Letters in the Attic

by DeAnna Julie Dodson

  “I hope it wasn’t all a waste.”

  “No.” There was a sudden glow in Susan’s weary eyes. “Tom was never a waste. He took me just the way I was, no questions asked. I know he sounded rude to you, but he’s really not like that. He just knew how scared I was and tried his best to protect me.”

  “It makes more sense to me now.”

  “He always wanted me to stand up to Archer, but he never tried to push me to do anything. Now that it’s all over, I’m sorry I didn’t listen to him in the first place. And I’m sorry he’s the one who’s had to get hurt by a decision I made.”

  Annie took her eyes off the road just long enough make sure Susan was looking at her.

  “It wasn’t your decision, and it wasn’t my decision. I’ve been blaming myself for stirring up all this, for bringing Prescott here. But he was the one who made the wrong decisions. He was the one who’s been hurting other people—not me and not you.” She reached over and squeezed Susan’s hand. “And you’re going to be with Tom in just a few minutes. I’m sure that’s the best medicine he could have.”

  By then they were at the county hospital, and the two of them hurried inside.

  ****

  Annie drove back to Stony Point alone. She had offered to stay at the hospital, but Susan said she was fine there with Tom. She had permission to stay in his room with him overnight, and they were both expected to be able to come home the next day. Annie had volunteered to drive them home again then, and Susan had gratefully accepted.

  For now, Annie was just happy to see Grey Gables come into view. Poor Boots must be half starved, and Annie could think of nothing more inviting than a hot bath and her own soft bed. When she pulled into the drive, though, she realized she wasn’t going to get either for a little while yet.

  Alice and Mary Beth had obviously spotted her car from the carriage house and were hurrying over to her.

  “Annie, are you all right?” Alice opened the driver’s side door and practically pulled Annie to her feet. “We were so worried.”

  Mary Beth wrapped Annie in a motherly hug. “I knew we were going to have trouble as soon as I realized Tom Maxwell wasn’t in the basement anymore. I tried forever to call you, and just kept getting a message that said your number was unavailable.”

  “Come over and have some coffee with us,” Alice said. “I know you must be worn out, but you’ve got to tell us what happened.”

  Annie took each of the others by one arm. “You both come have coffee with me. I need to feed Boots, and if I don’t get out of these shoes pretty soon I’m going to keel over.”

  Soon the three of them were sitting at the big table in the kitchen. Boots had quickly lost interest in the food Annie put down for her and was content to lie with her head resting on Annie’s feet. Annie smiled wearily, soothed by her rumbling purr.

  “I didn’t even know he was gone.” Mary Beth warmed her hands on the generous mug of coffee in front of her. “I had several customers after Alice came in, and it wasn’t until I went down to get some needles from a new shipment that I realized he wasn’t there anymore. He must have heard us mention Prescott’s name and that he was in town.”

  Annie turned to Alice. “And you saw Prescott at the Gas N Go?”

  “You know how Scooter always runs your credit card and then thanks you by name? I had just filled up, and I heard him say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Prescott.’ And I looked, and I just knew this guy looked like the picture on the JFP website. So I left you a message, and then I told Mary Beth about it when I went into the shop later on.”

  “I didn’t think anything of it,” Mary Beth said. “I thought that, if it was the same guy, you probably knew he was coming into town already. And we thought maybe he’d go talk to Sandy Maxwell, since she was living in Susan’s old house.”

  “Then why’d you call the police?”

  “I figured Tom might go out to the house if he thought Prescott was going to try to talk to his wife. And I was afraid, after the last time, that Tom might cause trouble if he found you out there, too, so when I couldn’t get you on the phone, I called the police.”

  “Good thing you did,” Annie said. “You sent them after the wrong guy, but at least you sent them.”

  “Ian told us a little bit about what happened, but not much.” Alice’s eyes were wide. “I couldn’t believe a man like Archer Prescott would really try to kill somebody—especially you.”

  “How did Ian find out?”

  “He was in Chief Edwards’ office when Mary Beth called. Ian made him promise to keep him posted on what was going on out there. He said he tried to call you too.”

  Mary Beth stirred a little more sugar into her coffee. “So why didn’t you answer your phone? I wanted to warn you that Tom was on his way there.”

  “I’m afraid my phone had a little bit of an accident. It ended up in the fireplace.” Mary Beth made an exasperated little huff, and Annie chuckled. “Evidently the ringing was interrupting his talk with Susan.”

  “Susan?” Alice and Mary Beth both said it at once. Then Alice caught her breath. “Sandy Maxwell. Of course. It had to be!”

  “Once I realized she was Susan I couldn’t imagine why she would disappear the way she did, and why she didn’t just walk away from him—Prescott—after she found out what kind of man he was. You know, Stella had sniffed him out. Then I saw him in action.” Annie swallowed hard. “It got pretty scary there for a while.”

  “I can imagine.” Mary Beth squeezed her hand. “Poor Annie.”

  “But, thank God and the people who were looking out for me, it turned out all right.”

  ****

  Even though she had objected to the idea at first, Annie was glad that Alice and Mary Beth had insisted on staying over that night. With Mary Beth in the guest room and Alice on the couch in the living room, Annie had spent a peacefully dreamless night. By midmorning, she was ready to give Chief Edwards all the details about her run-in with Archer Prescott.

  “We talked with Mrs. Maxwell at the hospital, and they’ve already analyzed the signatures on Prescott’s father’s will.” Edwards glanced at the reports spread across his desk. “All legit except for the page that lists the bequests. It’s a pretty good forgery. Close enough that nobody would think to check. Other than that, it’s perfect.”

  “How’d he do that? Wouldn’t the paper or the ink or something like that be different on the forged page?”

  “That was the beauty of the plan. When his father mentioned that he had drawn up a new will, Archer got some of the same paper and the same pen his father had signed with so the forged page would match. Since it was one of the JFP attorneys who had made up the will, it was easy for Archer to slip in after hours and use the same computer to print out the new page.”

  “But wouldn’t someone notice the difference in the computer file?”

  “He changed it back. It wasn’t until his father passed away that he changed the computer file permanently and switched out the page in the will in the hard copy. Nobody but the attorney and Mr. Prescott would have really known what was in the original, and the attorney had died a couple of years before the father. Archer even switched out the page in the unsigned copy of the will kept in the attorney’s file so everything would match and nobody would know the difference. Then, when the will was probated, there was nothing anyone could question.”

  “That’s a pretty heinous thing to do to your own family.”

  Edwards nodded. “And after all these years, I guess he felt like it was worth a few lives to protect himself. I’ve seen a lot of guys like that, and they only get worse over time. After a while, they start to think nothing is as important as what they want.”

  “I can’t imagine being that greedy.”

  “It’s not greed so much as narcissism. They start believing they deserve to have any and everything, no matter who it hurts.”

  Annie sighed and leaned back in her chair. “I’m just glad it’s all over.”

  “We still ha
ve a few loose ends to tie up, but yeah, it is. Though, if you don’t mind, Mrs. Dawson, someone else would like a word with you before you go.”

  Annie nodded. She didn’t have to ask him who that someone else would be.

  Chief Edwards pressed the button on his intercom. “Come on in.”

  Roy came through the door from his old office. He was dressed in civilian clothes, jeans and a button-down shirt, and carrying a packing box. He managed a hint of his habitual grin, but there was undeniable regret in it now.

  “Hi, Annie. Can I talk to you alone for just a minute?”

  He glanced at Chief Edwards, who looked to Annie.

  “It’s your decision, Mrs. Dawson. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Officer Hamilton has officially tendered his resignation.”

  Annie looked at Roy. Something in his eyes pled for just this tiniest of concessions.

  She turned back to the chief. “No, it’s all right. I guess we both have a couple of things to say.”

  Edwards gave her a nod. “I’ll be in the other room if you need me.”

  Roy waited until the door clicked shut; then he nodded toward the box in his arms. “Didn’t have time enough to squirrel away much at this stop. I suppose, considering everything, that turned out for the best.” He ducked his head. “I’m sorry for how I went about things, Annie, but I’m not sorry for the way I felt about you.”

  “Roy—”

  “No, don’t worry. I’m letting it go. I don’t want you to think I’ll be bothering you someday down the road. And believe you me, I won’t ever be trying this kind of stunt anywhere ever again. But thank you for giving me a chance to start fresh and not have this on my permanent record.”

  Annie let her expression soften. “I didn’t want you to lose your career, Roy; not over something you and I both know was just a stupid mistake.”

  He shrugged. “Sometimes love’ll make you a little bit stupid.”

  He grinned suddenly, and Annie couldn’t help a little smile of her own.

  “You’ll find the right girl one of these days. You’re not a bad guy, you know? Just don’t try to push things. When it’s right, both of you will know.”

  “That’s what they say.” He didn’t look entirely convinced, but he managed still to smile as he shifted his box against his hip and held out his hand. “Wish me luck?”

  “Sure.” She took his hand. “All the best, Roy.”

  “You’re a nice lady, Annie. I doubt there’s anybody out there like you, but if there is, I hope I find her.”

  He pressed her hand one last time and then released it. A moment later, he was gone.

  Annie thought about him as she drove home, and she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Still, she said a little prayer that he might one day find what he was looking for.

  ****

  When she pulled up in front of Grey Gables, Annie saw she had a visitor.

  “Susan!” She hurried up to the front porch. “How wonderful to see you. How did you get here?”

  “I asked Chief Edwards if Cal Peters could drive me here after I finished giving my formal statement. I hope you don’t mind me dropping in like this.” Susan smiled shyly. “Turnabout’s fair play and all.”

  “Of course it is. Come in. How’s Tom today?”

  “He’s doing well. Really well. And so am I.” Susan looked around the foyer. “I remember this house so well.” She took a deep breath, and a little half smile softened her face. “It even smells the way it used to.”

  “I have some blueberry muffins. Would you join me?”

  “I’d love to.”

  They went into the kitchen, and Annie pulled out a chair for her visitor. “Sit down, and I’ll get us some coffee too.”

  “I always enjoyed coming to visit here, and your grandmother always made me feel so welcome.”

  “She loved having you over. I’m just sorry she never made a crocheter out of you.”

  “I never did finish that afghan, you know. I guess, left to my own devices, I’m more of a gardener than a crafter, as much as I admired all the beautiful things she created.”

  “Gardening is an art in itself, if you ask me. But I don’t think Gram would have minded your not learning to crochet—not nearly as much as she would have minded that you didn’t come to her after your parents died.”

  “I know. After you told me she had passed away, I started thinking about her. I know she would have helped me. Archer had me so confused and scared, I didn’t know what to do.”

  “Why did you even come back here? He would never have been able to trace you after all this time if you hadn’t been living in your old house.”

  “I was raised in that house. It had been in my family since it was built. My family is buried out behind it. Why shouldn’t my husband and I live in it?” She sighed. “I know, it was a risk. But I thought it would be all right after Archer moved the company out to the West Coast. Why would he even be looking for me after so much time had passed? And if he was, he wouldn’t think I’d come back here, right? Tom called it hiding in plain sight, though I guess we weren’t all that good at it.”

  “You managed to disappear for twenty years, so I guess you knew what you were doing. Oh, and by the way, that was sure some story you came up with … the one about your grandfather and his two families. I could never have thought that up so quickly.”

  Susan’s face colored. “Actually, Tom and I had invented that story, oh, I don’t know how many years ago. He had said I should go ahead and make friends and get involved with people in town. Then, if anybody pried into my business, I could explain things that way. But I was too scared. I just wanted to stay at home and keep out of sight.”

  “Tom must really love you to try to protect your secret all that time.”

  “Oh.” Susan bit her lip, and there was a hint of a smile in her eyes. “He wanted me to apologize to you for him.”

  “Apologize?”

  “He’s the one who sent you that first note. I didn’t know he’d done it until he told me in the hospital. He said he felt kind of stupid doing it in the first place, but he was just trying to protect me.”

  Annie smiled. “I know.”

  Susan returned her smile, her blue eyes almost dreamily serene as she looked out over the ocean. “Do you know what? Besides being scared, I was really mad at you when Archer showed up at my house. I was mad at you for snooping around and bringing everything up again when I thought it had all been safely buried twenty years ago.”

  “Susan—”

  “No, let me finish. I guess I had lived so long being afraid of him, always thinking I had to hide, I didn’t realize how much I wanted to finally be free again. But you—” Tears sprang to her eyes. “You cared enough about a little girl you once knew to find out what had happened to her. And then, no matter how often I told you to go away, you cared enough about a stranger to make sure that she was all right. And even though he used it to try to hurt us both, you talked to Archer because you cared about him too. I always prayed that something could happen that would set me and Tom free. Now I can see that even the painful things were all part of the answer.”

  Annie nodded. She had prayed, too, for Susan and for Sandy … and even for Archer Prescott. Susan was right, and her own missteps had all been part of a grand scheme to unlock that prison of fear.

  “You know what else?” Susan ran her fingers through her short dark hair. “I believe I’ll let my hair grow out. Even if there’s a little gray in there now, I think it’s time I was a blonde again.”

  She laughed, and her laugh brought Annie back to those days on the beach when two little girls built sand castles and played in the surf and learned they weren’t such outsiders after all. She seemed so different from the frightened woman from a few weeks ago, and Annie knew why. She had found the Susan she had been searching for.

  “Come on, Susan,” she said with a smile. “Let’s enjoy these muffins and catch up on the past twenty years.”

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  DeAnna Julie Dodson, Letters in the Attic