Chapter 27

“I have been in the Valley of Fear. I am not out of it yet.”

-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear

Cavalier rushed in ahead of us. I scooped up the envelope under Auntie’s quizzical eye. We then followed Cavvy for a quick look into each room. I wasn’t sure what we’d find. Everything else seemed as usual, so I finally I closed the door.

Auntie pointed at the white envelope in my hand. “An’ is that another o’ those nasty notes, DD?”

I ripped open the envelope and read the note.

“Is it an ill omen?” Auntie asked.

I handed it to her. She probably already knew what was in it. Sometimes her fey abilities really scare me.

She read the note aloud.

Auntie cocked her head to one side. So did Cavalier. Maybe they were channeling.

“Keep the heid,” Auntie counseled.

“I’m not going to lose my head, Auntie.”

“But what does it mean?” Auntie shook her head. “Somebody is evil. His soul ‘tis black as the Earl of Hell’s Waistcoat.”

“You’re right there, Auntie. Somebody’s definitely been stalking me. Every card’s been written in this big blocky handwriting.”

“A careless watch invites the thief, DD. He’s evil and he’s oot to get you. Remember what I say here. Sooner or later justice o’ertakes the evil dooers.”

She closed her eyes tight and clenched her fists. I think she was trying for a vision. I didn’t like to ask.

“’Tis dark to me, Daphne. Nothing is coming.”

No one uses my real name, Daphne December. That Auntie would use it meant there’s serious business afoot.

“No vision coming to me may mean you are safe, with no harm on the way.”

Or not, I thought. Auntie tries to be helpful with the vision things, but mostly they cloud up the situation instead of clear it.

“How is that nice Tom Joyce doing?” Auntie asked.

“Tom’s out of intensive care. I’m going to visit him as soon as I get things together here. By the way Auntie, where’s George and the twins? Why are you here all alone?”

“George is on his way back from your job. Says it’s a funny kind of job you have. He’s tryin’ to avoid the leg cramps.”

“I owe him a lot of thanks. I’ll be able to handle things in the morning. Auntie, ask him to let me know if there was any action on the stake out, and if he had any trouble with Woodley.”

I wondered if things were really going to be all right with my job. Woodley, it seems, was trying to get me fired. And he apparently had Goodson on his side.

“As for Glendy and Lucille,” Auntie said, “they’re workin’ on the Crime Stoppers program. Mark my words, DD, some criminals are goin’ to rue this day.”

“Auntie, I’ve had a horrendous day. I want out of this jail jumpsuit. I need a shower and some sleep.”

“Aye, sleep well. Tomorrow t’will be a brighter morn.” She winked. “You’ll still have your job an’ all will be well. Oh, an’ here’s your wee cell phone from your car.”

I’d left my cell in the glove compartment last night to avoid any possibility it might accidentally ring during the B & E.

“Thanks Auntie.”

Before she headed back to the twins’ place, I gave her the keys to Tom’s Dodge Grand Caravan, wrote down the address of the Grange mansion, and asked her to have George drive it to the Billings Hospital parking lot and leave it there. Thank heavens for George.