frozen within time

London, September 2009

'Sir----we've just intercepted a message from John Wilkinson.' Travis ran in once again without knocking, but chambers let it go. 'Anonymous. We're tracing it now----but get this. It was warning him about us! That we're covering up something. Left on his work voicemail, would you believe?'

Chambers snorted. 'I don't suppose it gave any detail of what we were covering up? John winkinson still isn't saying a word apart from that family tree research nonesense----or Shakespeare. It's really most unsettling when a secret service doesn't know what secret it's got!'

'No----no detail, sir. Chapman says everythingd normal in the town too. Nothing out of the ordinary. But . . . . But, sir.'

'What, Travis?'

'Somethings a bit odd. I check at the school where johns nephew and niece go----just to see if there was any chatter----and they say they've got cousins who've just started there this week. Kids called Richardson.'

'Cousins? Where from?'

'Well. Thats what I thought. I checked their family---- the only cousins Alex and Kristen Wilkinson have are full grown adults. the other thing is, the Wilkinson kids' parents are out of the country----and John is supposed to be their guardian. so what's he doing up in London, leaving them and these "cousins" on their own----just to research his family tree?'

'Well, I suppose it's time to ask him,' Said chambers.

'Sir----one more thing,' Said Travis

'Yes?'

'Isnt it a bit strange . . . . That Chapman hasn't reported any of that to you? I mean . . . . Isn't that her job?'

'Yes . . . . What is Chapman's job?' Chamber picked up his pen and began clicking it ferociously. 'Travis,' he said. 'You're a clever young man. And I'm an idiot.'