Page 16 of 2nd Strike
“Uh,” Matt says, “should you even have these?”
“They’re my personal notes. Call it my diary. Besides, are you gonna tell?”
“A little reminder,” I begin, “his fiancé works for the Bureau. Did you stop to think you might be putting him in an awkward position with Taylor?”
Charlie finally glances at me. Her lips are pressed into a hard line. Yep, I’m starting to piss her off.
Ask me if I care?
When it comes to cases, my sister is indomitable. I admire that in her, but there are times she pushes too hard. Sometimes, she needs to be saved from herself.
She slowly shakes her head.
Yeah, definitely pissing her off.
“Okay.” She swings to Matt. “Am I putting you in a tough spot with Taylor?”
“As long as I don’t have to lie to her, no.”
“You don’t have to. Feel free to tell her we’re reviewing my personal notes on the case.” She passes Matt a folder. “Witness statements. You start with these.” She picks up another, hands it to me. “I know you’re busy, but I need fresh eyes. Can you help?”
How am I supposed to resist when she asked so nicely? I let out a small sigh. “Yes, but.” I pause to gather my thoughts. My sister doesn’t like to be coddled or patronized so I have to choose my words carefully.
“What?”
“I’m worried about you. You’re too close to this.”
“Of course I am. It was my case and I blew it. Two families could be destroyed. What am I supposed to do? Walk away?”
I don’t know.I’m not about to say that, but my silence has already told her I have no idea how to answer.
The folder is still in her hand and I grasp it. “What is this?”
“Hate mail to Carl and Lily. Letters, emails, anything they received in the months leading up to Ethan’s birth. There might be something of interest.”
I slide into one of the chairs on my side and flip it open. The first document is what appears to be a photocopy of a typewritten letter. Behind it is another—this one definitely a copy. It’s a paste-up of magazine letters. So much for this being Charlie’s personal diary.
No wonder she gave me this. This is the one she shouldn’t have. Matt’s folder? Those are her personal notes that hopefully won’t get him in trouble with Taylor. I don’t know, the whole thing seems to be riding the edge of ethical. Never mind legal.
An hour later, I have three stacks in front of me. The first being general nasty-grams. Run of the mill stuff. Carl’s hair wasn’t right, his suits too tight, skin too shiny. Lily didn’t fare much better. She had ugly lipstick, watermelon breasts, and the insult of all insults, she looked fat.
As if a pregnant woman should be thin?
The second pile contained anything with the potential for violence and the third, full out, no-doubt-about-it physical threats.
These were the worst. Psychos who’d taken the time to let Lily know they’d cut her baby from the womb then sever her head. Or, to Carl, that they’d rape his pregnant wife and make him watch.
Sick, sick, sick.
I don’t know how Charlie did this job. I’ve been at it fifty-nine minutes and my heart chakra is already blown.
The alarm system beeps. Someone has entered via the front.
A distraction.Thank you, thank you.
Who it could be, I have no idea, since all deliveries tend to come to the back door. Right now, I don’t care. It gives me an excuse to leave Charlie’s house of horrors.
“I’ll see who that is.”
