I dressed in the black school uniform of my little brother and sister and accompanied them to class. None of the teachers spotted that I was an over-age imposter. When one of them confiscated my silver necklace at the school gate I feared that my cover would be blown. All attention, however, was focused on how I had transgressed the school rules. The fact that I was well into my 40s was of no interest to the teacher as she logged the details of the jewellery in her little book.
The purpose of the secret school mission was to discover what had become of our elder sister. She had mysteriously disappeared in the mid-1960s. Until recently I hadn’t even known of her existence. New evidence had encouraged the police to reveal all about her short and exciting life to me and my younger siblings.
At the height of her fame in the 1960s our sister was hanging out with all the top celebrities in swinging London. Now was the time to re-open the case into her sudden disappearance. The police fed a rumour to the criminal underworld that would lead the key players to me. Once apprehended in my company, the police would arrest and charge the prime suspects.
The plan worked brilliantly. Within minutes of passing through the school gates a (supposed) work man grabbed me in the school canteen, introduced himself as Frick, and told me how much he loved my sister. Just beyond him I could see another three men. It looked like they were also about to come forward. Then a journalist appeared. I hadn’t signed up for tabloid interrogation so I made a run for it.
Back in the sanctuary of my everyday world, and far removed from police plots, I was once again obsessed with office moves. The big question was whether or not I should take ownership of the vacant corner position with its large windows and fabulous views? I would make up my mind for certain after GW returned to Finland.