Abediah Thornton

Chapter 26 - Saturday

'Hello?'

'Hi Charlie, is that you? It's Abediah.'

'Oh hello. How are you?'

'Alright thanks, you?'

'Good thanks,' there was a pause. Abediah was standing beside her kitchen table calling Charlie from the house phone.

'Charlie, the police came round yesterday with an update.'

'Is everything OK?'

'Yes, they've spoken to Goodman,' she hadn't told Charlie about the pot yet. She didn't really want to tell her over the phone either. So she decided to just focus on the key.

'About time!' said Charlie with clear exasperation.

'Well it turns out that Frank gave Goodman a key.'

'A key? What kind of key?' Abediah looked at the key in her hand. 'It's small, silver, it's got a round head. I thought it might be for Frank's desk, but it's too big for that. The Sheriff wondered if you might recognise it, I don't.'

Charlie paused, clearly thinking.'I can't think of anything that needs a key like that. Can you send me a picture?'

'Oh, yes, that's a good idea!'

Abediah reached for her cell phone, charging at the other end of the counter. She stared at the menu, before reaching for her glasses and staring again, trying to find the right button. Eventually she got the camera working and poised the cell phone over the key. At that point she ran into a problem. 

'Ok. I've taken a picture, what do I do now?'

She'd never sent a picture before. Luckily Charlie was able to talk her through the process. It was an old phone but somehow Charlie seemed to know what buttons Abediah should look for and press. A few seconds later Charlie had obviously received the picture. 

'Shall I put the phone down so you can take a look?' asked Abediah.

'You can call me back after,' she was about to put the phone down when she heard Charlie speak again.

'That's a terrible picture!' 

'Oh, can you see it?' baffled by this modern technology. 'Sorry, it's an old phone.'

'I can see that!'

'But can you see the key alright?'

'I don't think I've ever seen that key before. It doesn't look familiar at all.'

'Ah. Ok. I'll let the Sheriff know.'

'Ok no problem. Let me know if I can help with anything else.'

'OK, I was thinking I'd go and have a chat with Winnie tomorrow, maybe she has an idea about the key.'

'Well...' Charlie paused, but she decided it was probably good for the lawyer to know everything, even if she couldn't help with it all. 'Yes, that's a good idea,' she continued.

Abediah felt relieved that she'd involved Charlie in this.

'Ok. Great. Thank you Charlie.'

'No problem. And Abediah?'

'Yes?'

'You really need a new phone!' she said this with a laugh and Abediah laughed with her, but it was further confirmation that a new phone was a good idea.

Next Chapter: Monday