FIVE
THE STORY BEGINS
“Whatever you do, please don’t take the paper out of the sleeve, at least, not yet,” Forbes pleaded as I looked at the single sheet of certainly elderly looking and well-yellowed paper that lay under the protective wrapping of the plastic sleeve.
“Do you want me to read it?”
“Yes, but not right away. Keep it with you until you think the time is appropriate.”
“Sounds a bit melodramatic to me,” I ventured.
“I know, but please, humour me, Doctor, just for now. Let me start at the beginning and when the moment arrives I’ll tell you to read the page. It probably won’t really make much sense in the context of what I’m about to tell you if you read it too soon.”
“So, why give it to me now?”
“To be honest, I just feel a lot better knowing it’s in your possession rathe
