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The Case of the Baguette Bandit: Part 3
His dad destroying his Merchants' Guild notes didn't stop Auxin from reporting back to the captain in the morning. Someone was going around attacking people with Dwarf Bread - the question was, did they want it banning, and if so, why?
It was Alik who gave Auxin his breakthrough clue, when he came from next door with the bread left over at the end of the day.
"Did you say it was Mrs Bunne who was hit first?" he asks, as Auxin picks out some broccoli and picks off a manky bit.
"Yeah, why?" Auxin asks.
"She owns that new bakery." Alik says. "On Cockbill Street. But her sons run it."
Auxin stops. Huh, that's weird. Maybe it's time to pay this woman a visit.
He goes via the watch house to tell the others where he's going. Carrot nods at him.
"I'll ask Detritus to meet you there. He's just finding out who's bought a big oven any time soon. You're all right going on your own?"
"Oh yes." Auxin nods. It's a little old lady, how hard can it be?
He heads back towards Cockbill Street, with the address Mrs Bunne gave them the first time, for a small flat a few doors down from the shop. People are still queuing to buy Dwarf Bread, in fear of the possible ban, so he pushes through them and heads up the stairs to knock on her door.
When the door opens, he comes face to face with the suspect with the goatee. He manages not to recoil in surprise, but instead barges in and with a swift movement, pins him against the wall.
"Come back to get her again, have you?" he demands. "You're nicked."
"Let go of my son!" Mrs Bunne shouts, coming up behind and kicking him in the legs. He loses his grip of the suspect, and suddenly finds it's him being pinned to the floor.
"I think you better leave, watchman." the suspect snarls.
"I get it now." Auxin says, wondering if he can distract him until Detritus pitches up. "You baked the two foot loaf yourself, because you're new to the dwarf bread market. Whoever sold you your new oven didn't tell you that dwarves don't buy two footers, because the ovens cost too much to run, so they're always much more expensive. You were going to make a huge loss, unless the price of Dwarf Bread went up. You faked the muggings to make a run on Dwarf Bread. And who would ever suspect Master Bunne, the baker's son?"
The man has raised the dwarf bread. Auxin knows it's hard enough to bash your skull in, but whether it works through a helmet, is anyone's guess. Through the floor, he can feel the thud of the troll approaching. But there isn't time.
Fortunately, the press-ups and weight lifting has paid off. As the Baguette Bandit raises the loaf, Auxin pushes up fast, and hard, and throws him off. He draws his sword and slices the baguette in half, then gets back on top of his suspect in time for the sergeant to push the door in.
"Like I said, you're nicked." he pants.
It was Alik who gave Auxin his breakthrough clue, when he came from next door with the bread left over at the end of the day.
"Did you say it was Mrs Bunne who was hit first?" he asks, as Auxin picks out some broccoli and picks off a manky bit.
"Yeah, why?" Auxin asks.
"She owns that new bakery." Alik says. "On Cockbill Street. But her sons run it."
Auxin stops. Huh, that's weird. Maybe it's time to pay this woman a visit.
He goes via the watch house to tell the others where he's going. Carrot nods at him.
"I'll ask Detritus to meet you there. He's just finding out who's bought a big oven any time soon. You're all right going on your own?"
"Oh yes." Auxin nods. It's a little old lady, how hard can it be?
He heads back towards Cockbill Street, with the address Mrs Bunne gave them the first time, for a small flat a few doors down from the shop. People are still queuing to buy Dwarf Bread, in fear of the possible ban, so he pushes through them and heads up the stairs to knock on her door.
When the door opens, he comes face to face with the suspect with the goatee. He manages not to recoil in surprise, but instead barges in and with a swift movement, pins him against the wall.
"Come back to get her again, have you?" he demands. "You're nicked."
"Let go of my son!" Mrs Bunne shouts, coming up behind and kicking him in the legs. He loses his grip of the suspect, and suddenly finds it's him being pinned to the floor.
"I think you better leave, watchman." the suspect snarls.
"I get it now." Auxin says, wondering if he can distract him until Detritus pitches up. "You baked the two foot loaf yourself, because you're new to the dwarf bread market. Whoever sold you your new oven didn't tell you that dwarves don't buy two footers, because the ovens cost too much to run, so they're always much more expensive. You were going to make a huge loss, unless the price of Dwarf Bread went up. You faked the muggings to make a run on Dwarf Bread. And who would ever suspect Master Bunne, the baker's son?"
The man has raised the dwarf bread. Auxin knows it's hard enough to bash your skull in, but whether it works through a helmet, is anyone's guess. Through the floor, he can feel the thud of the troll approaching. But there isn't time.
Fortunately, the press-ups and weight lifting has paid off. As the Baguette Bandit raises the loaf, Auxin pushes up fast, and hard, and throws him off. He draws his sword and slices the baguette in half, then gets back on top of his suspect in time for the sergeant to push the door in.
"Like I said, you're nicked." he pants.