Sebastian had captured all the quick-quack message cuttings by his smart mobile phone. He observed the photos of each cutting and thought: Just begin from the basics. Who can be the sender? X or Andrew. Who can be the receiver? X or Andrew. Is it a one way communication or a two way? Suppose it is a one way communication, and suppose someone is sending – then what can be the purpose? But why newspaper advertisement in the age of mobile phone sms and Whatsapp?
What Sebastian was thinking, he was jotting down everything on his notebook.
May be they are great fans of Vladimir Putin – possessing no personal mobile phone. Or may be for each other's mutual safety they don't have each other's numbers. Yes, this may be the thing. Or why else they are sending messages through newspaper advertisements? Advertisement – advertisement – the newspaper – the newspaper. All the paper cuttings are from one national newspaper: The Daily News.
Sebastian wrote down the name of the newspaper and from internet got its editor's mobile phone number. Then he called the editor without a moment's delay, "Hello sir. I want to know something. Can you please tell me who paid for the publication of a message with a strange heading of quick-quack and some odd words on twelfth of this month? Hmm, today is seventeen. Yes almost a week earlier."
The editor said, "See sir, these things are confidential. We can not breach the confidentiality."
"See sir," lied Sebastian mockingly. "I am crime branch officer. A. Robert Stark. There have been three murder cases because of this one strange message." Then keeping the mobile phone aside, he addressed to some imaginary crime branch colleague in a loud voice, "Hey Mac, please email the warrant to The Daily Newspaper's editor's mail address. Otherwise he can not breach the confidentiality." Now putting the mouth piece to his mouth he said, "Yes sir, see we are sending you the email warrant. – Email, what a genius invention, isn't it? We can even send warrants on email. We can enquire on mobile phone. What advancement – what advancement! – We are sending you an email warrant, now you can tell us who advertises the strange message?"
The editor said, "Sorry sir, I am online. No mail has come. Please send me the email warrant first. Then I will consult with my lawyer. Then I will proceed."
"As your choice," Sebastian said politely. He was polite from outside; from inside he was furious. He disconnected the call. This trick failed. To know who sent the advertisement is a daunting task. May be it is sent through snail mail or email, who can say? - It feels like I am on the wrong track.
Then back to basics – back to basics. – Whoever sent this advertisement and whoever is supposed read it – both are avid newspaper readers, just like me. Well this won't help me catch the fishes. No. There are millions of avid newspaper readers – they read newspapers from the first word to the last word. Next – next – back to basics. What else? Suppose Andrew is either the sender or receiver of the messages or both; then why he used Quick-quack code? – Perhaps Andrew thinks it is a secret and less-known word. – Yes, who reads encyclopedia these days, as the Kaerludian old librarian sir. Bless that old soul. That was why the code. He tried to read the latest message. But it was in some undecipherable language. He tried all the vernacular language he knew. But no. The alphabets are English; but the language is something else perhaps: he thought. He was not feeling like doing it, for he wanted to take all the credits; yet he called the old librarian. "Hello, Sebastian how is the case going?" asked the old librarian.
"Going nowhere sir. I am stuck with at it. Can you please decipher the Quick-quack message for me?" Sebastian asked.
"No Sebastian, I have posted it on my Adventurers Whatsapp group. Other members are also trying their best to solve it. "
He thought: Why this old man publicized it? But he did not tell this to him. Rather he said, "Please contact me when you succeed."