Chapter 1
"I'm so sorry! I d-didn't realize I did it wrong!" flora wailed. This was the third time in a month the fire brigade had visited the professor's apartment. The first time she had attempted a cake. Second, she had tried to make rice. This time?
Cucumber sandwiches.
"It's all right, ma'am. Although I don't understand how you did it?" Barton, who had realised many years ago now that he was not destined to be a police officer, had moved to the fire department, where he had excelled. Although, he couldn't quite become the captain, because he couldn't shake his love of food, shown by his rather large belly
"I ask myself the same thing every day!" the round and kindly house keeper Rosa chuckled delightedly. "Honestly, what would the professor say?"?
This made flora giggle. "He would say "a lady is always careful, flora" and then be distracted by a puzzle that pops up from nowhere!". Now everyone was laughing.
"Well, must be off immediately! It's nearly tea time. Fare well."
And with that, Barton and the rest of the fire squad drove away, the truck gleaming like a flaming ruby under the setting sun. Flora walked back inside, and collapsed on the squishy red couch. Sighing, she looked around. Really, she was getting clumsy. And, she admitted to herself, lonely. Ever since the professor had gone to America to help Luke on some mystery or other, she had been depressed. She had completely redecorated, with a warm yellow/peach colour scheme and odd furniture she had discovered in second hand stores. But every so often she would find an old archaeology book or a small crystal or something like that which would remind her of all the adventures she had been on.
Which would probably never happen again.
Defeated by the day's events, she turned on the television watching until it was dark, falling asleep to an old black and white movie and the stars twinkling through the window.
The next morning flora was gently shaken awake by Rosa.
"Miss flora, dear, you have a letter."
Flora got up rubbing her eyes sleepily and took the letter. Rosa walked off with a strange look on her face that flora couldn't recognise. Flora dismissed it
Looking at the envelope, her jaw dropped.
She read the return address.
Then reread it.
London prison.
