IF NOT THE MOUNTIES - WHO?

Miss Martin phoned again this morning.

She wanted to know if I'd seen any Mounties.

(Ha! Ha!)

I said Merlinprincesse had mentioned the C.I.A. and F.B.I. too.

Then, I said - the only reason I can think of why the C.I.A (or the F.B.I) would be interested in Ming - would be if he didn't have the right papers.

But Dennis Price says he can't remember ever having seen Ming's birthplace listed as one from which people need visas or passports .

(And he should know because he used to be a Law Enforcement Officer.)

- So, if neither the C.I.A. nor the F.B.I. have any reason to be after Ming - well - that leaves only the R.C.M.P.

There was a pause.

A long one.

Miss Martin drew a deep breath (I could hear it) - and asked,

"Where does Ming come from?"

She wouldn't accept 'Here' - so I mumbled.

Then she asked if we'd been threatened at any time.

I started to tell her about the lady in Manchester and her £5,000 book club and the pressed geraniums we'd received in the post. Then I realised:-

a.) I was admitting Ming's identity papers are forged

and

b.) If he didn't need them, why did I buy them?

and

c.) The U.S.A. has different laws from us - so the advice probably doesn't hold good here anyway.

Help!

I stopped.

I thought.

Then, I said "Hello, hello, hello, can you hear me?" several times.

And rang off.

Then, I put more runner bean seeds in the airing cupboard and trimmed the box bushes.

We've run out of cereal.

The cats have fleas.

_____

For Tomorrow.