Reason for Revenge – Part VIII.

After dinner, Emma snuck into the study that used to be the office of Dave Hailman. She had been taking computer classes in her spare time because she knew that she needed to ‘modernize’ herself and figured she would type a letter to Detective Christopher and sign it anonymously so she would be kept out of the whole thing. The computer was positioned where her back would be to the door, so she shut the door to where just a little crack would be open so she could hear if anyone was coming up the stairs. She turned on the computer and started typing quietly. She didn’t realize that she could hear from the stair angle, but she couldn’t hear from down the other hallway. Someone was walking from the other direction to go downstairs when they heard a soft tapping coming from the study, why should anyone be in that room typing, that was Mr. Hailman’s study. They walked in as quiet as a mouse and discovered Emma typing. They walked up even closer hoping that she would not turn around so they could spy on what she was typing. They couldn’t believe it…what to do now? The closest thing to them was a piece of artwork on the desk; they grabbed it and hit Emma over the head. She slumped down into the chair, so they pushed her onto the floor and moved ever so quickly into the chair and onto the computer. They typed over their name and slowly inserted someone else’s and hit print, so it would look like the murderer was a little careless with the evidence sitting right on the printer, and then they closed out the program on the computer. As soon as the paper started feeding through, they were gone like the noon train out of town.

Stephen had decided to retire to bed earlier than his wife, and even the rest of the family. As he was coming up the stairs, he thought he saw a light on in Dave’s study, so he went in. He noticed that there was not just a light on, but the computer was on as well. That was odd, he thought to himself. He went over to shut it down, when he discovered Emma lying on the floor. He immediately felt her pulse and saw that she was just unconscious; he reached for the phone and called an ambulance. He ran downstairs to inform Joanne what had happened. “Joanne, as I was going past Dave’s study, I saw a light on, so I figured Emma or someone had left it on from cleaning, so I went in and turned it off. I realized that the computer was on and I found Emma on the floor… ” Before he could finish, Joanne was running up the stairs to her, Stephen turned and followed right behind her. “Joanne, I have already called an ambulance, she is still alive, her pulse was very faint, but at least she has a pulse.” Joanne went to her and held Emma while they waited for the ambulance, “Stephen, please call Detective Christopher, you can find his number in my bed stand in my room.” Stephen ran down to her room and found the number and called Christopher right away, “Detective Christopher!” Christopher responded, “Yes.” “This is Stephen Tailord and I wanted to tell you that we have just found Emma, our maid, in my father-in-law’s study unconscious. Mrs. Hailman would like you to please come over here quickly.” “I’ll be right there!” Christopher said as he was gathering up his things.

Christopher walked in right after the ambulance pulled away. He went straight up to the study and found Joanne and Stephen there. The rest of the family was asked to remain downstairs at Joanne’s request. “Detective, I am so glad to see you, what are we going to do; is this maniac going to wipe out my whole family?” Joanne frantically exclaimed. “Ma’am, I don’t know what will happen next, has anyone else been up here?” “No, they haven’t,” she replied. “If you would both go downstairs, I have called my men to come over, please let them up when they arrive,” he asked. “Yes sir,” Joanne agreed.

Joanne and Stephen walked downstairs and left Christopher to do his work. He looked through the desk to see if there was anything in it that would answer some questions, but there were just business papers, office supplies, stationery, and letters; nothing of any importance. He then turned around to the credenza behind him to find the computer, still lit up, but nothing on the screen but a desktop. Why was the computer on, what was she doing? He asked himself. He then noticed out of the comer of his eye a printed letter on the printer. He took out his handkerchief and grabbed the paper as he read:

Dear Detective Charles Christopher,

This is hard for me to tell you what I saw this afternoon from the inner balcony that is on the second floor. I watched as Vivien Hailman removed a white glove from under the hydrangea bush located outside by the pool.

Anonymous

This was the first piece of evidence that would prove who he expected because all the other evidence was so circumstantial. “Vivien tried to pull a red herring on me with the planted shoes in her own room. The evidence from the glove came back showing that it was bought at the usual little boutique where Vivien and Tabytha both shopped exclusively. Why shouldn’t they shop there, the clothes were from their father’s company?” He said to himself beaming. He reread the letter again and again before he started down the stairs, but wait. “I have been so stupid; I was just going to arrest the wrong person. Now, I must lay the trap and hope that I am right.” Christopher went back into the study and sat down at the computer and wrote a letter himself. As soon as he was done, he slipped out of the study running down the hallway to another room. He left the letter on the bed addressed, “To whom it may concern.” He went downstairs and apologized to the family and told them that something had come up and he would have to go. He left just as his men were coming in, “Hey Jones, do your thing and I hope to be back shortly. Call me if you find anything.” “Gotcha boss.” Jones replied.