◆ SpookStack

Happy ler tunch, Melinda dressed th: bors in grey flannel suits, ul a blue Sehiaparelli coat over her blouse and skirt, took the baby’s favourite doll, and at Uhrée-thirty that afternoon, they all set off in her car. In the back were A suitcase. two raMa bags they had brought back from Majorea, And (an airline overmght ba The ” trusting Mrs. Dunbar watched them from the window As they set of towards Montreux. happy that her dauahter seemed so entiusiastic the praspect of a weekend Fith old friends. She was expecting tnem wack n Sunday evening. because the pyS were due al 0G1 by 8.15 n Monday morning. and at six on Sunday afternoon, — Mrs Dunbar set the table lor supper. By seven o'clock she thought that they might have hud’ « breakdown. By eight, that maybe they were stay’ng for an extra night, and then driving direct to the school on Mondiy morning . By Monday morning, however, elinda had still nut returned Mrs. Dunbar telephoned the itish Consulate. Sie explained Who she was und as a the Con=n!-Generai, The duty oMizer replied that she couldn't speak to him“ untid two that afiernoon because he had gone to the airoort to meet the Lord fon, the consulate and explained that her daughter and her grandchildren were missing. She said that M15 officers had asked her to contact them at Any time if she felt the matter Was urgent; surely this was urgent ? ‘The official did not agree. He assured her that information Would be sent to London through “the proper channels.” No donbt her daughter and the children would turn. yp soon} he ‘could nop see what was ~—— urgent about the matte | all the other sheep. TI |_ Flying our Mrs. Dunbar did nor shar this view. Beside herself-wit Worry she ran back to ‘her fla: and ‘put a call through to the Foreign Office in London. She spoke to a security officer, explaining what had happened: and he promised that Wo colleagues would fy out to Geneva at once. On the following day, as she She received a clegram from ‘Territet—where Melinda had said she would be Spending the weekend, “Terribly sorry delay tn con- tacting ‘you—unforeseen ances have arisen ing here tonzer please 4 a weeks time —all extremely well—Pink Rose in ‘marvellous form—love {rom all—Melinda.” This had been nanded tn at' Territer Dost office by a woman Wearing heavy make-up, ore- Sumably nov Melinda Maclean. Pink Rose was her nickname lor the baby. “As with “Teento” for Donald Maclean, this Was | no doubt meant to prove that the cable was authentic. But the spelling of “ circumstances " Showed that whoever had writ- ten it did not know English well. As with her husband, Melinda had disappeared on ‘a Friday ; aod a telegram had arrived Shortly afterwards. hat same morning, Melinda's | car was discovered in the station garage at Lausanne, “iL Was covered in mud. the battery kas flat. the ‘speedometer broken. the ‘ciwareite lighter hanging down from the dap. board. A book in the back Were some road TADS. a cardboard box from a Geneva cakeshop. the remains . of @ sandwich meal. a child's pistol and a tov sieve. Sand on the sieve was checked: it came from the beach at Ouchy. near Lausanne. {iad she met somrone there, while her children played ? On the driver's seat a Ad Tis eft open. face down. as | though someone had put ‘tt down while reading. It'was a children’s oook. “Little Lost Lamb," and rather grubby: On the fly leaf was stamped * Property of Norwalk. Conn. Schools, Washinuton School” { Mrs. Dunbar said she nad never seen it before. The too grown-up for the bat ¥ct Wo young for the bors. It Was open at the following passage: . When the little black fasnb | scrambled up the mountainside by himself, he didn't think he would get lost. He was only having tun exploring, But when fas time to ga Rome, there | was no little black lamb among | «2. Then came a cry which the’ shepherd | — — | TN DeLoach ____ Mohr —____ Bishop Casper Callahan —____ Conrad —__ - Felt. Gale Rosen —_____ Sullivan Tavel ___ Trotter —___ Tele. Room Holmes Gandy The Washington Post Times Herald The Washington Daily News The Evening Star (Washington) ____ The Sunday Star (Washington) Daily News (New York) Sunday News (New York) New York Post The New York Times The Sun (Baltimore) The Daily World ‘The New Leader ‘The Wail Street Journal — ‘The National Observer People’s World Examiner (Washington) LONDON, ENGLAND Date Jannary 5, 1969 _