Page 59 of The Impossible Fortune (Thursday Murder Club Mysteries #5)

Elizabeth has learned, in her long, long career, to accept help from any corner. Never be precious. Even so, she would very much like to work out what Tia and Kendrick have spotted before they tell her. She sees Ibrahim poring over the texts too.

‘Is it invisible ink?’ Joyce asks.

‘Of course it’s not invisible ink,’ Elizabeth snaps. Though she takes a quick glance down to double-check.

‘If you take the first letters of each text,’ says Ibrahim, ‘it spells out PNCSJI. Now, if I can just –’

Kendrick holds up a finger. ‘I don’t know if it’s rude to interrupt, but could somebody read them out?’

‘Ooh, me!’ volunteers Joyce.

‘You’d be so good at it, Joyce,’ says Kendrick.

‘All of them?’ she asks.

‘One by one,’ says Tia. ‘If that’s okay?’

Joyce looks down at the printout, then looks at Elizabeth, Ibrahim and Ron in turn. She really can’t help building her part.

Paul it’s me. I have to lay low for a while but don’t worry, I’m safe.

‘Don’t worry, I’m safe,’ repeats Tia, and Joyce reads on.

No need mate, just wanted you to know I’m alive.

‘No need mate,’ says Kendrick.

Can’t ring this evening Paul. Will explain all soon.

‘Can’t ring this evening,’ says Tia. ‘Do we see it yet?’

We don’t, thinks Elizabeth, also noting that Tia is a very interesting proposition. Where has she sprung from? Joyce reads on.

Sorry mate, what is this? A test of our friendship? I’m letting you know I’m okay, and this is what I get?

‘A test of our friendship,’ says Kendrick. Elizabeth sees that Ibrahim has both his highlighter pen and his tongue out.

Kendrick gives Joyce a thumbs-up. ‘You’re doing such good reading.’

Jesus Paul. When I need you most, you pull this? We both know the name of the car. Stop messing around and let people know I’m okay.

‘When I need you most,’ says Tia.

I’m sorry if I’ve offended you Paul. I thought we were friends, but I can’t trust you. Signing off for good now.

‘Sorry if I’ve offended you,’ says Kendrick.

‘And there we have it,’ says Tia.

‘Grandad,’ says Kendrick, ‘you’ve worked it out?’

‘Course,’ says Ron. ‘Ages ago. Just waiting for the others to catch up.’

Elizabeth has scribbled down all of these phrases but still doesn’t see it. Perhaps it’s slang? A young person thing. She hopes so. That would be a good excuse for not seeing it.

‘Can I borrow your highlighter pen, Uncle Ibrahim?’ asks Kendrick. ‘We’re not allowed to use them at school, because Nathan Pearson was sniffing them and –’

‘You can use it,’ says Ibrahim.

Kendrick lays his piece of paper on Ibrahim’s table where they can all see it. He then highlights sections of each message.

Don’ T WO rry, I’m safe

n O NE ed mate

Can’t ring thi S EVEN ing

A test o F OUR friendship

Whe N I NE ed you most

Sorry i F I’VE offended you

Well, Elizabeth has seen a few things in her time. There it was, all along. Would she have spotted that, even in her glory days? She suspects not.

‘Two, one, seven, four, nine, five,’ says Ron. ‘I’ll be damned.’

‘Six messages, you see,’ says Tia. ‘That’s what started us thinking.’

‘So we started looking,’ says Kendrick. ‘Six numbers.’

‘He’s still alive,’ says Elizabeth.

Ibrahim nods. ‘And we have both halves of the code.’