“There’s one surefire way to find out,” Aspen says as she slips her finger beneath the flap of the envelope. She stops with her finger poised there.
“What are you waiting for? Do it already?”
“You’re too much fun to tease,” she says but she does finally open the envelope. “It’s a letter.”
I grab the letter from her and begin reading out loud. “To my love Patricia. If you are reading this letter, then I am either no longer on this earth or I am indisposed.” I stop to snort. “Indisposed? I think he means prison.”
“Or he’s on the lam,” Aspen remarks.
“Did they use the term ‘on the lam’ in the 1950s?”
“Who cares?” She taps the letter. “Continue reading.”
“In any event, I’ve done as you asked.” I pause again. “Done as she asked? What does he mean?”
“Let me think.” Aspen taps her chin. “Hold on. I took a picture of Patricia’s letter to Robert with my phone.” She fishes her phone out of her pocket and scans the letter. “Here it is. I think he means the postscript. It says I hope you hid the money well.”
My eyes widen. “Son of a gun! He’s telling her he hid the money.”
“But where?” Aspen asks.
“You’ll find the item referred to in the temporary tablecloth.” I pause reading again. “Obviously, the item is the money. But what does he mean with temporary tablecloth?”
“No idea. What else does it say?”
“I long to hold you in my arms again. Yada yada yada. I love you. Blah blah blah. Nothing else about the loot.”
“Let me see.” Aspen snatches the letter from me to read it for herself. She scans it and frowns. “You’re right. There’s nothing else here.”
“I told you so.”
The door bangs open, and I nearly fall off my box in surprise.
“Sorry, Ashlyn. The bosses are kind of mad I let you back in here without supervision.” Moon shrugs.
“It’s fine,” I say and stand. “We’re done anyway.”
“Did you find anything interesting?”
I stand in front of Aspen as she shoves the letter down her pants. “Nope,” I deny. “You were right. Boring stuff.”
She motions to the door. “Bummer. Are you off to home now?”
“I think you mean Rowan’s house,” Aspen says, and I reach back to pinch her. And people say I’m the troublemaker in the family.
Moon, bless her heart, ignores Aspen. “Or do you have time for a beer? I have a break coming up.”
“I have time for a beer.” No one’s waiting on me to come home anyway.
It sounds lovely – a man waiting for me at home. It would be even more lovely if the man were Rowan. But after he said our kiss was a mistake, I know it will never happen. Damnit, Ashlyn. You need to get over him and move on. Easier said than done.