The third and fourth letter
Chapter 4
Alone in his house, Daniel bent down to pick up the white envelope, found just inside the door of his foyer. Like the previous two, his name was printed in capital letters. The sheet of plain, white letter-sized paper provided the background for three letters cut from magazines H-Y-S.
H.Y.S.? He thought to himself, what words begin with H.Y.S.? Hysterical? (as in this was a joke?)
His internal thoughts kicked in:Natalie stood next to him, looking at the paper, "Maybe the letters are an acronym," she suggested.
Daniel looked back at her, "I've already thought of that, but I can't make anything of it."
Natalie shrugged, "hmmm… how about it standing for 'Help your-self'"?
"H.Y.S. means 'help yourself'?" questioned Daniel, "So you're saying the it takes the two letters of Y.S. to stand for 'yourself'? What kind of person would spell like that?"
"I never said the sender was a great speller, Daniel."
Daniel sighed, knowing this exercise of talking with himself was futile. Just then he heard the back door open and from the footsteps he knew Lewicki had come back.
"Doc, I'm back!" Lewicki called out from the kitchen.
"I'm in here, Lewicki!" yelled back Daniel as he looked around the living room and realized with Natalie gone and he was once again alone.
Lewicki came in and Daniel showed him the third letter.
"Wow, freaky," Lewicki said, as he handed the letter back to Daniel, "and talking about freaky, SedanLady is out front again."
"What?" Daniel rushed over and looked out the front window, "I can't figure out what she wants."
"We will find out soon," Lewicki said mysteriously, smiling like the Cheshire cat.
Daniel had been staring out the window, but now he turned back to look at his assistant, "Why? What do you mean?" he looked suspiciously at Max, "What did you do, Lewicki?"
"What I did," Lewicki said, pausing on purpose to keep the suspense up, "is that I invited Miss Hilda Jones aka the SedanLady to your birthday party!"
"What?" Daniel exclaimed.
"Are you hard of hearing?" Lewicki asked sardonically as he cupped his hands and bellowed, "I INVITED SEDANLADY TO YOUR PARTY!"
"You've invited a stalker to a stalkee's party?" Daniel asked sounding exasperated, "Isn't that the opposite of a restraining order? Why would you ever do that?"
"We can't figure out why she's out there, so I figured if we talk to her face-to-face, we can solve this mystery. I mean, nothing bad can happen to you as long as you're in a roomful of people, right?"
"What if she has a gun?" Daniel asked him.
"Well, she's after you, so at least I'll be safe," Lewicki jested.
Daniel stared at him, "Not if I use you as a shield."
"Okay, okay...we'll use preventive tactics," Lewicki suggested, "We'll do a body search of everyone before they enter the house, like they do at the airport."
Daniel stared at Lewicki, "This isn't O'Hare Airport and I'm not a TSA worker, Max."
"Okay, how about we just consider ourselves safe because we have protection from the FBI here in the form of Kate?" pointed out Lewicki.
Kate.
The thought of her coming to the party managed to calm her down.
"Just remember one thing, Max," Daniel warned, "if crazy SedanLady shoots me dead, you are out of a job."
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Kate was sitting in another boring meeting. The all glass conference room consisted of a long table with agents sitting all around it. She now knew what animals at a zoo felt like being all caged up.
"So in conclusion," Reardon was debriefing the agents, "Joseph Garza has been sentenced to 260 months in prison for his leading role in a conspiracy to distribute more than 120 kilograms of cocaine and heroin and 150 grams of methamphetamine. Besides the imposed sentence, he was fined over $120,000...AND that's a wrap! All of you did a superb job in bringing down a dangerous drug lord! Special commendations go out to Agent Moretti," there were a smattering of clapping, "and now if there aren't any further questions, meeting adjourned!"
Everyone began to leave. Her case was done. Kate heaved a relieved sigh as she stood. Maybe now she could concentrate on Daniel and his letters and his possible stalker.
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It was another day of lecture.
Daniel turned to the board and unexpectedly wrote the words "Let's Party!" on the board. That got everyone's attention.
"When I wrote these two words, Let's Party, what was your initial reaction?" he questioned the class, " was your reaction more positive or negative? -though I feel I know the answer already..." he added among the snickering.
He turned to Lewicki.
"Mr. Lewicki," Daniel asked, "which way does the phrase run for you?"
"Usually a positive thought goes in my head at that phrase," Lewicki stated, "But today? Not so much. Today I feel confusion due to the fact that according to your schedule, today's topic was suppose to be on the neuron impulses in the brain and how it affects our social interactings."
There was a smattering of chuckles as Daniel volunteered another student.
"How about you, Mr. Tattoo shirt?" he asked Butch, who stopped slouching and sat up, "What is your reaction when I say the phrase 'Let's Party'?"
"Me? Like, hey, I think partying is cool," Butch admitted among his classmates' smiles.
Daniel nodded, "There is definitely a coolness factor involved when one goes to a party. If one wants to get closer to someone both physically and mentally, a party is the perfect excuse. Loud music basically makes everyone half-deaf, so they need to get close to talk. There's free food! Drinks! Best of all, the room is drenched in darkness, making anyone appear more attractive."
Many heads nodded.
Sara raised her hand, "So, Dr. Pierce, you're basically saying that parties create chances."
He enthusiastically pointed at her, "Yes, YES! That is EXACTLY what I am inferring!" he confirmed.
"And don't forget it's a great excuse to get drunk!" someone randomly called out as students chuckled.
"Oh yes," agreed Daniel again, "We mustn't forget the alcohol. After all, no great party ever started with someone eating a salad."
Everyone laughed heartily.
When the noise quieted down, Katherine raised her hand, "So what is your take on parties, Dr. Pierce? "
Daniel smiled, "Not my style, actually. I don't like darkness, I don't want to do small talk, and I don't understand the music they play. For me, the best part is when the party ends," he answered honestly as people chuckled.
"I have a feeling the Doc is hinting about how he feels about his upcoming birthday party," Lewicki announced to the class, "but I'll just sit here and ignore that feeling until it goes away!"
Laughter could be heard all around the room.
"The actual purpose of partying is to get closer to a group or individual," Daniel explained, "for example, have you ever been at a party where someone said something hilarious and it made you laugh so long and hard that you had tears in your eyes and your stomach hurt?"
Students nodded in agreement.
"Virtually everyone has had this experience of non stop laughing," Daniel continued, "but, let me ask you this...have you ever felt that way when you thought of something funny while just sitting by yourself? Probably not, because due to our emotional synergy, we will feel more intense emotions in groups rather than as individuals. Thus we will now begin our lecture," Daniel pointedly looked at Lewicki, "on how our neurons stimulate social interactions..."
Students began taking notes and thus began another one of Daniel's more intriguing lectures.
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It was the next morning.
Now that she was off her drug-trafficking case, Kate did not know what to do with her time. When she got up early the next day, instead of going to the office, she found herself driving towards Daniel's house and before she knew it, she was knocking on Daniel's door.
When Daniel opened the door and saw Kate, his heart lurched at the sight of her. It was amazing how fresh and lovely she looked so early in the morning. His dark, questioning gaze locked onto hers.
"Kate."
Kate also had forgotten how much she missed Daniel. Dressed in a simple gray tee shirt and jeans with tousled hair, Daniel looked as if he had just gotten out of bed. That image made her heart skip a beat.
"Hi, Daniel," Kate acknowledged, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Tell me you're here because you have a case at last for us," Daniel said wistfully.
"No, sorry again, Daniel, but I just wanted to drop by and make sure everything was fine with you."
"I'm...not doing so well, but come in, Kate."
Kate's face clouded with worry as she stepped in.
Passing closely by him as she walked in, she gazed right into those warm, dreamy eyes of his. The sight of him soothed away all the stress she had been feeling for the last two weeks; Seeing Daniel so tousled and cozy in the morning gave her a warm feeling. Daniel was mesmerized as he his keen eyes took in her image. He then led her into the kitchen as Lewicki was brewing some tea.
After an exchange of greetings with Lewicki, Kate sat with Daniel at the small kitchen table.
"It's about the letters, isn't it?" Kate assumed.
Daniel merely handed her the latest mailings.
"This is the one I received yesterday morning and this other one I received this morning, bringing the count to four letters." He stated.
"Four? Really?" Kate seemed concerned as she viewed the sheet with the four alphabetical letters, "I guess I need to come daily. I'm falling behind," she half-teased.
Up until yesterday, Daniel was fairly relaxed about the three letters that had arrived with the letters H.Y.S….well, as calm as someone who was a paranoid schizophrenic, that is. But when the fourth one arrived this morning, Daniel knew he needed to take it more seriously.
Number four's plain sheet of paper had added a new letter, a large pink "T", to accompany the original three. As with the others, it had been snipped from the pages of a magazine. Together, they now spelled HYST.
Kate whipped out her ipad from inside her bag, set it on the table and immediately began furiously typing.
"Let's see," she said thinking outloud while reading the screen, "I'm typing anything that has to do with HYST. According to what I'm reading here, Hystaspis was a Persian ruler or HYST could refer to the word hysterectomy, which could not refer to you, at least I hope not," she added teasingly."
He gave her a 'look' before concentrating on the letters again.
"Certainly no anagram could be made from these letters," Daniel surmised, his eyes darting back and forth between the letters on the paper, "How about an acronym?"
"I have one," suggested Kate, Like 'Have your stuff together."
"Uh, H.Y.S.T. " Lewicki tried his luck, "How about, "'hey, you're stupid today'."
Daniel gave a sigh of surrender, "I see we are not taking this seriously."
Lewicki placed two steaming mugs of tea down and then snapped his fingers, "I've got it! Of course! It's not an acronym, it's an actual last name! Hyst! Rachalt Hyst!"
Daniel scowled, "Who?"
"You don't recognize that name?" asked Kate, "that's the Snivvian who was abandoned on the planet of Tatooine."
"Hmmm," reacted Daniel, "I'm sorry…I didn't realize the Star Wars dweeb convention was in town."
"For which you must be a member," pointed out Lewicki, "being that you recognized the planet Tatooine as being part of the Star Wars universe."
Kate almost snorted.
Despite the solemn subject, there was a lightness to the situation. It seemed that whenever Kate was here, Daniel felt more...more relaxed with the world.
"Well, we'll know soon enough," Lewicki stated, "I don't know if Daniel told you, Kate, but I've invited Hilda Jones to the party tomorrow."
Kate was in the middle of sipping her tea and almost choked.
"Oh?" she asked, with a look of uncertainty, "The stalker lady? I'll be sure to get here early…by the way, who else is expected to come?"
"A few faculty members from the psychology department," Lewicki said, "also, Paul Haley and his date; our next door neighbors, your partner Agent Probert, a few students, maybe, and that's about it."
"That's it?" Kate asked, "Do we even have a dozen people?"
"A little over," Lewicki confirmed, "-I mean, hey, it's not like an invitation to Daniel's party is equivalent to getting the golden ticket at Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, you know."
"Thanks, Lewicki," said Daniel dryly, "I can always count on you to make me feel so revered and loved."
"Hey, you should be thanking me," Lewicki said, "I ordered your favorite cake on your birthday."
"Oh, chocolate?" Kate asked hopefully.
Lewicki shook his head, "We eat healthy here...this cake will be made with coconut flour topped with yogurt frosting."
"No wonder the guest list is short!" Kate jested.
"You may say that, but you don't realize that eating a typical sweet-laden cake is actually a government conspiracy to overload our bodies with sugar, and I'll have none of that!" announced Daniel, half serious.
Kate smiled at Daniel's absurd comment. She became solemn again as she picked up the letter once more.
"Daniel, I know we've been joking this whole time, " Kate said, "but I want you to know I am taking this whole letter thing seriously. I'm still holding out hope that this is just someone's idea of a prank."
Her look of concern affected Daniel as he began to feel warmer. He wondered why Kate's presence produced such a palpable reaction every time she was near him.
"That's reassuring to know," he commented, trying to keep his voice even, "I'm glad you're coming to the party, Kate."
Kate felt she was being held prisoner by the intensity of his dark eyes. Her eyes traveled down to Daniel closely shaven bristles as her breathing became uneven. Lewicki was watching Kate.
"Kate?" Lewicki asked, "Are you alright? You look rather…not yourself."
"What? Oh," she recovered, "It's the change in weather." She then gave Lewicki a confident smile as she felt the flutterings subsiding, "and Daniel, I wouldn't miss your party for the world."
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