Thorpe's Candle

CANDLE LIGHT

It was after 8:00 p.m. when Matt Skyler and Walter Smyth walked out of the Woolpack and stood on the London sidewalk. “It's been an interesting evening, Inspector,” Skyler said. “Next time it's my turn to buy.”

“Just find that plane and the rounds will always be on me, my friend.”

“Deal.” Skyler realized he liked this pudgy little fellow with the balding head. He smiled and they shook hands, the file of search records securely under Skyler’s arm.

Suddenly, Smyth turned and stared into the window of an electronics store next to the pub. A dozen TV's all blinked back at him, their screens covered with the flashing message: A CNN SPECIAL BULLETIN. MYSTERY DETONATION OVER HAWAII. As the anchorperson appeared with a map of Hawaii above her left shoulder, Skyler and Smyth stepped into the store to hear the audio.

“A mysterious explosion lit up the sky over the state of Hawaii early this morning, causing widespread panic and fueling speculation that a satellite, a rocket or possibly some sort of space craft blew up in the upper atmosphere. Witnesses described a light brighter than the noonday sun appeared at 5:47 a.m. local time. It lasted for approximately twenty seconds before slowly fading to a pinpoint of high intensity light and then disappearing altogether. A spokesperson for the Air Force said the source of the light was as yet unknown but a full-scale investigation would soon be underway. We go now to Honolulu for the latest developments.”

“Isn’t that the strangest thing,” Smyth said as he turned to Skyler.

But the director of OceanQuest was already out of the store, running at a full sprint with his cell phone pressed to his ear.