Loonies (38 page)

“What happened?”

“Appears to be natural causes. Died in his sleep.”

Brian shook his head. Just when things were getting back to normal, now the town had to deal with another death. “I guess they’ll be looking for someone to pass the Boston Post Cane on to.”

“Except he broke it over Mathias Letch’s head.”

Both men burst into laughter, and it felt good, considering the disheartening news.

Noah pulled an envelope out of his pocket.

“I found this in his bedroom at the rooming house.” He fanned the letter in his hand. “It’s from Rolfe and was addressed to me. I read it. I thought about it all day, wondering what to do with it.”

Brian looked at him curiously.

The chief offered the letter to Brian.

“I’ve decided to do nothing about it,” Noah said. “But I want to give it to you to read and give you an opportunity to decide if it’s worth doing something about.”

“What does it say?” Brian asked, taking the letter.

“Just read it,” Noah said. “And then decide for yourself.” The chief left his office.

Brian read the letter and then went out to the back parking lot. He needed to have one last cigarette before he quit for good, for Darcie’s sake and for the baby. He tapped one cigarette out of the box and threw the rest into the dumpster. He lit the cigarette, sucked the smoke into his lungs, feeling how it soothed him. He would miss it, but it was for the best.

He looked at the letter in his hand from Rolfe Krimmer and then flicked on the lighter and lit one corner. He held the burning paper in his hand as long as he could, feeling the heat from the flames inch its way toward his fingers. When the flames got too close, he dropped it, waiting till the fire consumed the last corner of the letter before stamping out the ashes.

Brian was stunned by what the old man had written. But like Police Chief Noah Treece, soon to be Police Chief Tim Birtch, he decided not to do anything about the fact that in the letter, Rolfe Krimmer had confessed to being The Pillowcase.

THE END

Gregory Bastianelli is a New Hampshire native and graduate of the University of New Hampshire. He worked for nearly two decades at a daily newspaper where the highlights of his career were interviewing shock rocker Alice Cooper and B-movie icon Bruce Campbell. He is the author of the novel
Jokers Club.
His stories have appeared in several genre magazines and anthologies.  His novella,
Lair of the Mole People
appeared in the pulp anthology
Men of Mystery Vol. II.
He lives in Dover, NH. Author photo credit: Christine Brickett

This book wouldn’t have been possible if not for the nearly twenty years I spent working at
Foster’s Daily Democrat
, a small newspaper in the New Hampshire town where I grew up. I owe a special gratitude to all the wonderful people I worked with in that time span, and all they taught me. Any deficiencies in the skills of the reporter in this story are my own doing. I would like to thank Christopher C. Payne and his staff at JournalStone for the great work on this book, especially Dr. Michael R. Collings, who edited it; and Wayne Miller who did the cover art. I also want to acknowledge the special assistance of Karen Hendrickx with this story. Thanks to my Aunt Robbie for the unending support she’s had for my writing over the years. Special love and appreciation of course to Jenna, Brett, Bailey, Jacoby, Casey, Erica and Jace for the enjoyment they bring me.   And to Cherrie, whose story I’m still trying to write. Finally, thanks to all the loonies in my life.