Rose Pressey - Chase Charley 02 - Seems Like Old Crimes Read Online Free PDF Page A

Dangerfield probably thought I was a lush, but in reality I was drinking to calm my nerves.
    Dangerfield took a drink and then said, “What do we do now?”
    He was asking me? I was glad to know that he had confidence in me, but I had no idea where to go from here. “I turned the number over to an officer I know so that he can find out who it belongs to.”
    Dangerfield grabbed his mug. “That’s good, I suppose. Let me know what he finds out, will you?”
    I nodded. “Yeah, sure.” 
    “I think we should head over to the club where they found the man. He had to have been there for a reason,” Dangerfield said.
    “But what about The Vampire Diaries , er, I mean what about my date?”
    Dangerfield took the glass from my hand and set it on the table. “I think you can miss the episode tonight. They’ll play it again.”
    Now I was embarrassed. “I suppose I could tell my date I will be late.”
    Dangerfield pushed to his feet. “You make that call and I’ll be right back.”
    I was sure he knew there was no call, but at least he’d given me the chance to continue to play along. Dangerfield stepped away from the table and I took the time to check my email on my phone.
    There was nothing important, so I watched the crowd while I waited for Dangerfield to return. I felt eyes on me as I sat there. As I scanned the crowd, I didn’t see anyone watching me… until I spotted a man in the darkened corner of the room. He stared at me for several seconds and then turned and walked right out of the bar.
    What a weirdo. His stare had sent a chill down my spine. Thank goodness he’d left.
    “What are you watching?” Dangerfield asked.
    I looked up to find him standing by the table. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you come back. It was nothing.”
    He took the seat across from me again. “Are you sure?”
    “Positive,” I said, trying to act casual. 
    When I glanced over I spotted a waitress headed in our direction. I would have to turn down another glass of wine. Even if I wanted another, it was time for me to get out of there. When she reached our table, she held out a white envelope.
    “Are you Chase Charley?” she asked.
    “Yes,” I answered hesitantly.
    “I’m supposed to give this to you,” she said.
    “What is it?” I asked.
    She pushed the envelope toward me. “I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”
    “Who’s it from?” Dangerfield asked.
    “That guy over there.” She pointed toward the corner the mysterious guy had been standing in just a minute ago. She waved her hand. “Well, he was there a second ago.”
    I grasped the envelope. “Thank you.”
    “No problem.” She turned and walked away.
    Maybe I wouldn’t want the letter after I opened it. If the waitress had stayed, I could have shoved it back at her. When I glanced at Dangerfield, he motioned for me to open the envelope. I wasn’t sure that was a good idea. I released a deep breath and ran my finger under the edge of the envelope and then pulled out the slip of paper.
    Dangerfield was staring at me. I knew he wanted to know what it said. I unfolded the paper.
    I tried to call you. Why didn’t you take my call?
    “Well, what does it say?” Dangerfield leaned closer.
    “Apparently this person tried to call me,” I said.
    “Who’s it from?” he asked.
    I shrugged and handed him the paper. “There’s no signature.”
    He took the paper and studied it. I inspected the envelope. Nothing was written on the outside. Now I really needed to ask the waitress what the guy who left it looked like, but I figured I already knew the answer to that.
    “There was a guy watching me from the corner of the room when you left the table. He was in the spot that the waitress pointed to. I think this is from him.” I tapped the envelope with my index finger.
    Dangerfield looked in that direction. “Where did he go?”
    “He left,” I said. “I watched him walk out the door.”
    “The letter is very strange.”
    “If the stranger said he tried to