Finding Alfie

Isabel and her husband both had mysteries to solve, and the results were shocking¼

What' s this?' Marcus said, looking at the creased and crumpled envelope his wife had dropped on his desk.

It' s a letter,' Isabel replied. He gave her one of his you don't say looks, and picked it up.

Where did you get it?'

It was in a bin in the park.' He dropped it and squirted anti-bac gel on his hands.

You' re going through bins now? Are things really that bad? I take it the job interview didn' t go well.'

It was awful! You need someone here, why not me?'

You can be my secretary, if you want.'

You know that' s not what I want, Marcus.'

He picked up the envelope with a pair of tweezers and dangled it over his bin, but Isabel managed to snatch it before it fell, and held it in front of him.

Did you read who it' s addressed to?'

To my dearest son. I don't have your address, but I hope this will find you,' he read and shrugged.

It hasn' t been opened,' she said.

It' s probably a joke intended to catch out some poor, deluded, would-be private detective like you.'

It' s not a joke! It' s got tear stains on.'

I think you' ll find that' s some sort of fizzy drink, or possibly tea.'

Marcus softened his stance and continued.

Look, I know you' re keen and you want to prove yourself and all that, but you' re too emotional for a job like this. And to be honest, I' m looking for someone a bit more¼'

Male?'

Certainly not! I' m not sexist. I was thinking more along the lines of hench.' Hench?'

No offence, Isabel, but you' re unlikely to be able to defend yourself if things get hairy, which they can and do.'

I' ve done self-defence,' she retorted. I can handle myself. I might be small, but so are grenades. I' ll work for free for a fortnight. Give me a chance, Marcus, that' s all I' m asking.'

Leaning back in his chair, Marcus tapped his desk with his pen, then smiled.

You' re certainly persistent and dogged.'

Aren' t they the same thing?'

Probably, you' re the one with the English degree,' he said with a smile. Go on then. As you' re working for free, you can investigate this letter. If you can find the story behind it in two weeks, you' re hired.'

She laughed.

Two weeks? I' ll get it done in a day. How' s your case going by the way? That dead body turned up yet?'

I' ll still give you two weeks,' Marcus said, ignoring her question. And if you fail, you come to work here as my secretary.'

Deal.'

Isabel sat at the desk that Marcus' s former partner and mentor Barry used to use, and pulled on a pair of disposable gloves.

She looked up and saw Marcus watching.

He grinned and stood up. I have to go out,' he said. Drop the latch if you leave, and be careful.'

Aren' t you even a little bit curious to know what this says?' she asked, holding up the envelope.

No. I have real work to do.'

She waited until he' d gone, then used Barry' s letter opener to slit the envelope.

The letter inside was neatly written on a sheet of paper from the posh Royal Hotel. She had her first clue!

The date written at the top of the letter was Saturday 30

April 2005.

My dearest son,' she read aloud. My Alfie. You are only six years old, and although I said goodbye to you just an hour ago, I miss you so much already. I'v e made so many mistakes, gambled away everything we owned, and now I' ve lost you too. Your mother and I agreed that it would be best to make a clean break, and leave her and you to make a fresh start. Doing so is probably

I' ve made so many mistakes, gambled away everything we owned, and now I' ve lost you too