was a saw in each room.  Each one had the number sixteen and a ruby etched into them, just as Ruby had described.  The sixteen confused Hammer.  Was it the age of the perpetrator?  Was it signifying an event that had happened sixteen years ago that would make the person want revenge?  Sixteen months ago?  Weeks?  Days?

And then there was that ruby.  If the person was ransaking the house to find the ruby, why would they let the owner know that's what they were after?  Either there was something bigger at stake, or they were crazy and cocky and wanted to be caught.

Hammer moved on, seeing that he was getting nowhere.  However, the next pivotal clue was not from the ransacker, but Ruby herself.  On the table, there was a slightly crumpled piece of paper.  It read:

From the Desk of Mr. Regulus Sir

Dear Ms. Ruby,

Thank you for your recent job inquiry to our our archaeological museum.  I am delighted to inform you that our board has decided to give you a position on our team.  When you first start, we will be placing you on the graveyard shift.  This is not a reflection of our value of you or the quality of your application.  It is merely a result of the policy that all new employees work their way up.  I am sure you will rise through the ranks quite quickly; even, I, the president, was in your position once!

Enclosed in this package is your bluetooth earpiece.  We ask that you wear it from nine each night to nine in the morning as you begin your position.  Such a time schedule will change as needed.

If you have any questions about the bluetooth device or any of the other areas of your new job, please do not hesitate to call or visit us and ask.  I look forward to meeting you again soon.

- Mr. R. Sir, President of the Club Penguin Archaeological Society

Jacques set the paper down.  All of this meant that Ruby had been telling Dom the truth; she had taken on a new job and had to leave for assignments at the society in the middle of the night.  Additionally, the reason she hadn't had a phone in her hand when she was taking a call was because the conversation was being transmitted through her earpiece.  This meant that, with great relief, Hammer could clear Ruby as a possible wrong-doer; she was definitely the victim here.

This letter also held a valuable clue for the assignment at hand.  Jacques thought back to Ruby's explanation of the order of the sounds.  He remembered how she stressed that the order of sounds was always the same.  He deduced that the sounds she was hearing came from a recording that was the same each and every time.  The reason no one else heard them was because they were being fed to her bluetooth earpieces through frequencies.  But who had the power to do that?

Oh no, thought Hammer, as everything came together.

Hammer thought back to his trip to the PSA where he saw the computer-like device will horns, insturments, and tools all around it.  Now he knew what it did: it recorded sounds.  Additionally, it was right next to the air vent, which explained the clattering that came at the end of the recording.  The PSA would have also had the capability to transmit it to her earpiece.

He looked back at the saw.  The sixteenth letter of the alphabet was P and saw could equal "SA."

But why check the lobby and leave the hint about the ruby?  Jacques thought for a moment.  And then he knew.

PSA agents must have left the ruby clue so Ruby would take her possession with her.  They then ransacked the place to make it look authentic.  After a while of transmitting the sounds, they knew she would come to Hammer, a trusted associate, for help.  Hammer would then of course come to the hotel with Ruby to investigate.

For this reason, agents must have come to the building to raise the suspicions of Dom, who was famous around the island for being a person who always wanted to help when he could.  By doing this, they knew Dom - who would be in the lobby all night, and, so, would be around when the detective showed up - would make sure to tell Jacques all he knew to help him.  This would make Jacques suspicious of Ruby and he would seek to go on alone.  Because of this, he would take Ruby to the PSA, the only place where she would be safe from the outside world and where there was a favor waiting for him.

With the ruby safe with Ruby, they would force her to give it to them.

He had given the culprit just what they wanted.  He had to fix this.

He began to run towards the door of the apartment but stopped with a startling thought.  Why would the PSA leave a clue - the saw with the letter puzzle - that would lead someone to the theory that the organization was behind it all?  It had to be that they wanted Jacques to figure it out, so that they could lure him back to save Ruby and take care of him, so nothing of the crime ever got out.

But, he had to go and try and stop them from harming Ruby.  He had to.

Hammer knew his theory was crazy.  But, he was a master detective who knew how crazy things could get and anticipated it.  He knew that it had to be true.  But, he wanted to be wrong just like he had been for months.

The time was 12:33, and Jacques Hammer was heading for a trap.

To Be Continued