The Key in "The Master Thief"

The Key, a masked hero in a skin tight red and gold body suit with the emblem of a key upon his chest, walked into the police interrogation room at police headquarters where, round about him, all the victims of The Enigma were seated.

"Have you caught him yet, Key?", asked Mr Morrison, the owner of 10 Paxton place, the first house robbed by the Enigma, whose CCTV cameras had shown the black suited and masked criminal apparently open locked doors; enter a building without setting off burglar alarms; crack locked safes using some amazing telekinetic ability and then leave behind a calling card with "The Enigma" printed upon it in ink that vanished, just like the thief, without a trace.

"No", said the Key shaking his head, "I haven't caught him Mr Morrison".

"Well why have you gathered us all here?", said Mrs Swanson, the owner of 7 Ridley Avenue, a house close by to Morrisons that had also been robbed by the enigmatic masterthief; her CCTV cameras showing the same thing, "I had to cancel a meeting with a big client to come here today so you better have something important to tell us".

"Oh, its important alright", said the Key, "You see I've searched this whole city looking for your Masterthief. I even checked the records of Silver city's police computer to see if there was any criminal in the history of the city who had the same Modus Operandi as your crook; able to open locks, avoid setting off alarms and crack safes with combination locks in seconds and I couldn't find anyone".

"Then why are you wasting our time, Key", said Mr Stebbins, the owner of 22 Maiden Drive, the third house that had been robbed by the mysterious serial burglar, angrilly, punching the air with his cigar, "Why don't you get back on the case and find the person who stole my wifes diamond Tiara. That was an irreplacable heirloom".

"Well, Mr Stebbins", said the Key, "Then it occurred to me, you see. If this criminal could enter houses without setting off alarms, open locks and crack safes with his amazing power, why is it he couldn't also stop CCTV cameras from recording him.Unless that is he didn't want to. Perhaps The Enigma wanted to be seen but why?".

"Thats not our problem", said Mr Delvinio, the fourth victim of the Enigma, whose house at 52 Springfield place had been robbed; his CCTV cameras showing aswell as The Enigma's usual tricks, the masked crook walk straight past sleeping Alsatian guard dogs without waking them, "You're the crimefighter, Key. You sort it out".

"Oh but I have", replied the Key, "You see, then I realised, perhaps the reason why The Enigma wants me to see him is because what I'm seeing is a deception. Perhaps the Enigma, although he's wearing the costume of a super villain isn't a super villain at all".

"But you saw how he just walks through security like a ghost through walls", said Mr Morrison, the first victim, "Could an ordinary man do that?".

"Yes that was a puzzle", said the Key, "But then, when I was following up leads at police headquarters, I bumped into a Mr Pagett; an insurance investigator for the Lifetime Insurance Company. He wanted to know if I had found out anything and thats when the secret Identity or perhaps I should say Identities of the Enigma became clear".

"I don't know whay you mean", said Morrison.

"Oh I think you do", said the Key, looking round the room at the faces of all the victims, "I think you all do. I think you all played your part in a conspiracy to defraud your insurance companies. A clever conspiracy, I'll give you that. One burglary might have seemed suspicious but if a serial burglar robbed lots of houses then that would make the burglaries appear more real".

"And what evidence do have to support these wild allegations?", said Mr Stebbins, the cigar smoker.

"You forget, Mr Stebbins", said the Key, "That I am a superhero. I used my power key to make myself invisible, gaining access to all of your houses and then, while each of you were out, I searched your house and then, in Mr Morrisons house, I made a very interesting discovery".

Unzipping a small hip bag on the side of his uniform, the Key took out something; something rolled up that, unrolling it, he then dangled infront of the startled people in the room, the skin tight lycra suit of the Enigma.

"Your the Enigma!", exclaimed Stebbins pointing his cigar accusingly at Morrison.

"A shrewd move", said the Key, smirking, "Turn on your co-conspirator, Mr Stebbins. Say he did it all by himself but theres one simple way of proving whether or not Morrison is the Enigma or wether he broke into your houses with inside help and that is to lock you all up in police custody and see if Mr Morrison breaks free. To someone who can magically open locked doors and wall safes, escaping a jail cell should be a piece of cake and whether he does or not, you're all under arrest on suspicion of fraud".