Cyphers

Warning This Section Does Contain Spoilers

The letter from the private investigator, Michelle Gray, gives us access to a shared desktop and on that shared desktop is a file called "kingfisher" that contains the saved image of a text message conversation between Sarah MacDonagh and a person labeled as "N." only. This message is as read below:

Sarah: Are you there?

N: Of course.

N: Maggie ok?

Sarah: Sleeping, thank god. C put her to sleep.

N: Good. What's up?

Sarah: O eqf'z rg ziol qfndgkt. it ktyxltl zg wtsotct qfnziofu ol vkgfu

N: O afgv.

N: Oz vgf'z wt dxei sgfutk. It'ss iqct zg ktqsomt zitf.

Sarah: Hkgdolt?

N: Qkt ngx of wtr?

Sarah: Fg. O'd of zit aozeitf.

N: Ug gxz gf zit hgkei qfr eqss dt. It vgf'z itqk.

Sarah: ....Qskouiz.

Sarah: Uoct dt q dofxzt.

So this uses a QWERTY cypher. This cypher uses a standard keyboard on a computer such as the picture below.

 In this QWERTY cypher the top row of the keyboard, starting with the letter Q on the left and moving toward the P on the right across the keyboard, Q=A, W=B, E=C, R=D, T=E, Y=F, U=G, I=H, O=I, P=J

So in other words, the top row of the keyboard that is

Q W E R T Y U I O P = A B C D E F G H I J

For the second row of the keyboard starting from the A on the left and working to the L on the right side of the keyboard: A=K, S=L, D=M, F=N, G=O, H=P, J=Q, K=R, L=S

So in other words, the middle row of the keyboard that is

A S D F G H J K L = K L M N O P Q R S

For the third row of the keyboard starting from the Z on the left side and working toward the M on the right side of the keyboard: Z=T, X=U, C=V, V=W, B=X, N=Y, M=Z

So in other words, the bottom row of the keyboard that is

Z X C V B N M = T U V W X Y Z

So we can use the following as our key:

Q=A, W=B, E=C, R=D, T=E, Y=F, U=G, I=H, O=I, P=J

A=K, S=L, D=M, F=N, G=O, H=P, J=Q, K=R, L=S

Z=T, X=U, C=V, V=W, B=X, N=Y, M=Z

We are now ready to solve using the above as our key. Below is the solved text message:

Sarah: Are you there?

N: Of course.

N: Maggie ok?

Sarah: Sleeping thank god. C put her to sleep.

N: Good. What's up?

Sarah: O eqf'z rg ziol qfndgkt. It ktyxltl zg wtsotct qfnziofu ol vkgfu

(Sarah: I can't do this anymore. He refuses to believe anything is wrong)

N: O afgv.

(N: I know.)

N: Oz vgf'z wt dxei sgfutk. It'ss iqct zg ktqsomt zitf.

(N: It won't be much longer. He'll have to realize then.)

Sarah: Hkgdolt?

(Sarah: Promise?)

N: Qkt ngx of wtr?

(N: Are you in bed?)

Sarah: Fg. O'd of zit aozeitf.

(Sarah: No. I'm in the kitchen.)

N: Ug gxz gf zit hgkei qfr eqss dt. It vgf'z itqk.

(N: Go out on the porch and call me. He won't hear.)

Sarah: ....Qskouiz.

(Sarah: ...Alright.)

Sarah: Uoct dt q dofxzt.

(Sarah: Give me a minute.)