Mid-June sun lit the Morning Room, Professor Alan Baker sipped his coffee and stared at 22 across. It was the start of his summer vacation and he was taking a leisurely breakfast with the Telegraph crossword.
<Hmm, could it really be that simple? It was the last clue to solve>
Possibly, but a cigarette to clear his mind would help. He rose and headed for the back door when he heard a furious banging.
<For God's sake we do have a doorbell you know>, he muttered as he reversed direction.
He blinked, there stood a Chinaman, not so much a Chinese man as a real Chinaman from the old Imperial days: Embroidered navy tunic, pillbox hat, extravagant moustache and capped with a thin pony-tail.
<Package for Boss Lady!> the man barked.
<Sorry..?>
<God'sake, you really dumb as she say, PACKAGE FOR BOSS LADY! you take now!>
He thrust an object into the Professor's hands.
Flustered, and not a little annoyed, the Professor accepted the tightly wrapped package. No bigger than a paperback, it weighed only a few ounces and was wrapped and sealed with wax. He peered at the seal, trying to make out the character. It was slightly blurred, as if the stamp had been worn but looked very much like the sign for 'Fate'.
He looked up, intending to quiz the man further but he was nowhere to be seen. The Professor stepped down the first step and looked up and down the quiet suburban street but the Chinaman had vanished.
Shaking his head, he retreated inside, laid the package at the bottom of the stairs and went out to the back garden for that cigarette.
Must be something to do with his wife's business,, she was away at the moment, had been for a few weeks now. Macao he thought but couldn't be sure. They tended not to communicate much these days.
Back in the Morning room, he turned on his phone. It blinked with notifications- 12 emails, 3 texts and something on his Twitter feed.
Opening up the email first, the top three were from his wife. he opened the first.
'Am expecting a package, stay at home till it arrives then lock it in the safe!'
Short and to the point as ever, the other two from her were the same, as were all three texts.
Sighing, he rose and went to get the package. He locked it in the safe and prepared to go out.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He ambled across the courtyard towards the main entrance to the British Library, intending to mark the first day of his vacation with a new line of research. Small groups sat at the tables in the June sun, sipping coffees, talking lowly. In the lobby a young woman was having an altercation with Henry, the 'Guardian' of the entrance. About to walk past, some impulse made him stop.
<Look, please, you have to let me in. Jeezus mate I just need to copy some papers I know they're here, it is really so, so important to me!> she pleaded in a strong Australian accent.
<I'm sorry Miss but without a ticket you can't just walk in you know>
<Is there a problem here Henry?> he asked.
<No, no problem Professor Baker, this person does not appreciate the rules I'm afraid, you go ahead now>
<This young lady is one of my post-Grads Henry, no problem there surely?>
Henry frowned, <She didn't say so Professor>
He turned and looked at her. Mid, perhaps late thirties. Longish blonde hair and the most striking green eyes.
He was normally a cautious and reserved man, but the morning so far had left him in an odd mood.
<Sorry, perhaps I should have explained our protocols better, before you came here> He smiled at her, <Shall I do so now over a coffee perhaps?>
She stared suspiciously at him for a moment, then broke into a wide smile. <My fault Professor, I'm sorry, yes of course>
<We'll be back later then Henry>
<yes, Professor, sorry about...>
<Not at all, not at all, just doing your usual splendid job dear fellow>, he beamed and turned back to the courtyard.
They took their coffees to a free table and sat.
<Hope you don't mind?> as he pulled out his cigarettes.
<No, but now tell me who are you and why the hell are you helping me?>
<Candour is much to be admired, but sometime discretion is the better course.>
<Me? I'm Alan, a Professor at University here, just starting my long vacation and for some reason I'm feeling unpredictable this morning> His face crinkled into a smile. <Now what are you looking for and why is it so urgent?>
Drawing on his cigarette, he sat and listened as she relaxed and began to recount a very odd tale indeed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TBC
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