Code 61 - Donald Harstad [81]
The first was from Choreographer to OnceLost. It was dated September 16, 2000, and timed at 21:56. The text was brief and to the point.
“Hi.
We should be there either next weekend, or the one following. Checking to see that you have a good supply of fresh vegetables and that wine we like.
Hope all is well. Got your August report and approved the payments.
Oh, and try to get George Hollis for the furnace. He's more reliable than Norman Brecht, and charges the same.”
No doubt who Choreographer was. Apparently “gottadance” was a wide area network, and seemed to include Jessica Hunley's terminal in Lake Geneva, as well. Judging from the content, I assumed OnceLost was Edie. Had to check, to be sure.
The other double entry was from Choreographer to Clutch. It was dated October 2, 2000, and timed at
22:40. The text read:
“Hi.
I think it did go well. Thought about it all the way back. I agree with you.
Many thanks.”
Like that told me a lot. Unfortunately, people just don't annotate e-mails for the cops.
In the rest of the e-mails, content identified Clutch as Huck since she talked about her job on the gaming boat. DealerofDarkness had to be Kevin. Kind of left MagikBoi for Toby, which I thought was a bit of a hoot. WailingSoul and EtherialWaifGurrl were up for grabs, but I was willing to bet the former to be Hanna and the latter Melissa.
Hester got off the phone, and said the group was expecting us after lunch. She sat down on the other side of my desk, and started going through e-mails with me. I told her that I had pretty well identified Choreographer as Jessica, and OnceLost as Edie. We started in from there.
After the first complete sorting, there were five e-mails in the OnceLost pile. One was a receipt from Amazon.com for a vegetarian cookbook; two were eBay-related messages indicating an initial bid and an outbid notice on a Raggedy Ann doll. She'd lost the bid at $12.50. The other two were both from DarcyB2@UIU.grp.edu. The first was dated July 12, 2000, and timed at 23:15. It included a received e-mail, and like so many, contained the original message that DarcyB2 was replying to.
“Dear E,
I'll sure try to get there for the event! It's been a long time since we have been able to get together for a good talk. Looking forward to seeing you.
Yes I remember the D&E. We sure had big plans then! I remember Lindzy, too.
Hugs,
D”
—Original Message—
From:“OnceLost” >OnceLost@gottadance.arts>
To: >DarcyB2@UIU.grp.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 4:19 PM
Subject: Birthday and stuff
“D,
Justa thot. The 19th of August is my Shanna's
>birthday. I think I can get a Raggedy Ann for her
>like Lindzy, our first customer at the D&E
>Salon. Remember? She would love to see her
>Godmother I know. I would love to see you too
>and have some things I really need to talk about.
>Really hope you can make it. Mom won't be
>with us if that helps.
>Sorry its been so long since I wrote.
>We miss ya.
> E & S”
The second was dated July 24, 2000, and timed at 16:44.
“Dear E,
I am so very sorry to have to tell you this, but I won't be able to make it after all. I have to be a bridesmaid for my roommate's sister Ellen, who is getting married on that date in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It's a really big wedding.
We really have to get together, really. I'll call when I get back for sure.
Love and hugs to Shanna and to you.
D”
Interesting. I showed it to Hester. She read through them, and then said, “I had a Raggedy Ann when I was a kid, too.”
“I hope she wasn't counting on the one she bid for on eBay,” I said. “There's an e-mail here telling her that she got outbid.”
“Oh.” She sounded a little distracted. “She had a child…. I didn't know she had a child.”
“Yep. Kid lives with Edie's mother. Not sure just why, but Edie and her mother didn't seem to get along.” I thought for a second. “I seem to remember some sort of custody thing. You know, not a battle,