Dead By Midnight by Beverly Barton Page B

didn’t see anybody, not even a stray dog. His first stop would be at the Blythe City Diner, where Charlie’s wife was employed. He had called earlier and found out she was working the evening shift. If he was lucky, she’d be the talkative type. All he needed to know was what night he could kill Charlie, a night when neither she nor her daughters would be at home. If necessary, he could wait for just the right moment, and in the meantime, he’d simply choose the next person on his list and come back for Charlie later.
    Â 
    Tagg Chambless stared at the two envelopes he held in his hand, both neatly sliced open, probably with Hilary’s pearl-handled letter opener. He held them up, showing them to the Powell agent who had accompanied him home to Memphis a few days ago.
    â€œI found these this morning,” Tagg said. “In one of her lingerie drawers. They were hidden beneath the scented lining. I guess when the police searched our bedroom, they somehow overlooked these.”
    Holt Keinan glanced from Tagg’s haggard face to the nondescript white envelopes he clutched tightly in his closed fist. “What are they?” He sure as hell hoped they weren’t love letters some other guy had written to the man’s now deceased wife.
    â€œDeath threats,” Tagg replied, a catch in his deep voice.
    Holt focused on the envelopes. “Mind if I take a look?”
    Tagg handed the letters over to Holt, who laid one down on a nearby end table in the den and then slipped the single page from the other envelope, unfolded it, and read aloud. “‘Midnight is coming. Say your prayers. Ask for forgiveness. Get your affairs in order. You’re on the list. Be prepared. You don’t know when it will be your turn. Will you be the next to die?’”
    â€œWhy didn’t she show me these letters?” Tagg asked. “Why did she hide them from me?”
    Holt inspected the envelopes. Typewritten. No return address. One was postmarked Knoxville, Tennessee, and the postmark on the other was smudged, making it illegible. The messages were identical.
    â€œAny idea who might have sent these to your wife?”
    Tagg shook his head. “I’m certain she didn’t know anybody from Knoxville.”
    â€œWhere the letters were mailed may or may not be important. But the message is important. You’re right—these are definitely death threats.”
    â€œYou think the person who murdered Hilary is the one who sent her these letters?”
    â€œI think it’s a good possibility.”
    â€œIs there any way to find out who—?”
    â€œProbably not,” Holt said. “But I’ll overnight these to our lab.”
    â€œShouldn’t I show them to the police?”
    â€œLet me handle that. Our lab will get to the letters immediately. With the police, it could take weeks…or longer.”
    Tagg sucked in a deep breath. “Yeah, you’re right. The police have gotten nowhere. I’m pretty sure they think that I’m involved with some unscrupulous business partners and one of them had my wife killed. They’re wrong. I’ve tried to tell them that, but they won’t believe me. I’m putting my trust in the Powell Agency. I expect you to uncover the truth and find out who killed Hilary.”
    â€œThe only promise we can make is that we will use every resource available to us to find your wife’s killer and we won’t stop looking until we either find the person responsible or you tell us to stop.”
    â€œUnderstood.”
    Â 
    Sanders sipped on the cup of hot tea that Barbara Jean had, only moments ago, brought to him there in Griffin’s study. During the past few years, he had come to rely on her as a friend, a lover, and an assistant. She meant more to him than she would ever know. His love for her was deep and sincere. He would willingly lay down his life and die for her. Barbara Jean possessed a