Why Not Murder

46. Threat

46. Threat

Winnie and Maya were alone together in Winnie's studio. It was a beautiful warm day and Maya could see Hilda out the window playing with Gwen on a blanket laid out on the freshly cut grass Conrad was weeding a nearby flowerbed and Jim was in the distance working with an manual lawn mower. Harriet was above them in the office on the top floor. The aroma of baking bread drifted up from the kitchen. There were more birds nesting in the grounds than any previous year. Winnie's nightmares had taken a new twist and they were increasing again.

"The nightmares are worse than ever before," Winnie said, "I am the pursuer. Gwen is grown up and I am rushing up to her with a knife in my hand and will stab her in the back which is towards me. She is looking before her and then she turns her head and looks at me. She is not running away. I have the knife raised ready to use. Then I wake up terrified but apparently not screaming because no one is there beside me as always was the case when I woke up screaming." Maya was listening and holding Winnie's hands inside her own. Winnie continued, "What makes it all ten thousand times worse, is that I got this in the mail." Winnie slipped her hands out from the safe enclosure of Maya's much larger hands, took an envelope out from under her paint box and gave it to Maya. The envelope was the type used for business and addressed to Winnie without a return address. The note inside was typed and on plain business paper. It read, 'Transfer one million dollars to this account on ... (the date for ten days hence was given). Keep this entirely to yourself. If you don't follow these instructions you will never see Gwen again. The account is outside the jurisdiction of any government. Beware.'

"And something else," Winnie added before Maya spoke, "Hilda found a cloth doll in Gwen's crib the day the note came. I don't know where it came from."

Maya hugged Winnie close, "But you were having these new versions of the nightmare before this note?"

"Yes," Winnie said with tears, "The doll and note came on Conrad's shift and he didn't see any prowlers. Gwen had a cold that night and Hilda was up with her, rocking her in her arms and walking around the house to sooth her. Eventually they both fell asleep on the living room couch, Gwen in Hilda's arms. So whoever put that doll with the note in Gwen's crib did it on the one night Gwen wasn't in the crib."

"Is that the doll I see her playing with outside?" Maya asked.

"Yes, Gwen was with Hilda when they found it," Winnie answered, "And she has insisted on holding it ever since."

"First of all," Maya said, "Don't bring the police in on this. I saw on the news before coming over that two other wealthy people in this district had their children kidnapped. Now, we don't know if they are related to the note you received but it is so coincidental that it can't be overlooked. One of the children was three years old and the other, from a different family, was five. Do you have the money to pay?"

"Yes, I do," Winnie said, "I can get that freed up within the ten days. So you say I should pay?"

"I would," Maya said, "arrange to have the money available for the transfer. One good thing in this - they have not taken Gwen. Usually the child goes missing and then comes the demand for ransom. In this case there's been the demand for ransom but no kidnapping. I also think you need more security for Gwen. I will be here every evening for as long as needed at no charge to you, staying awake and in Hilda and Gwen's room while they sleep. I love Gwen and I want her safe. Me, Conrad or Jim must be near Hilda and Gwen at all times until all of this is over."

"Cook and Harriet will come with me today to Brockton and I will do the money thing," Winnie said.

"Another question before you get ready," Maya said, "About the change in your nightmare. Have you told your online dream analyst about it?"