Chapter 21 - A Mysterious Black Envelope Arrives At The Front Gate
Late on a quiet Friday midnight, the automated security chime on the garden gate of their new Maine home echoed softly.
Natalie walked down the cobblestone driveway under the pale glow of the coastal floodlights to inspect the perimeter.
There was no delivery truck or visitor in sight along the dark, winding coastal road bordering the peaceful property.
Resting on the stone pillar was a plain black envelope sealed with an unfamiliar crimson wax stamp.
There was no return address or postal mark, only a chilling symbol carved directly into the hardened red wax.
Natalie picked it up with a gloved hand, unlocked the pedestrian gate, and sliced open the seal with her letter opener.
May you like
Inside lay a single photograph of Natalie and Lucy walking outside their local bookstore earlier that afternoon, alongside a handwritten note:
“Elliot and Arthur were just minor players in a much larger game, Natalie... the real debt is still unpaid. We are coming for your daughter next.”
