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“Got a better idea?”
“I like it,” Ryan said. “Do it.”
I had no idea what I was doing, so I dipped the brush in the powder like I was about to apply it to my cheeks, then carefully brushed it across the surface of the card. The white powder settled on the paper. There was a smudge near the edge where my finger had gripped the sides, but otherwise it was featureless.
To be safe, I tried the other side too, but was equally as unsuccessful.
“Not surprising,” Andy said. “If they intended to break into the theater to leave that letter for Tatiana, they would not have been careless enough to leave prints.”
“At least we know that calling the detective would’ve been pointless,” I said. “Can we open it now?”
“You sound like every kid on Christmas morning,” Ryan joked. “But I’m just as eager. Open that shit up.”
“Why me?”
“Because you’re the one who had the guts to chase the dude off. You get the honors.”
While both of them watched, I carefully slid my finger in the gap by the fold, then used my nail as a makeshift knife. I cut along the top, then turned the envelope over.
A single folded piece of paper slid out onto the table.
“Oh thank God,” Ryan breathed. “I was afraid there might be anthrax or something inside.”
I whirled on him. “What! You thought that and still let me open it!”
“I didn’t really think anything was in it,” he said defensively, but I could see the color returning to his face. I punched him in the arm a few times for good measure while he shouted and protested.
While we did that, Andy retrieved a pair of work gloves and then unfolded the letter. He laid it flat on the table for us to read.
Tatiana Vandercant,
A successful, wealthy woman like you does not need the star role in The Proposition. If you are playing the role of Jane in the show on opening night, you will regret it.
Resign from the show and save yourself.
“That’s about as clear as someone can get,” Nadia said. “They’re targeting Tatiana specifically.”
“They mention her last name, and wealth,” I said. “They know who she is beyond this specific role.”
“Guess that eliminates the theory that it’s an enemy of her grandfather trying to get revenge through her,” Ryan added.
Nadia nodded. “More importantly, they’re giving her a chance out. Which means they only want to threaten her to get her out of the show.”
It didn’t make any sense to me for a number of reasons. “They could have mailed this letter to the theater. Why break in after hours to place it inside—assuming that is what the saboteur was doing?”
“To flaunt his power?” Ryan suggested. “To make her feel less safe?”
“Maybe.”
I pulled out my phone. “We are all in agreement that we should tell Atkins. Right?”
Nobody disagreed, so I dialed the number. Atkins answered on the fourth ring.
“What?”
“It’s Andy. We’re at the theater. We have something to show you.”
“It can wait until morning,” he replied. There was traffic noise in the background.
