Baby May

New Hope

London

November 1996

Brian and Anita are meant to be leaving for Montreux in three hours, but they've been called into the police station for a meeting with DCI Brookes.

"Do you have new information?" Anita asks praying for some news. It's been two and a half years since they last heard any news on Alyssia, to say that they have given up hope of her coming back, is an understatement.

"Erin's name has popped on some legal documents in August. Police have been working to make sure it is them."

Brian scoffs not happy with this information, "Why has it taken you so long to tell us this?"

"Because my team and I agreed it would be best to wait until things started moving to spare you any further disappointment." When Brookes took on this case, she never imagined that five and a half years later they'd still be searching for Alyssia.

"What things?"

"Once my visa comes through, I will be flying out to New York and working with the police in Dutchess County. That's where the names have flagged up. The documents were for school enrolment and an ice skating rink this means that they have settled and think there are safe," Brookes looks over the file checking she hasn't missed anything.

"This is good, but what happens if you get out there and find out that the girl isn't Alyssia at all." He wants to be hopeful about this, but being as close as they were back in 1994, with the possibility of the evidence falling flat again, hurts too much to think about.

"I know this process to find your daughter has been very stop-start, but this lead is the best lead we've had since tracking your daughter and the kidnapper to the USA. I understand that there is a chance that this girl and her mum could be entirely innocent but if we don't follow this lead now and rule it out, we could regret it further down the line." Brookes can understand their disappointment but it's the best option they have.

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It's the 24th of November and the 5th anniversary of Freddie Mercury's death. Brian and Anita are in Montreux for the unveiling of the Freddie Mercury memorial statue. Roger, John, Jim Hutton, Miami Beach, Montserrat Caballe, Phoebe Freestone, Freddie's parents Bomi and Jer and his sister, Kash are also there.

Everyone choose Brian to make a speech for the people gathered for the unveiling. When Brian and Anita get out of the car, there's a very solemn atmosphere. The weather is wet and miserable as if it's crying with them.

Brian sets up to the podium and gets out the speech cards from his pocket, clearing his throat, "This superb statue is a gift from us, the family and friends of Freddie, to the people of Montreux. Who have always been so kind to Queen and gave Freddie a kind of sanctuary in the last few years of his life. We say a very sincerer thank you to Monsieur le Syndic and the commune de Montreux for giving us this wonderful location. A big thank you also Irena Sedlecka for this wonderful sculpture."

The sculpture is then unveiled, the overwhelming emotion is felt between everyone there.

With emotions running high, Anita goes back to the hotel while Brian is needed at a press conference, "We actually tried London but although the fans were very keen on the idea, the authorities were not. So we eventually gave up the idea of having it in London because we couldn't find a suitable site."

"Montreux is very close to the heart of the band really, particularly Freddie because the last few years of his life were spent here. It was a very peaceful place for Freddie because he wasn't pursued by the press like he was in England. So a lot of his final days, his final writing, his final singing were all done here."