Curious Incident

I think you should do what your father tells you to do.

What happened to you the other day? I came out again and you'd gone. I had to eat all the biscuits myself. I was looking forward to our little chat.

I think I am going to do that yes.

Where's your father at the moment Christopher?

He eats special pellets and you can buy them from a pet shop. And he needs fresh water every day, too.

Why do you need somebody to look after Toby, Christopher?

Is it a long cake with a square cross-section that can be divided into equally sized, alternately colored squares?

Yes I think you could probably describe it like that.

Do you mean that they were doing sex?

Yes, Christopher. That is what I mean. I'm sorry Christopher. I really didn't mean to say anything that was going to upset you.

Was that why Mr. Shears left Mrs. Shears, because he was doing sex with someone else when he was still married to Mrs. Shears?

Yes. I expect so.

I promise.

You mother before she died was very good friends with Mr. Shears.

(circle to park bench)

I am going to say something to you and you must promise not to tell your father that I told you this.

And I like maths and looking after Toby. And I also like outer space and I like being on my own.

I bet you're very good at maths aren't you?

Thank you.

I have a grandson your age.

Do you know anything about Wellington getting killed?

I heard about it yesterday. Dreadful. Dreadful.

But did he give her stress so that she died of a heart attack?

I honestly don't know what you're talking about, Christopher.

Yes, I like computers. I have a computer in my room.

I know. I can see you sitting at your computer in your bedroom sometimes when I look across the street.

No. I don't talk to strangers. But I'm doing detective work.

I see you every day, going to school on your school bus, when I'm walking my dog. It's very nice of you to come and say hello. Even if it's only because you're doing detective work.

You're not a friend either.

I think I am a friend.

Why is he going to find it quite upsetting?

I think you know why your father doesn't like Mr. Shears very much.

I'm going to live with Mother.

I thought you told me your mother was dead.

Yes. Some sorts of cookies.

I'll get a selection.

I think I'd like the pink squares but not the yellow squares because I don't like yellow. And I don't know what marzipan is so I don't know whether I'll like that.

I'm afraid marzipan is yellow too. Perhaps I should bring out some cookies instead. Do you like cookies?

I can't be on my own with you because you are a stranger.

I'm not a stranger Christopher. I'm a friend.

No. And I can't stay overnight in your house or use your toilet because you've used it and you're a stranger.

I'm not really a stranger Christopher.

I know.

No Christopher, I'm not sure that you do. I mean that they were very good friends. Very, very good friends.

I don't do chatting. I don't like it.

No, I don't suppose you do. Do you like computers?

Do you know who killed him?

No, I don't.

Yes. Did he kill Mother?

No. No. Of course he didn't kill your mother.

No. And it's not brown either. My favorite color is red and metal-color. Do you know Mr. Shears?

Not really, no. I mean I knew him well enough to say hello but I didn't know much about him. I think he worked in the National Westminster Bank in town.

Why did you say "I think you know why your father doesn't like Mr. Shears very much"?

Oh dear, dear, dear. Christopher look, perhaps we should take a little walk in the park together. This is not the place to be talking about this kind of thing.

Yes. And it wasn't very serious at first but she had a heart attack when she was in hospital.

Oh my goodness.

And she died.

Oh my goodness. Oh Christopher, I am so, so sorry. I never realized.

He's called Toby.

Oh.

Can you look after Toby for me?

Oh...

No. Mother is in London.

So you're going to London on your own?

I don't know.

Well, perhaps we should try and give him a ring and see if we can get in touch with him. I'm sure he's worried about you. And I'm sure there's been a dreadful misunderstanding.

I think I should go now.

Are you OK Christopher?

A piece of a wooden puzzle.

3 pellets of rat food for Toby, my pet rat.

3558.

3558.

I have a rat.

A rat?

1 pound 47 (this was made up of a 1-pound coin, a 20p coin, 2 10p coins, a 5p coin, and a 2p coin).

A red paper clip.

I will.

And the other thing I know about you is your favorite color is not yellow.

Why not?

Because maybe your father is right and you shouldn't go round asking questions about this.

Why? (18)

Because obviously he is going to find it quite upsetting.

Why? (19)

Christopher please, just trust me.

Christopher. Christopher.

Christopher, what on earth has happened to you?

Or did he hurt her so that she had to go into hospital?

Did she have to go into hospital?

Most people don't like rats because they think they carry diseases like bubonic plague. But that's only because they lived in sewers and stowed away on ships coming from foreign countries where there were strange diseases. But rats are very clean.

Do you want to come in for tea?

I thought she was dead but she was still alive. And Father lied to me. And also he killed Wellington.

Is your mother here?

I don't know because I don't know what Battenberg is.

It's a type of cake. It has marzipan icing round the edge.

Did Mr. Shears kill Mother?

Kill her?

I only like orangeade.

Luckily I have some of that as well. And what about Battenberg?

Father said that he is an evil man. Do you know why he said that?

Perhaps it would be best not to talk about these things Christopher.

I am. I'm going to do A-level maths next month. And I'm going to get an A-star.

Really? A-level maths?

Yes. I live at number 36.

We haven't talked before, have we?

I'm the first person to take an A-level from my school because it's a special school. All the other children at my school are stupid. Except I'm not meant to call them that, even though that is what they are.

Well I am very impressed. And I hope you do get an A-star.

My age is 15 years and 3 months and 3 days.

Well, almost your age. You don't have a dog, do you?

I don't go into other people's houses.

Well, maybe I could bring some tea out here. Do you like lemonade?

No.

You'd probably like a dog wouldn't you?

Somebody must know because the person who killed Wellington knows that they killed Wellington. Unless they were a loony person and didn't know what they were doing. Or unless they had amnesia.

You're Christopher aren't you?

Well. It's your funeral.

You're touching my bag!