The Bicycle Detective Part 2

Pliny the Elder wrote for a while, then paused.

Should I give myself a name, do you think? he asked.

Instead of 'the man'. Yes I do, I said.

I was thinking of Gaius, he said, matter-of-factly.

It sounds a bit...... Roman, I said. How about Guy?

No, I like Gaius, said Pliny. Let me try it. Da de da..... It wasn't long before Gaius saw something mysterious happen. A figure emerged from the building on the opposite corner, carrying a large case. The figure crossed Portrush Road and went straight to the first bicycle. Having unchained it, he got on the bicycle and rode off down Dover Street in a westerly direction. Gaius was just about to start after him, when a second figure emerged from the same building, crossed Portrush Road, unchained the second bicycle, mounted it and rode off in the same direction as the first rider had done, but much faster. Gaius followed as best he could, keeping to the shadows of the trees.

But how could he keep up with the bicycles? I asked, disbelievingly.

He couldn't, said Pliny. But luckily for him the bicycles weren't going very far. He could already see that a few hundred metres down the road they had both stopped outside the Maylands Austral-Asian New Life Community Church.

And gone inside? I asked.

Yes, and gone inside, he replied. I, that is to say Gaius, walked up to the Church and stood behind a tree opposite, to observe the building. It was all lit up and there were sounds of joyful off-key singing floating out through the doors and towards his ears.

Oh yes, I said. It must have been Tuesday, their singing practice night.

You knew? said Pliny, looking surprised.

I did, I said. We've often passed that church on Tuesday night and heard their joyful off-key singing.

Well, well, said Pliny, if I had known you knew that, it would have saved me a lot of time and research. Now I suppose you are going to tell me you know that the building on the corner of Portrush Road opposite Dover Street is the Trinity Gardens Seventh Day Adventist Church and that their music practice is held on the very same night.

No, I wasn't going to tell you, I said.

Good, said Pliny. Then go away and let me get on with writing my story.