.............Who Was Not There

The first thing I did on Friday, after I found that crayoned note in my newspaper, was to leave a message at the number that Doyle had given me. I heard nothing back for the rest of the day, and nothing on Saturday, either. Sunday I got a text. Basically, it said to do whatever I planned to do on Monday, and someone would find me.

I really had no plans for today, but I went out and stopped at a few places.

 First, ShopRite to check out their sales. I picked up a few things. Next, P. C. Richards. My car radio died and I wanted to check out one that they had on sale (with free installation). I'm actually kind of iffy on this, and since no one came over to offer any help, I just left. Maybe I'll check to see if it's really just a problem with a fuse.

No contact so far.

I decided to take the long way to Target, so I got some coffee at Dunkin' Donuts, and turned down the side road. The evidence of last weekend's storm is still lying all over. Tree branches are stacked at curb sides all along the residential streets, and there was at least one spot that still had evidence of a downed power line problem. It's been like this for over a week. Thank God, I didn't have any problem, but I did feel kind of bad for people upstate who still have no power.

I checked out a few things in Target, but didn't buy. As I left the store, I saw Craig standing by my car.

"Hey, Craig. Thanks for coming out."
"No problem, Mr. O'Neill. I understand you have something from our Delaware subject?"

I opened the car, and took the newspaper out.

"From Del? Yeah. Here. I don't know what you can do with it."
"Probably nothing, but I'll let the lab boys try anyway."
"You're not questioning that this is a message from Del?"
"No. We're pretty sure that it is."
"Then there's something I don't understand....He seems to be claiming that he caused these..this...Event. How could that be? Don't you guys keep these things out of the papers?"

Craig put the newspaper in a plastic envelope he took from the side pocket of his jacket.

"We thought the subject, or rather Del, was in Pennsylvania. There were.....indications. It doesn't matter now. He blindsided us."
"OK. But how did it get into the newspaper?"
""Look, Mr. O'Neill, you were here last weekend. That storm wreaked havoc all over the area. There are still problems."
"I know. I've seen some of the damage."
"With all due respect, sir, the damage upstate was much worse. When we were notified that his Flasher had been used, we mobilized right away. But we just couldn't get in there without attracting attention."

He paused, and I waited him out.

"the People Upstairs decided that we could use the storm damage situation to disguise what happened. So we had one agent slip in, and set it up to look like carbon monoxide poisoning...I'm not proud of it, but there it is."
"It wasn't you, was it?"
"No...No, thank God. But it was one of us....It just didn't seem right.."

I didn't bother to argue with him. After all, I'd never bothered to ask what happened with the other Events in the past.

"Well, should I be worried that Del sent this to me?"
"No. Our shrinks think that he's happy to get into the papers, so he reached out to someone he felt would understand. We don't think you're in any trouble. They think he's just showing off."
"Damn. All right. well, what about what appeared to be initials..the A. G.?"
"We don't know. It may be that he's using an alias. They're definitely not his real ones."
"What are his real ones?"
He grinned at me.
I just stood there a while,, nodding my head. This time, Craig waited me out.

"So....status quo, huh? Keep doing what I do, and you'll let me know whatever you think I should know?"
"Yes sir. For now. But feel free to contact us whenever you have a question, or something..." he held up the envelope, "..comes up."
"Thanks, Craig."
"Have a good one, Mr. O'Neill."

He walked away. I got in my car and drove home.