15. Five

 Friar Montague left the library and returned in a moment with two monks--the other adepts.

"Constable Crab and Starry, also known as Friar Crab and Friar Starfish," Frair Montague said, "these are my colleagues and friends, Friar Lophius and Friar Fugu."

 It looked like I suddenly had an investigative team and I hoped my new adept assistants were alert to and had experience with such mundane facts of normal life as theft and crime.

"We are delighted to meet you and I am sure we will work together well." I said.

"I have heard about each of your special abilities and as you must be aware, Starry and I have been called here by your Master Walter to solve the problem of your missing crystal.

"The purpose of our committee then, as I see it, is to find and return the crystal to it's proper place. Auxiliary to this purpose may be to discover and punish or rehabilitate the creature or creatures who are responsible for its disappearance. Are we agreed as to this?"

The three adepts nodded.

"The only clues we have at this time," I said, "are that the crystal was removed and taken from it's valuable box--so whoever took it may value it for itself and not for its possible sale price. 

"Also--the crystal was discovered missing by Master Walter last Sunday evening--after the public had been allowed into the monastery for the usual morning Sunday service, so there is a possibility that the  theft was committed by a member of the outside community--or have been taken by one of your friars and given to someone from the outside community to carry away."

"What do you make of these ideas?" I asked.

"The crystal might simply be easier to conceal without its box in order to be smuggled out of the monastery ." Friar Montague suggested.

"The crystal is small, but not small enough to swallow--and so could not be carried away inside a thief's body." Friar Lophius added, "but could be very easily concealed in clothing"

"The public, in their civilian costume, are easily distinguished from our monastic brothers, and would undoubtedly be noticed going up to the altar and taking the crystal."  Friar Montague said, "but it is possible one of them loitered in the chapel and somehow took it after everyone else had left."

"Very good," I said. "But now tell me this: do any of you suspect anyone in the monastery of taking the crystal?"

...