Read Online Letters in the Attic by DeAnna Julie Dodson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: DeAnna Julie Dodson
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was watching her.
“Don’t get spooked by this. It’s just a note.”
She made sure to lock the front door before sitting down on the living room couch. For a minute, she just looked at the envelope. It was blank like the first one.
She started to open it and then stopped. Yes, she had touched the envelope, but she hadn’t yet touched the note on the inside. If there were fingerprints on it, they would belong to the author and no one else, right?
She took her purse off the hall table and rummaged in it until she found Chief Edwards’ business card. She had only glanced at it when he gave it to her in his office two days before, but now she found something comforting about the no-nonsense block letters and the official Stony Point Police seal.
She punched in the phone number printed on the card and was relieved when someone answered on the first ring. “Stony Point Police, Officer Hamilton.”
“Roy? This is Annie Dawson.”
“Well, well, just the lady I was about to call. I have some news for you about that anonymous note you got.”
“And I have some news for you. I just got another one. Is Chief Edwards in?”
“Actually, he’s assigned your case to me.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“What does this one say?”
“I haven’t opened it yet.” Annie looked at the envelope, searching for any kind of identifying mark. “I thought it would be better if I turned it over to you without tampering with it.”
“Very good. And when did it come?”
“Sometime today. Before the mail.”
“All right, don’t do anything. I’m on my way over.”
She exhaled. “Thanks, Roy. I’ll be looking for you.”
A few minutes later, he was at her door.
“The cavalry has arrived.”
“Come in, Roy.” She stepped back to let him into the house. “The note’s in the living room.”
They both went in and sat on the couch. She started to pick up the note, but he stopped her.
“Let’s be careful with this one.” He took some flimsy-looking latex gloves from his pocket and put them on. “Now, let’s see what we have.”
He opened the envelope and took out a single sheet of paper. Like the first, this one had a message made up of letters cut from the newspaper.
LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST .
He studied it for a moment. “Not much to go on in this one, either.”
“It’s got to be about Susan again. What about her past does this person not want me to find?”
“What time did this come?”
“Before the mail is all I know. I’ve been cleaning house, and I swept the entry at about nine thirty, so I know it wasn’t there then. The mail usually comes between eleven o’clock and noon, and it was before that.”
“OK, between nine thirty and noon. That doesn’t really pinpoint it for us.” He narrowed his eyes, inspecting the letters and the paper itself. “Seems like the same kind of paper as the first one. The same kind of envelope too.”
She shook her head. “No, this is one of those safety envelopes, the ones you’re not supposed to be able to see through. The first one was just plain.”
“You’re right at that.” He grinned at her. “Have you ever considered going into police work?”
She couldn’t help smiling back. “I think I stay busy enough as it is.”
“You’ve certainly got somebody stirred up. I’m just glad I’m the one looking out for you about it.”
“And I appreciate it, Roy. I suppose you’ll have to check this one for fingerprints.”
“As soon as I get back to the office. Oh, I told you I had news about the first note. Besides yours and Alice’s and a couple of smudges that belong to the mayor, there weren’t any prints. Whoever passed it along was pretty careful. I’d be surprised if this one was any different.”
“Great. Now what do I do?”
He patted her hand. “First thing, you don’t worry. Like I said, I’m going to look out for you. All you have to do is let me do my job. If you get any more of these, or if you see or hear
“Don’t get spooked by this. It’s just a note.”
She made sure to lock the front door before sitting down on the living room couch. For a minute, she just looked at the envelope. It was blank like the first one.
She started to open it and then stopped. Yes, she had touched the envelope, but she hadn’t yet touched the note on the inside. If there were fingerprints on it, they would belong to the author and no one else, right?
She took her purse off the hall table and rummaged in it until she found Chief Edwards’ business card. She had only glanced at it when he gave it to her in his office two days before, but now she found something comforting about the no-nonsense block letters and the official Stony Point Police seal.
She punched in the phone number printed on the card and was relieved when someone answered on the first ring. “Stony Point Police, Officer Hamilton.”
“Roy? This is Annie Dawson.”
“Well, well, just the lady I was about to call. I have some news for you about that anonymous note you got.”
“And I have some news for you. I just got another one. Is Chief Edwards in?”
“Actually, he’s assigned your case to me.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“What does this one say?”
“I haven’t opened it yet.” Annie looked at the envelope, searching for any kind of identifying mark. “I thought it would be better if I turned it over to you without tampering with it.”
“Very good. And when did it come?”
“Sometime today. Before the mail.”
“All right, don’t do anything. I’m on my way over.”
She exhaled. “Thanks, Roy. I’ll be looking for you.”
A few minutes later, he was at her door.
“The cavalry has arrived.”
“Come in, Roy.” She stepped back to let him into the house. “The note’s in the living room.”
They both went in and sat on the couch. She started to pick up the note, but he stopped her.
“Let’s be careful with this one.” He took some flimsy-looking latex gloves from his pocket and put them on. “Now, let’s see what we have.”
He opened the envelope and took out a single sheet of paper. Like the first, this one had a message made up of letters cut from the newspaper.
LEAVE THE PAST IN THE PAST .
He studied it for a moment. “Not much to go on in this one, either.”
“It’s got to be about Susan again. What about her past does this person not want me to find?”
“What time did this come?”
“Before the mail is all I know. I’ve been cleaning house, and I swept the entry at about nine thirty, so I know it wasn’t there then. The mail usually comes between eleven o’clock and noon, and it was before that.”
“OK, between nine thirty and noon. That doesn’t really pinpoint it for us.” He narrowed his eyes, inspecting the letters and the paper itself. “Seems like the same kind of paper as the first one. The same kind of envelope too.”
She shook her head. “No, this is one of those safety envelopes, the ones you’re not supposed to be able to see through. The first one was just plain.”
“You’re right at that.” He grinned at her. “Have you ever considered going into police work?”
She couldn’t help smiling back. “I think I stay busy enough as it is.”
“You’ve certainly got somebody stirred up. I’m just glad I’m the one looking out for you about it.”
“And I appreciate it, Roy. I suppose you’ll have to check this one for fingerprints.”
“As soon as I get back to the office. Oh, I told you I had news about the first note. Besides yours and Alice’s and a couple of smudges that belong to the mayor, there weren’t any prints. Whoever passed it along was pretty careful. I’d be surprised if this one was any different.”
“Great. Now what do I do?”
He patted her hand. “First thing, you don’t worry. Like I said, I’m going to look out for you. All you have to do is let me do my job. If you get any more of these, or if you see or hear