The Letter

While sorting through some old keepsakes, Elizabeth Eaton comes across an unopened envelope with her name written across it. Did she find the letter too late? Who can she trust now?

"While sorting through some old keepsakes, you find an envelope with your name on it that hasn't been opened. You recognize the handwriting." (Prompt for a short story contest I am entering for Reedsy.)


"Liam, we really need to just sit down and go through all this crap together once and for all!" I call out to my husband in the next room, "I'm tired of looking at it. How do you think we'll sell a house like this? At this rate we'll have to just hand it over. They'd be doing us a favor!"

"Oh, enough Elizabeth. It'll get done, will you allow it to?" Liam yells back.

"No, not it will get done. When will it get done is what I want to know? and yes of course I will allow it do get done!" I whine.

"This weekend, okay. That's it!" snaps Liam.

I roll my eyes dramatically in the back of my head which Liam can't see from the library. What a mess. How did it get this bad? Is hoarding inherited like your eye color is? If so, I suspect I am tragically becoming my mother. She has horifically strong genes and it seems only passes down her negative qualities. I couldn't have gotten her beautiful silky hair though, right? Instead, I model a mop of friz and untamed curls on my head.


I'm sorting through the boxes of papers, mostly garbage- most of which I'll insist will come in handy. I don't know why I keep tormenting Liam to help me clean, every time we sit down to do so, I won't allow him to get rid of anything! Last time, it turned into a huge fight with plates flying across the room. I absolutely adored those plates, I was devastated afterwards. What came over me? People don't understand that my things mean something to me. The second I throw something away, the next day it becomes of use!
Liam is a wonderful man- a saint, really. He puts up with a lot from me out of love. I have to do something special for him this weekend. Maybe I'll book a hotel suite in the city. I've always dreamed of staying in one of those nice rooms with the heart shaped jacuzzi and mirrored ceilings. What man wouldn't love that?


Christmas cards- fine, trash. So much for lovely memories. It breaks my heart to just throw away someone's warm holiday spirit. I suppose 10 years ago is quite a long time, though. Where has the time gone? Bills- hmm. "Hey hunny, do you think we should save these cable bills in case we need them for filing purposes?"

"No, all paid up. Toss em." replies Liam.

"No I know but what about for filing?" I ask sweetly.

"Don't worry, its mentally filed. You know I'm on top of the bills" he says.

Books, I'm keeping. Pictures, of course. Then I come across an unopened envelope with my name written across it- Cassandra. I peek over my shoulder to make sure Liam's still in the library. I recognize the handwriting; I'd know my ex-husbands handwriting anywhere. How long has this been here? Tom's been dead for 8 years now. The letter is postmarked dated 2015- exactly 3 years ago. A year before my ex-husband, Tom committed suicide and the exact year Liam and I started dating. What is this about? I quickly open the envelope and pull out the letter inside. The letter reads:

Cassandra,

We don't have much time. I need you to hurry and get out of the house. You're not safe with "Liam." His real name is Ethan Rothen and he's an extremely dangerous man. He's after your personal money and your business accounts. He works in the Lakeland bank where your inheritance money was placed. Try to remember the man who opened the account with you- please try to remember who he was. It will be significant. I overheard the two of them speaking; planning the entire scheme. They are unaware that I know, so we have to act fast! There's no way I can call you- he blocked my number and I can't show up there, he will hear what I am saying. This is our last chance. I need this to work. I know I must sound absolutely crazy right now but you need to trust me. They're working a scam on you. Once Liam- Ethan marries you and earns your trust, he will begin taking over the accounts, bills and checkbooks. He will somehow arrange a formula with algorisms that will take small amounts of money out of your account, so small it will be nearly undetectable. Over time, they will become rich off of you and your business. I need you to trust me. I am risking a lot by getting this letter to you. 

© Copyright 2018 Dominique Saczawa. All rights reserved.

Writerscafe.org, its affiliates and syndicates have been granted non-exclusive rights to display this work.