grin of sheer admiration, “or I'll come over there and tickle you senseless.”
“Promises, promises ,” Martina sighed, looking around at the rest of us as she handed over the box to Kim. “That's all I ever get.”
Kim flashed her an amused smile as she examined our prize. There was nothing distinctive on the outside of the tin. It looked old and battered, with rust spots showing here and there. After carefully opening the lid, Kim pulled out a note, encased in plastic, as the first note had been. We crowded around to look as Kim gently unfolded the paper. The message was short, baffling and succinct. It stated:
A5MayL15
“What the devil is that supposed to mean?” I asked in confusion. “It doesn't make any sense at all.”
“It's certainly cryptic,” Bella volunteered. “The only thing I understand is the ‘5May’ bit. It must mean the fifth of May. But what about the rest of it?”
“I have absolutely no idea,” Kim admitted. “Does anybody have any thoughts at all?” An embarrassed silence greeted her question.
“Okay, let's look at this logically,” Martina finally contributed. “The fifth of May is tomorrow. What’s happening tomorrow near here?”
We threw up various options – sporting events, church meetings, PTA gatherings, Art displays, and so on, but nothing seemed to fit the message. We looked at each other in baffled disappointment. It was such a shame to have come this far, and to nearly have been killed, only to fail now.
Suddenly, Martina jumped off her chair and ran into the kitchen. Intrigued, we followed her hurried passage and found her retrieving today’s newspaper from the garbage bin. She carefully flattened out a soiled section of it on the kitchen table and quickly scanned the selected page.
“I thought I saw something about it in here ,” she excitedly told us.
“ What something?” Kim asked.
“It's just a thought, but it might be what we’re after,” Martina explained, unsatisfactorily.
“For heaven sake, Martina, don't keep us in suspense,” Kim chided her. “ What are you looking for?”
“ This !” Martina exclaimed, pointing at a small advertisement down the bottom of the newspaper’s social page. “I glanced at it this morning but it didn't really register until a few seconds ago.”
The advert was for a charity auction to be held tomorrow morning at the local church hall.
“It suddenly occurred to me,” Martina enlightened us. “The ‘A’ might stand for ‘auction’, and if that's the case, then the ‘L15’ would be ‘ Lot 15’. So, whatever we looking for might very well be item number fifteen at this charity affair.”
“Martina, you’re a genius ,” Kim praised. “You're smarter than all of us put together. I bow to you.” Maria flushed with pleasure as we gathered around her, adding our congratulations.
Chapter 13.
- I might throw in a comment or two here.
- If you feel that you must.
- Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the story so far. It's just that it badly needs a bit more sophistication . A bit more of the ‘renowned through the ages’ touch. Something to propel it into the realm of ‘classic’. In other words, it needs me to contribute the next few scenes.
- Oh, please, enough with the self-congratulatory commentary.
- You'll see, oh ye of little faith.
Paul and Bella disappeared into the kitchen to prepare the evening meal, leaving myself and Martina sitting on the couch.
“You’ve done yourself proud recently,” I told Martina, sincerely. “We'd never have come as far as we have except for your contributions.”
Martina shrugged off my praise. “It's nothing,” she informed me. “I was just lucky.”
I placed my hand on her arm in disagreement. “No, you weren't just lucky. You were very clever and I want you to know that I appreciate everything you've done so far.”
Martina blushed. “Thanks,” she muttered, embarrassed, “that means a lot to me, coming from
“Promises, promises ,” Martina sighed, looking around at the rest of us as she handed over the box to Kim. “That's all I ever get.”
Kim flashed her an amused smile as she examined our prize. There was nothing distinctive on the outside of the tin. It looked old and battered, with rust spots showing here and there. After carefully opening the lid, Kim pulled out a note, encased in plastic, as the first note had been. We crowded around to look as Kim gently unfolded the paper. The message was short, baffling and succinct. It stated:
A5MayL15
“What the devil is that supposed to mean?” I asked in confusion. “It doesn't make any sense at all.”
“It's certainly cryptic,” Bella volunteered. “The only thing I understand is the ‘5May’ bit. It must mean the fifth of May. But what about the rest of it?”
“I have absolutely no idea,” Kim admitted. “Does anybody have any thoughts at all?” An embarrassed silence greeted her question.
“Okay, let's look at this logically,” Martina finally contributed. “The fifth of May is tomorrow. What’s happening tomorrow near here?”
We threw up various options – sporting events, church meetings, PTA gatherings, Art displays, and so on, but nothing seemed to fit the message. We looked at each other in baffled disappointment. It was such a shame to have come this far, and to nearly have been killed, only to fail now.
Suddenly, Martina jumped off her chair and ran into the kitchen. Intrigued, we followed her hurried passage and found her retrieving today’s newspaper from the garbage bin. She carefully flattened out a soiled section of it on the kitchen table and quickly scanned the selected page.
“I thought I saw something about it in here ,” she excitedly told us.
“ What something?” Kim asked.
“It's just a thought, but it might be what we’re after,” Martina explained, unsatisfactorily.
“For heaven sake, Martina, don't keep us in suspense,” Kim chided her. “ What are you looking for?”
“ This !” Martina exclaimed, pointing at a small advertisement down the bottom of the newspaper’s social page. “I glanced at it this morning but it didn't really register until a few seconds ago.”
The advert was for a charity auction to be held tomorrow morning at the local church hall.
“It suddenly occurred to me,” Martina enlightened us. “The ‘A’ might stand for ‘auction’, and if that's the case, then the ‘L15’ would be ‘ Lot 15’. So, whatever we looking for might very well be item number fifteen at this charity affair.”
“Martina, you’re a genius ,” Kim praised. “You're smarter than all of us put together. I bow to you.” Maria flushed with pleasure as we gathered around her, adding our congratulations.
Chapter 13.
- I might throw in a comment or two here.
- If you feel that you must.
- Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the story so far. It's just that it badly needs a bit more sophistication . A bit more of the ‘renowned through the ages’ touch. Something to propel it into the realm of ‘classic’. In other words, it needs me to contribute the next few scenes.
- Oh, please, enough with the self-congratulatory commentary.
- You'll see, oh ye of little faith.
Paul and Bella disappeared into the kitchen to prepare the evening meal, leaving myself and Martina sitting on the couch.
“You’ve done yourself proud recently,” I told Martina, sincerely. “We'd never have come as far as we have except for your contributions.”
Martina shrugged off my praise. “It's nothing,” she informed me. “I was just lucky.”
I placed my hand on her arm in disagreement. “No, you weren't just lucky. You were very clever and I want you to know that I appreciate everything you've done so far.”
Martina blushed. “Thanks,” she muttered, embarrassed, “that means a lot to me, coming from
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