Free Game Play by Hazel Edwards

legs.
    Other bags were piled on the seat.
    â€˜There must be hundreds of bags like that.’
    â€˜But not with a scuff mark at the side,’ observed Amy. She walked across and sat down beside the elderly ladies.
    â€˜Hi, again.’
    â€˜Hullo, dear. Hasn’t your aunt arrived yet? We’re waiting for our grand nephew to come. He’s late.’ Mrs Silver fiddled nervously with her gold necklace. ‘He promised he’d be here to help us. Haven’t seen him for years. Probably won’t recognise him.’
    Christopher stared at Mrs Silver’s gold necklace. It was an unusual collection of round pill-like shapes. Could they be steroids? Or was he getting Amy’s ‘mystery-itis’ and suspecting everything?
    â€˜Our Aunty Viv is going to collect us in twenty ... er ... fifteen minutes.’ Christopher reached for the bag. ‘Do you need help with your bag? It feels heavy. Is that why you left the bag in the locker?’
    â€˜How did you know that?’ Mrs Gold spoke sharply.
    â€˜We saw the CAIRNS bag in locker 4,’ explained Amy. ‘The door was unlocked.’
    â€˜Yes. And he told us that there would be a key.’ Mrs Silver touched the bag, as if to reassure herself. ‘That’s why we took it out again. It wasn’t safe.’ She fiddled with a nail file.
    â€˜We were to leave the key in an envelope for him at the MESSAGES board,’ said Mrs Gold. ‘Such a kind young man to save us carrying such a heavy bag.’
    â€˜Shhh,’ cautioned Mrs Silver.
    Amy wondered what was so valuable. Surely the gold and silver bling was so obvious. Customs would have checked.
    â€˜Did you have any trouble going through Customs? With your jewellery?’
    Mrs Silver’s hand went to her neck. ‘Not as much as we expected.’ She played with the coin set in the brooch.
    â€˜Why did you have the coins set as brooches?’ As a coin collector, Amy was curious. Money was for spending rather than wearing, she thought. It seemed a waste of money to wear it
    â€˜One belonged to my aunt. The other one is new.’
    Amy peered at the date on the Mrs Silver’s coin. ‘1964’ Was she a very young aunt?
    â€˜We have a very big family. All over the world. Some of the nephews and nieces are older than the aunts and uncles.’
    â€˜Are any 100 years old? Like antiques?’
    â€˜What do you know about antiques?’ Mrs Gold asked abruptly as a dark haired man strode quickly towards the elderly women.
    â€˜Is this your grand nephew?’ asked Amy.
    â€˜I’m not sure,’ said Mrs Silver. ‘Could be. He’ll tell us.’
    That was a bit suspicious. He kissed both of them loudly. He looked quickly at their jewellery and said in a loud voice. ‘Hullo, Aunty Golda. Hello, Aunty Sylvia.’
    Amy listened in amazement. There was something wrong here. Could anyone be named Golda Gold or Sylvia Silver? The elderly women looked confused, too.
    â€˜I’m Mrs Gold and this is Mrs Silver. ‘Who are you?’
    â€˜I’m your grand nephew Bruce. Don’t you recognise me?’
    Obviously they didn’t.
    â€˜My mother wrote and told me you’d be arriving on this flight. She was so happy that you were bringing out the family jewellery. You have got it all, haven’t you? I’ll carry the bag for you.’ He seized the carry bag with the scuff mark.
    â€˜When I couldn’t find it in the locker, I was worried. No trouble with Customs about the inherited stuff then?’
    â€˜We told them that it was inherited from Great Great Aunt Ruby’s estate.’
    â€˜Good. Would you like me to carry it for you now?’ He didn’t wait for an answer. He seemed more interested in getting the bag than helping the elderly women. ‘I’ll bring my car to the front, over there. Then you won’t have to walk so far. I’ll take the luggage now. Meet you out