Free The Fan Letter by Nancy Temple Rodrigue Page A

had interrupted her.
    Mona looked a little surprised at the expression on Leslie's face. “What's wrong? You look like you're going to cry.”
    Leslie blushed and put down her pen, her eyes coming back into focus. “Sorry, Mona. I had an idea for my story and wanted to get it down on paper before I forgot it. I'll be right out.”
    Her boss leaned against the doorframe. “That's fine. You were so quiet I thought you had fallen asleep. You have been dragging lately,” she pointed out, not unkindly.
    Leslie nodded as she folded up the paper and put it next to her purse. “I know. I've been staying up too late writing. My ideas are coming easily right now and once I get going, I forget to stop.”
    “So, it is going well now? I heard you tell Janice that you were having some trouble.”
    Leslie smiled as she stretched her back. “No, I'm coming right along. I'm jazzed about it now .”
    Mona Green gave her a smug smile. Still preoccupied with the scene she had been formulating, Leslie missed the warning. “Good. Glad to hear you're in a good mood. The high school just called. It's retailing project time again. We can expect some students today or tomorrow.”
    A loud groan was heard. “I got them last semester! It's Janice's turn. Or your's!”
    Pushing off from the doorframe with a laugh, Mona told her, “Oh, but you do such a good job with the eager students. They're all yours.” The boss returned to her office, still laughing, as Leslie went back out front, rolling her eyes at Janice.
    Le Petite Boutique was small but a well-stocked dress salon that catered mostly to the social circle. Every dress they sold had a full range of accessories available. Having a profile on all their regular customers, they could bring to their homes a display in the correct size to meet any occasion. There was a seamstress, Paula, in the store at all times. They even had an errand boy on call to rush to the wholesalers in San Francisco if they happened to be out of a desired item. Their clientele was growing and faithful. Customers were willing to pay a higher price for the quality of goods and services they received.
    The boutique was on the first floor of a Victorian mansion that once belonged to the founding family of Amherst. Located in what was now the Old Downtown District, the entire ground floor had been refurbished to accommodate the shop, but Mona kept with the Victorian theme. A beautiful copper and crystal chandelier that had always hung in the entryway of the mansion now held light bulbs instead of flickering candles. The original dark walnut hardwood floors were covered here and there with pastel Oriental rugs in elaborate floral patterns. Victorian Queen Anne chairs that sat waiting for customers had lovely tapestry seats. Four large dressing rooms were draped with velvet panels held back with gold braided cords. Gourmet coffee in an antique silver decanter sat waiting on an etched tray with delicate Petit Fours on lace doilies to spoil the best of customers. Highly polished mahogany display cases showed off the jewelry, as well as the purses. An open armoire held scarves, hankies, and linen. Dresses, wraps, and lingerie hung in recessed, lighted nooks. Then there were the beveled, etched, and leaded Italian mirrors: the accent lights hung with prisms or tassels. The pastel oil paintings on the walls of the boutique were copies of Monet and Renoir in floral-edged gold leaf frames.
    The second and third floors were the private living areas of Mona Green and her family. Her husband, Patrick, owned and operated a small local dealership, and their two pre-teen children, Mike and Mary, attended school nearby.
    It was in this surrounding that Wayne Fields first met the Evil One of Amherst. Within the first two days of his moving into the conveniently empty apartment directly below hers, he had learned much of her schedule and some of her habits. He had followed her to work the first day and entered her apartment the second. Now