Holly came in with Shane. “Good thing I was in early this morning. What’s going on?”

Holly spoke this time. “I like to come in a few minutes before seven to get everything prepared and to have a cup of coffee in peace. When I opened the outer doors, this was on the floor. You know like someone pushed it under the door. There were a few other things with it so I scooped them up and put them down while I made myself some coffee. When it finished I brought everything back to my desk and went through it, putting it all where it went. Mr. Chase came in right then, and when I pointed it out to him, he told me to call the police and then Ms. Mendoza.”

“What’s it say?” Caroline reached for it but Shane held her wrist a moment to stay her.

“Let me. I have gloves.”

“God, if this is just a motion or run of the mill lawyers are the devil hate mail I’m going to be so embarrassed,” Caroline muttered.

Shane held it so she could see how it was addressed.

Caroline Mary Mendoza

Deliver to her next of kin

“Oh sure, not scary at all.” Royal groaned. “Why don’t you step back, Caroline? Why don’t we all step back? Who the heck knows what’s in there? It could be someone’s will or anthrax.”

“Royal is right that you should all get back. It feels like paper. There’s no grit that I can sense. But let’s be safe.”

She let Royal pull her toward the doorway where Peter and Justin now stood.

Shane pulled out what looked to be a photograph, and he paled, covering quickly, but not fast enough for her to miss his initial reaction.

He looked in the envelope and pulled nothing else out. He examined the photo and sighed. “Caroline, I may have to call in some people above my pay grade.”

Caroline moved to his side and saw a picture of her. She’d been sitting at a booth with Royal at the Honey Bear. Her eyes had been scratched over with black X marks and a black line was drawn over her throat.

They’d used black ink over Royal’s clothes to make it look like a black mourning suit.

She might have fallen over if Royal hadn’t put an arm around her waist.

“Call in whoever you have to, Shane. This is f**king not okay.” Royal shook his head. He was at the end of his patience with any and all this bull. Nope. “I apologize, Holly.”

“This is an F-word situation, Royal,” Holly agreed.

“What’s going to happen now? How are you going to keep her safe?” Royal didn’t want to do anything else until they knew.

“Working on that right now. I’ve got your statement, Holly.” Shane put the envelope and the picture in two different evidence bags. “Caroline, anything you want to add?”

“I came in and I knew something was wrong because Holly had a look on her face and then Edward came out and brought me back here. You came in shortly after that.”

“Has anything else happened since the car vandalism on Friday?”

“We’ve been at home mostly and it’s been quiet. There are some new calls on the tip line I haven’t heard yet. I checked yesterday but not yet today.”

She’d held off after listening to some early on and getting upset. Most were useless. Then there were perverts and weirdos, and some hostility. Royal had encouraged her to let Justin and Ron handle it like she’d agreed to do or at the very least take a break until the following day. He worried this case would consume her, but understood her need to push until she got the job done. It was part of who she was and a big reason why he loved her.

She called Ron and he played the messages over the speakerphone.

Shane got a pad to match the one Caroline had already placed at her right hand along with her pen.

There were four more messages since they’d checked the day before. Nothing pressing but Caroline took notes on one.

Ron told them he’d just checked the email tips, and there wasn’t anything connected or even vaguely threatening but he’d contact them both if that changed.

Shane scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m going to call some people. I’m going to tell you I don’t think we’ll get much help. This is bad and I take it seriously, but there’s not enough for us to operate on the sure knowledge that this is connected to the murder. Which I believe it is so don’t get that stuck-out chin on my account. I’m on your side. I’m going to have that envelope and the picture printed. One of my younger officers just got back from an eight-week forensics-training program. He’s going to wet himself over all this. Pretend that’s not weird.”

“I have no weird stones to cast.” Caroline snorted. She’d been sassy when he brought her in that morning. Happy and chatty. But her spine had slumped a little and there were lines around her eyes.

“What’s your plan today?” Shane asked.

“I have three client meetings, some research to do, a few motions on the calendar later at the courthouse. Lunch sometime in there. Then home to Royal’s place. My brother is bringing pizza and 28 Days Later over at six. Then sleep. Or as much as a certain cat will allow because he likes to sit on my chest and lick my hair. Now that is weird.”

“Spike’s just concerned for your well-being.”

“Your cat is weird.”

As the cat liked to sit in the corner facing inward and stare at a burl in the hardwood floor, he really couldn’t argue. “Whatever. You carry him around on your shoulder.”

She snickered.