pie ...

  "Detective Griffiths!  What an unexpected surprise.  Do come in.  Tell me, how is your officer doing?  Has he been released from the hospital yet?"

  "No, unfortunately, not as yet.  They are running more tests on him because he seems to have suffered some type of brain injury.  He has been raving mad about a spider the size of an Irish wolfhound.  But I actually came to tell you that we've found Mary."

  [Albert and Clarence exchange looks.]

  "Really?  Well, that's marvelous!  Had she been on holiday and neglected to tell her daughter?"

  "Sadly, no.  She seems to have met with an unfortunate accident in the woods near your property here.  Some young men who were truant from their classes were in the woods and stumbled ... literally ... across her body."

  "Oh my!  What on earth was she doing in the woods, I wonder?"

  "Her daughter said that lately, she'd been having episodes of forgetfulness and had gone for walks and forgotten how to get home.  Most of the time in had been in town where someone had recognized her and brought her home.  However, there were a few times she had taken a path through the woods thinking it was a shortcut home, and been lost for several hours.  It would have been helpful to us if she had mentioned this earlier, but I don't know if it would have made a difference."

  "How so?"

  "The medical examiner believes that she may have suffered a heart attack, but it would be difficult to say for sure.  By the time she was found, it seemed that the elements and nature had their way with her.  She was wrapped in a sheet, but her daughter identified it as one of hers and thinks that she may have been outside hanging laundry when her mind slipped away.  She was also covered in thousands of spiderwebs so we suspect that they may have taken refuge under the sheet as she lay on the ground."

  "Tragic.  Simply tragic."

  "Oh, I almost forgot.  Her daughter gave me a box for you two.  One moment, let me get it from the boot of my car."

  [The door opens, and the three men step outside to the front of the house.  The brothers watch as the detective goes to the rear of his car.]

  [whispering]  "Albert, this is quite a stroke of luck."  "Yes, it is.  Shhh, here he comes."

  "I apologize for the condition of the box.  I hit a hole in the road and it must have flipped over in the boot.  I'm not sure if it will be any good now."

  "You know what it is?"

  "Yes.  It is a berry pie.  Mary's daughter baked one for Clarence's birthday and sent belated wishes.  She knew you were fond of her mother's pies."

  "Oh my, well, I'm sure we will try to salvage it!  It is, after all, my favorite.  Please tell her thank you for us.  Do you know when services will be held for Mary?"

  "I've been told there will be a wake on Friday down at the Elk and Hound Pub.  Her body had to be cremated because there were still some spider egg sacs hidden in her hair, and the medical examiner thought it would be the safest thing to do."

  "Of course.  We shall tell her ourselves then when we see her on Friday.  I do hope that your officer recovers soon."

  "Unfortunately, I think it will be quite a while for him.  His career as an officer may well be over.  I was told that there was a spider on the outside of the hospital window that he caught a glimpse of, and they had to physically restrain and sedate him."

  "That is unfortunate."

  "Yes, I must be going now, I've got to start interviewing for his replacement this afternoon.  I will see you both on Friday."