Lost Equation - Chapter 10 snippet

Chapter 10 NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN

 After parking the Range Rover in the garage, I head upstairs to see how my Patrol is doing. When I open the door, Ransome sits there, tail pounding the floor and eyes locked hard on me.

"Anything to report?" I ask as if I had left a uniformed officer

to watch over a crime scene. Ransome makes the muleing sound

like he is talking. "Excellent." I rub his head and step past him

to the desk. I drop the Range Rover keys in the top left drawer

and then my notebook to the top of the desk.

"Mildred at the post office sends her love." He sits and lets

out a bark. "Yes, THAT Mildred at the post office." He runs

around me and sits in front of the lower right drawer of the desk.

I drop into my chair, lean over, and open the drawer, removing

the jerky jar and giving Ransome a strip. He runs to his place

before the fire, leaving me with my thoughts and considering my

next steps. A trip to Santa Clara could prove enlightening, not

just about the cryptic letter and how it might relate to the

Hoffmann case, which is admittedly a huge leap I am making at

this point. If it turns out they are indeed related. My curiosity is

well and truly piqued now.

After an hour at the desk, reviewing the notes from the

conversation with Ransome's best friend, Mildred, and spending

more time looking over the letter and the envelope, I close the

notebook and slide it aside. After finishing off the jerky,

Ransome now lies at the side of my chair. As I move, he rises

and sits, staring at me.

"What?"

He makes the muleing sounds and then looks at the front

door.

"OK, But I am not up to a run, we have to walk."

Ransome barks and then bolts for the front door.