Allegory of Love-Franco Goes to the Boxlands Book Launch

Franco was in Oxford to represent his firm at the book launch reception for Boxlands, a historical fantasy by Dorian Crane. The firm was considering buying the merchandising rights to collectible action figures of characters in the book. Franco himself preferred The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis. He wasn't expecting to find the Boxlands project viable. He did find Inspector Robbie Lewis out with another woman at the book launch at The Randolph. This woman had dark hair and was wearing a blue dress. She seemed to be bossing Lewis around quite a bit, Franco observed. His firm turned down the Boxlands deal. Franco and Laura didn't have a chance to meet up this time due to their work schedules.

Counter Culture Blues-Franco Remembers Esme Ford

On his next trip to Oxford Franco had to go to Slough for a meeting with executives from a giant software company. He saw a woman cleaner in the hallway that reminded him of the rock star Esme Ford. She looks so much like Esme Ford she could be her sister, he thought. Someone who didn't know better could mistake her for the real Esme Ford. A Midnight Addiction album with Esme Ford, Ritchie and Mack Maguire, and Franco (he enjoyed having a famous namesake) was one of the first things he bought after his escape from East Germany.

The Dead of Winter-Franco Gives Good advice

Laura and Franco finally had time to catch up over coffee one afternoon. Laura was telling Franco about the grisly Lewinsky case. They both sat quietly for a few minutes reflecting on the tragedy. Franco said things like that made his business troubles seem unimportant. His firm was currently having some human resource problems. A phone call interrupted them. Laura didn't realize she was listening to Franco counsel one of his employees until she heard him say "people don't know how you feel…unless you tell them". Yes, she thought, that is very good advice.

Franco continued with his call and Laura went to the Ladies. While waiting for Laura after his call ended, Franco saw that she left her mobile on the table. It started ringing; the caller id said Mary Gwilliam. When she got back Laura saw that she had a message on her phone. She played the message and told Franco that the caller must have got hold of the wrong Laura Hobson; she did not know a Mary Gwilliam. Franco had a feeling that the name Mary Gwilliam meant something. He made note of the name and the date, March 17th. Laura went to get refills for their coffees. Franco took that opportunity to get Mary Gwilliam's phone number from Laura's mobile. She returned with their coffees, picked up her phone and deleted the message from Mary Gwilliam. Later Franco ran a background check on Mary Gwilliam. He found that she was a nurse who used to work at Holmwood Park Hospital. She was involved with putting babies up for adoption. Franco was sure that Laura had never put a baby up for adoption so he wondered if the woman really did get the wrong Laura Hobson.

Your Sudden Death Question-Franco Goes to the Opera

Franco was back in Oxford working right up to the Saturday of the bank holiday weekend. At the last minute he found 2 tickets available for the Fairy Queen in Glyndebourne. He called Laura to see if she could go with him; there was just enough time to get there. Laura said she was sorry; she couldn't go because of work. Franco's colleagues were all busy so he ended up going with his private detective friend Dave, who happened to be in Oxford that week. While sitting in his seat for the performance of the Fairy Queen, Franco couldn't help but wish that Laura was in the one next to him. That should be her seat, he thought. Franco went back to Germany hoping that on his next visit he and Laura would have time to talk.

Franco will come back to Oxford in time to play a major role in Falling Darkness.