Chapter 10

8:00 AM Saturday: Groggily, I stumbled out of bed and into the kitchen, picked up my briefcase from the table where it lay, dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, and open it in my lap. I sat staring at the assorted contents for who-knows-how-long before my weary brain remembered the idea I’d had while half asleep.

I pawed around inside the case, found paper, envelopes and stamps, then dropped the case and wandered back into the bedroom for a pen. I sat on the edge of the bed as I searched through my scattered clothes, and nearly fell asleep again. Shaking my head, I reminded myself that I didn’t know how early the mail went through around there, found a pen and headed back to the kitchen.

The first letter was simple and to the point:

Dear Bill,

Sorry this letter has to be so curt, but I’m kind of busy - I’m sure you understand. What I need, as always, is a favor. Remember that case I mentioned I's be working on? I want you to put some ads in the papers in Knoxville for me about it. It shouldn’t involve any danger, so I wondered if you’d have them contact you, and if any of them know anything, just take their information and tell them I’ll call them later. Just don’t tell anyone that it’s me that’s asking, okay? You can word the ads any way you like. Only the names are important. Oh, and Bill, try to be sure they don’t run the ads side-by-side.

Thanx, etc.

I got another sheet of paper and decided to give Bill the idea by writing both ads out in full.

REWARD for information concerning a Mary Loce, especially about her friends, habits, and occupations four years ago or earlier. If you have such knowledge, contact XXXXX.

WANTED: Family, friends, former associates or other possible heirs of Mary Leco. Please contact XXXXX.

I chuckled to myself as I addressed and stuffed the envelope, which indicates the state I was in. I licked the stamp. "Now we’ll find out about you, Ms. Mary ‘L’," I said and pressed the stamp on. I tossed the letter aside and reached for another piece of paper.

I do not include my second letter in this report, since neither the individual I was writing, nor anything you might deduce about the nature of our relationship is anybody’s business. I hate to put it that way, but, although my request of him this time was relatively mild, I’ve had occasion to use him for tougher things, and let me tell you, as good an ally as he is, he'd be a better enemy. I have plenty of mediocre enemies, I don’t need a good one.

The gist of my letter was this: I wanted him to find something out, and no one was to know anyone was even looking. On a hunch, I figured it’d take brains, talent and time: My only concern was that he had enough of the last. I needed to know the owner, and the past history, of a plot of land.

I got that far in the letter before I woke up. Plot of land? Even he couldn’t trace the owner without the plot number! I slapped my forehead and went back to bed. I’d have to go through the county records just to find the plot number, and that’d surely tip off the owner if he was anyone in town. I put my pillow over my head and tried to pretend I’d never gotten up.