Page 4 of Ash

James Redding, esquire or not, sounded like a good man.

Suzannah turned the envelope over again and barely resisted the urge to shake it like a Christmas present under the tree.

She'd seen children do it on TV. Movies, too.

But she'd never had something to shake, or something to give her the anticipation that she'd always wanted to feel.

Here it was.

This envelope.

This... question mark with a postage stamp on it.

"Okay," she nodded. "Let's see what's inside."

She put her back to the wall and slid down until her backside hit the hard linoleum floor. She took hold of the little tab at one end of the envelope and pulled it open with a quick yank. Suzannah pulled out a packet of papers and took a deep breath before beginning to read.

Miss Miller,

I hope this letter finds you well.

I hope it finds you at all.

It seems as though you've spent most of your life on your own, but that can change now if you're willing to come toMystic Mountain. Here, you can find a vestige of your family. Your great aunt was a partner in a bakery here and that half of the business is ready for you, if you want it.

I don't have a phone, not many of us do here in Mystic Mountain. I hope you'll come and meet with me and discover where you truly belong.

I've included some money in this envelope, please use it to come to Mystic Mountain. There is enough for flights and hiring a car to bring you here. Please come as soon as you can.

Your humble servant,

Thomas Redding, Esq.

The papers in her hands felt like they weighed a ton, nearly pulling free from her fingertips as they hung down.

A family.

He'd mentioned her family.

A family who was already gone.

If what she read between the lines was correct, her great aunt was gone.

So, what family would she find there in... in Mystic Mountain?

She'd never even heard of the place before.

Had anyone?

The envelope fell again and she heard the soft swoosh of sound as the envelope flattened to the floor and slip a few feet away, but it was the sound that followed that turned her head.

An envelope, smaller, and almost glassine in nature, was on the floor less than a foot away.

Suzannah dropped the papers, almost enjoying the whisper of sound they made as she got up onto her hands and knees.

She moved toward the smaller envelope, keeping her gaze on the strange little envelope.

When she picked it up, holding it between her fingers, she saw that there were a handful of bills inside.

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