In the Drink Read Online Free PDF Page B

wanted to cry over the bad timing. “I don’t think that will work. And here’s why.”
    I then told him about the letter and read it to him over the phone, letting him know that the words happy days were in quotes. When I was done, there was a disturbing silence on his end that lasted so long I thought the call had been dropped.
    â€œAre you there?” I asked.
    â€œI am. Sorry.”
    Assured I still had his ear, I told him about my discussion with Cora, Frank, and Joe, and my concerns about not following the instructions in the letter. “I don’t want to be responsible for anything happening to someone,” I concluded. “But we’re all wondering if this might be some kind of stupid prank.”
    â€œI’m truly sorry I got you involved in any of this, Mack.”
    â€œI’m a big girl who made her own decisions. I went into it willingly and with my eyes wide open. Besides, what’s done is done and it can’t be undone, so all we can do is move forward from here.”
    â€œYou’re right, but it still irks me that this has turned into such a nightmare for you. That was never my plan.”
    â€œWe can talk more about that later if you want. Right now the clock is ticking on this letter and I could really use your advice and thoughts on how to proceed. Do you think we should take it seriously?”
    â€œI’m afraid we have to,” he said with a sigh. “The squad on duty this afternoon got an anonymous tip earlier, and they found the body of a man who had been stabbed to death. The body was on an ice ledge under the east side RiverWalk bridge area. It was wrapped in garbage bags so it looked like trash someone had tossed over the railing.”
    â€œThat’s sad,” I said, “but what’s that got to do with this? Just because someone was killed doesn’t mean it’s connected to this letter. It could be a coincidence.”
    â€œI don’t think so,” Duncan said, sounding grim. “The body was located directly underneath the Bronze Fonz. ”
    The Bronze Fonz was exactly what it sounded like. Back in 2008, a tourism group in Milwaukee raised money to commission a bronze statue of Arthur Fonzarelli, the character made popular in the Milwaukee-based sitcom, Happy Days . The statue features Fonzie in his characteristic leather jacket and jeans, and he’s posed in the character’s iconic thumbs-up stance. Its creation and placement was a controversial topic for the city, but it has proven to be a popular tourist attraction. Given where the body Duncan just mentioned was found, the “happy days” reference in the letter I received clearly wasn’t a coincidence.
    â€œWho is the victim?” I asked, bracing myself for the answer. I feared it would be someone I knew, someone I cared about. Even if it wasn’t, I felt the guilt start building inside me. Whoever the victim was, he was dead because of me, however indirectly.
    â€œI don’t know,” Duncan said. “They hadn’t ID’d the guy yet last I heard.”
    I winced and felt icy cold fingers traipse down my spine—literally. I felt weak in the knees and dropped into the chair behind my desk. “This is all my fault,” I said in a tone of disbelief.
    â€œIt is not your fault,” Duncan said, and Joe said the same thing a split second later. Duncan must have heard him because he said, “Who’s there with you?”
    â€œJoe, Frank, and Cora. They know not to discuss it with anyone.” I glanced at the faces of the others in the room and they all nodded.
    Duncan said, “The letter said there was something unique about it. Any idea what it is?”
    â€œI think it’s the ink. It’s unusual.”
    â€œYou mean it looks different?”
    â€œNo, it smells different.”
    â€œIt smells different literally, or synesthetically?” Duncan asked.
    â€œLiterally, I think. Ink