Page 115 of Weston’s Treasure

“Alec Hall?”

“And who are you?” Alex returned.

“Are you Alec Hall?”

“Yeah. And you are?” Alec repeated, not concealing his annoyance.

“Detective Johnson, DCPD. This is Miss Walters from the family liaison unit. May we come in and have a word?”

“What’s this about?”

“May we come in?” Miss Walters asked. “I’m afraid what we have to tell you may take some time.”

Alec stepped clear of the door and waited for the pair to walk into the entryway.

“Follow me.”

He moved them into the great room and offered them a seat. Detective Johnson declined but Miss Walters sat and opened her briefcase.

“Mr. Hall—”

“Alec.”

“Alec,” the detective began. “I’m very sorry to inform you of this, but Jamie Fields has passed away. A car—”

“Who?” Alec questioned, and the detective jerked in surprise before he looked at Miss Walters who was now shuffling through the papers she’d taken out.

“Jamie Lynn Fields,” the woman semi-repeated as if that would somehow make Alec remember who this Jamie person was.

“Sorry. I don’t know a Jamie Fields or any other Jamie for that matter. I think you have the wrong Alec Hall.”

“But, sir, you’re listed on the birth certificate.”

“Come again?”

“Ms. Fields listed you on her daughter’s birth certificate. Your last known address matches—”

“I’m sorry, did you say her daughter?”

“Yes.”

Now Alec knew they had the wrong man. He certainly didn’t have a daughter.

“You’ve—”

But before Alec could explain they’d made a trip to Maryland for no reason, Miss Walters proceeded to rock his world. The very foundation of it crumbled as the woman explained that Jamie Fields had planned for her death, she left strict instructions on what was to be done with her daughter in the event of her demise, and Jamie had also left a sealed envelope with Alec’s name scrolled across it in pretty handwriting.

Alec stared at the letter like it was a venomous serpent ready to infect him with a deadly toxin. The woman shook the envelope, urging Alec to take it.

He reluctantly took it and ripped it open.

Just like a Band-Aid, he thought to himself. Open it, read it, then tell these people he was not the man they were looking for.

But even as he told himself that, dread had started to take root.

Alec,

If you are reading this then something has happened to me and I now owe you an explanation. One I never wanted to give but knew in my heart you deserved. All we had together was one night. It was a great night. Well, for me it was. I had left my disaster of a marriage six months before I met you and that night was the first time I’d felt the stirrings of the old me returning. Then I saw you sitting at the bar and you stole my breath. So handsome, but like me, you looked lost. When I sat next to you and you turned your piercing blue eyes on me and smiled, I knew I was going to do something crazy. And I did. I hit on you. But instead of catching my play you laughed at me.