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SEVENTEEN
AUTUMN
“What’s going on?” Penny asks when I get off the phone with Jonas.
I huff and drop my head back on the seat. “Jonas found a note on his car this morning.” My phone pings with an incoming text. I open it and see the note. The handwriting too boxy, as if someone put extra effort into disguising their penmanship. “And he just sent a picture of it.”
“Can I see?”
“In a minute. Let me call Theresa first.”
I scroll through my contacts and tap on the attorney’s office, bringing the phone to my ear. On the second ring, the young man at the front desk answers. “Good morning, attorney Theresa Chang’s office. How may I assist you?”
“Good morning. This is Autumn Rooker. I need to inform Theresa of some new information regarding my case. It’s somewhat urgent.”
“Let me check if she’s available, Ms. Rooker. I need to place you on a brief hold.”
“Thank you.” Jazzy café music floats through the phone line while I wait. Not a minute later, Theresa answers.
We exchange pleasantries, then she turns all business. Asking if Clementine and I are okay. Once I assure her we are physically safe, I share the incident of Leo stopping by Jonas’s work on Friday afternoon and the note on his car this morning. She asks me to send her the picture, but to get the actual note from Jonas. When I have it, I am to bring it to her after I file a police report.
Not that I didn’t foresee this happening, but dizziness starts to swallow me whole. Everything whirls around me in the passenger seat as I take deep, relaxing breaths. Beside me, Penny reaches over and clutches my arm.
“Auti, you good?”
I nod, slow and unsure. Lifting the phone away from my mouth, I whisper, “Go to Jonas’s work.” She gives me a thumbs up.
Theresa informs me she will spend the day trying to get the hearing moved up in light of this new information. I thank her and promise to see her soon.
“Talk to me,” Penny states as soon as I hang up with Theresa.
“The note saysshe doesn’t belong to you. Jonas thinks it’s about me, but I think it refers to Clementine.” I take a deep breath then continue. “We need to get the note from Jonas, go to the police station and file a report, then take the note to the attorney as evidence.” I press my palms to my eyes. “How am I supposed to work today? And how am I supposed to get around if you have to work today and I shouldn’t be alone?”
“Call Rez. He’ll understand. As for me, I’ll tote you around as long as possible. My shift doesn’t start until noon. Hopefully, we can knock this out in the next couple of hours.”
While Penny drives, I call Reznor and explain the situation. He waves off my worry and tells me to take the day off. With everything going on, his empathy is bar none. At least I have one less stressor to bog me down.
Penny parks in front of Thompson’s Garage and I jump out. Jonas dashes over to me and we exchange a brief kiss.
“Hate to cut this short, but I need the note to file a police report and take to the attorney’s office.”
Jonas fishes the note from his jeans pocket beneath his coveralls. When he hands it to me, he kisses my forehead. “Let me know how it goes.” He waves at Penny. “And if you need me later when Pen goes to work.”
“I will.” We exchange one last kiss. “Call you when I know more.”
Penny whips out of the parking lot faster than she pulled in. We speed down the road, but I miss the blur of the buildings and trees.
I stare down at my hands in silence. Stare at the ivory paper between my fingers. Rub the vellum with the pads of my thumbs. The subtle roughness familiar, but can’t place from where. I unfold the paper with ease, eyes glued to the shaky block letters. Tracing the slight swoops and lines and edges of the letters, I study the print for any indication of who wrote it.
The answer is there. Just out of reach. On the tip of the tongue. But it retreats back into my mind, mimicking a frightened child.
Folding the note back together, I tuck it in my purse before eyeing the road. We are blocks from the police station now. Any other day, I would reprimand Penny for her lead foot. But today, grateful doesn’t begin to cover her speediness.
She parks the car in the police station visitor lot and stands at my side the moment we step out of the car. For a beat, I contemplate telling her to wait in the car but know I won’t win the battle.
After checking in with a receptionist too bright-eyed and smiley to work in a police station, we sit in the waiting area. With the early hour, I pray we get in and out quickly. Minutes later, the gods answer my request and send an officer to call me back. Since we’re in the station, Penny opts to sit in the waiting area while I speak with the officer.
I have never seen the inside of a police station but didn’t picture it looking like an open area call center. Cubicle central with low glass walls dividing clusters of desks. Weird.
