Fletch and the Widow Bradley

27

U P O N H I S R E T U R N to his apartment late Wednesday night, Fletch found on the coffee table, beside the bills and junk mail, a note and three letters of interest.

F.—

Your X, Linda, called. I told her you’re cruising off Mexico on your yacht.

—M.

Dear Mister Fletcher:

The Mayor has informed his office that he has decided to honor you with the Good Citizen of The Month Award in recognition of the heroic risking your own life to save the life of another citizen on the Guilden Street Bridge Sunday night.

The ceremony is to take place in the Mayor’s office Friday at ten o’clock sharp.

You are to report to Mrs. Goldovsky at The Mayor’s Office, City Hall, at eight-thirty sharp Friday morning. Mrs. Goldovsky will instruct you in what you are to do and to say during and after the ceremony. Any tardiness in meeting with Mrs. Goldovsky will not be tolerated.

The ceremony will be by nature of a press conference, which is to say, members of the press—reporters, photographers, and cameramen will be in attendance. Your being dressed in normal business attire will be suitable.

Sincerely,

The Office of The Mayor

Dear Mister Fletcher—

I read about how you rescued that lady off the bridge? I need rescuing. My parents treat me awful bad. They’re never taken me to FANTAZYLAND—not even oncet, in all my life. Please come quick and rescue me up.

Tommy address above

Dear Mister Fletcher:

Although I’m sure I join millions in praising your act of heroism Sunday night, in saving that expectant woman from suicide, perhaps only my associate, Mister Smith, of this hotel, and I know you to be not an entirely honest man. There was a report of your deed in this morning’s Chronicle. We were able to recognize from your picture the man who was in my office last Thursday, identifying himself as Geoffrey Armistad. You showed us a wallet you said you found somewhere off the hotels property containing twenty-five thousand dollars cash, apparently belonging to a recent guest of this hotel, a Mister James St. E. Crandall. Such were the names we gave to the police, in reporting this incident. You gave us every assurance you, too, would report to the police. Apparently, you did no such thing. In fact, the newspaper reports you resigned your job with the News-Tribune last Friday. (You stated to us you were employed as a parking-lot attendant.) All this indicates to us you have no intention of returning the money to its rightful owner. Mister Smith and I think it only fair to warn you that we have set matters right this end, and provided the police with your correct name, and, having spent two minutes with the telephone directory, your correct address. Doubtlessly they will be in touch with you, requiring you to turn the money over to them until proper disposition can be made.

Yours, Sincerely,

Jacques Cavalier,

Manager

Park Worth Hotel