Crossword.

Detective David Cook of the British Anti-Terrorism force was returning late home from his office in London.It wasn't the last train to Ipswich that night but there weren't many after.It was becoming a regular event these late nights.His wife and kids would already be in bed asleep.David Cook made his way along the train corridor to First Class as it started to leave the station.The compartment was empty and he sat down and looked at his watch.If he was lucky he'd be home by one.He shook his head.He'd phone in and say he'd be late in tomorrow he decided.He relaxed and looked around him.The compartment was dirty as usual.He felt something sticking in his back and turned around to see what it was.It was a newspaper stuck down the back of the seat.He reached down and pulled it out,opened it up and looked at the front page.It was a story about Iraq's reconstruction,old news.He looked at the date,30th July 2000."Jeez" he thought."Do these people ever clean these trains." He refolded the paper and placed it next to him on the seat.Then he looked at his reflection in the window,watching shadows of London pass him by.
He was growing sleepy.He shook himself awake and looked around again.Down at his side he saw the newspaper.The crossword was face up.He smiled,he was never able to do them.Whoever had bought this newspaper could though it was completed.He picked it up again.The Times he saw.Now he was impressed.He looked at a few clues just to see if he could get them.
10 across 5/8 - And Marriott plus one and another,Racing driver.
He gave up and looked at the answer it was Mario Andretti.
Then he saw the answer leading down through the "a" in Mario.It read Jakarta and down through the "o" in Mario was hotel.
David Cook started to get a funny feeling.He looked once more at the date.30th July."But that was a week before the bombing"he said aloud to himself."Who compiles these things".he looked the Crossword compiler on this occasion was called Saladin.

He was no longer tired.He would have some checking up to do tomorrow,he had completely forgotten about the late start he'd promised himself.

He was at work early the next morning having hardly slept that night.He'd bought a copy of The Times before catching the train.Saladin was not the crossword compiler that day.Still he'd spent the journey trying to work out the criptic clues but with very little success.He'd waited impatiently for his secretary to arrive when she did he asked her to contact The Times and send him all the Crosswords compiled by Saladin with the answers and the dates they were published.He then scouted around the offices asking if anybody did The Times crossword every day.Someone had said that a Detective Constable White was a compulsive puzzler.He had sent word that he wanted to see him in his office immediately.
About half an hour later DC James White came apologetically to Cooks office explaining that he had been following up a lead and had been out of the office.
Cook waved him to a seat.
"Sit down please.It's James isn't it?.I'm told you do The Times crossword."
Cook took two copies of the paper out of his bag and placed them on his desk
"Well yes sir" replied White,not really sure where this was going.
"What can you tell me about a compiler known as Saladin?"
"Oh"smiled White."He's a real bugger sir"
Cook showed him the old newspaper and explained.
"Why has Saladin not compiled the crossword for today?"asked Cook when he had finished.
"Well sir,there are about ten different compilers and they alternate."
"Right"Cook nodded,he now understood.
"Look James,I've asked for copies of Saladin's crosswords.I'd like you to look them over with me when they arrive.In the meantime,I'd like you to find out as much as you can about Saladin.Tread carefully.If there is something in this I don't want to tip him off."
"OK,sir."
"Right,get on with it then.I'll call you when the crosswords arrive."

It was early afternoon before Saladin's crosswords arrived in a folder.While Cook was waiting he had begun to doubt that there was anything in it.It just seemed too bizarre.He sent a message down to White who knocked on his office door only five minutes later.
Cook beckoned White to sit down.The folder was still unopened on the desk.
"How did you get on with our friend Saladin."
"Well sir,very interesting.His name is Abdul Azzar and he's Proffessor of Islamic Studies at the University of Nottingham." White continued for a while with a few personal details.Cook held up his hand.
"That will do for now.Good work James.I think we should look at his crosswords.Don't you?"
Cook opened the thick folder and together they started to go through the puzzles.After an hour Cook put down the crossword he was looking at and sat back with a sigh.
"This is hopeless.It's like looking for a needle in a haystack."
They both sat in silence for a while.
"Sir"White started"I've been thinking.If this is being used to prepare and coordinate terrorist attacks then there should be a pattern.This paper you found on the train was published a week before the Jakarta bombing.Perhaps we should look at crosswords published a week before attacks.Perhaps we should look for Sept 4th 2001 for a start."

Cook divided the pile of crosswords and gave half to White.
"Good idea."
Five minutes later Saladins crossword for the 4th of September 2001 lay on the desk.There was no longer any doubt in the two men's minds.
10 across the answer was Twin Towers.New York lead down through the "w" in Twin.Pentagon lead down on to the "n",Boering lead down through "e" in Towers.

White took the Jakarta crossword and the Twin Towers crossword and laid them side by side.
"Look" he said "One across." On the Jakarta crossword one across was Abraham.On the Twin Towers it was Moses."That's the header clue.That's how they know it is serious.Old testament characters."

By 5:45 that evening they had eight crosswords laid out.One each for the Bali bombing,the USS Cole,the kenyan and Tanzania embassies and others.

"I'm going to have to pass this up.I think this is a matter for MI5 now"
Cook began to look through his office diary for his opposite number in MI5 called Hargreaves.White was browsing the remaining unchecked crosswords.Cook found the number and started to dial.
"WAIT!!"
Whites voice was urgent.Cook put the phone down and looked up at him.
"Sorry sir but you'd better look at this.It Saladins crossword from a week ago."
one across had the telltale header the answer was Jacob.Cook looked straight at 10 across.It read Washington.Down from the "a" it read atomic bomb and through the "i" it read midday.
Cook looked at his watch.
"What time is it in Washingto now?"
"I think they're six hours behind"
Cook picked up his diary again looking for a new number.He was shaking.He found it and started to dial.
"Come on!Come on!!.Pick the damn thing up!"
It seemed to ring for ever.Eventually a friendly American voice answered.
"Good morning,Jessup here FBI"
"Listen carefully.My name is Detective David Cook of the British anti terrorism unit.We have reason to believe..........Hello! HELLO!!
The line had gone dead.The was no tone at all.
Cook started to redial.Then he looked at his watch.It was 6 pm.

I was watching my wife do her crossword and I was reminded of an episode that happened in the months leading up to D-Day when a crossword compiler for the Daily Telegraph was put under surveillance after including codewords for normandy beaches as his answers.It turned out to be one of those weird coincidences but it raised a question in my mind.What if it were not a coincidence?and what if it were now.There was only one way to find out.So I started writing.
I hope you enjoyed.

For a link to the original D-day story.
magma.nationalgeographic.com...

Jb1......I enjoyed it!

helen.

Hey that was a really neat short story. I enjoyed it.

I also thought Enigma was an under-rated flick.

Keep up the interesting diversions JB1, and may your Quest lead you to more solutions to the world's biggest puzzle.

Very nice, had me on the edge of my seat.

great story JB1


Keep up the good work