Wednesday, July 3, 1940
The case continues to get stranger. I went with Dr. Glasby to check on another potential victim, only to find his house had been broken into and he had been abducted. With one of the local constables, I followed the tracks to an old gas works building. Inside the building was a large hole in the ground, which had apparently broken up the floor boards. I'm not sure what would do that, except a mining crew digging from underneath. We went back to the police station to report the whole thing. They took forever getting statements, including a very particular Mr. Reynolds from the Home Office. I was relieved to find that someone in the government was taking this thing seriously, since it is clearly beyond my ability to handle. I go now to lunch after this brief entry, and plan to scrub Mrs. Callahan's cellar this afternoon. Hopefully, that will be the end of my involvement in this odd affair.
More oddness this afternoon. We exhumed a body from the former back yard of a Mr. Doggett, grandfather of one of the lads based on a tip. The coffin, though it didn't look as such, included some sort of giant green grub - 3 feet long to my eye. Why it would be alive after all of these years, I have no idea. Did it eat the person inside? Dr. Fisher beat it to a pulp with a shovel or some such. Inside we found the remains of what we assume was Mr. Doggett and a small silver lock box. The box itself contained three odd pieces of jewellery and nothing else. We had hoped to find something more enlightening. The lady at the local historical society spoke at length concerning how disreputable Mr. Doggett was. Since the others apparently found another hole in the ground in the woods, we will be looking into that tunnel in the morning. We are staying in Aylesbury overnight tonight.
Thursday, July 4, 1940
The papers are all about a British raid on the French fleet - not surprising since it can't fall into German hands. Not enough time to read more about the war, we are looking for an early start.
The tunnels are a horror. Why, oh, why did we go down there?!? They led under the graveyard into all the coffins. Part of the tunnels were infested with the parasitic worms. We only managed to escape through one of the monuments. Shortly afterwards, tunnels collapsed throughout town. I poured some petrol down into the monument to kill some of the worms - not nearly enough, I am sure. I called Mr. Reynolds and his office assured me they would take care of it. We returned to London on the first available train.
Friday, July 5
The papers show that Aylesbury has been quarantined - hoof and mouth disease they say, though I fear it is much worse. No word from the home office, but I don't think they would consult me in any case. I'm glad the home office took care of this crisis.
Friday, July 12
More German air attacks last night. I wonder vaguely whether a full out submarine attack will start on the Atlantic shipping as it did in the Great War - rationing is certain to begin if it does. Things are better in Aylesbury - the quarantine has been lifted. I do hope it has not distracted too much from the war effort.
