The Strange Disappearance of Bree Clark

10: The Note in the Mail

Present day...

I sighed before stepping into the cozy sewing shop. The news I was about to give Ms. Clark was not bad but it wasn't good either. My eyes glanced around until I found her sitting in the corner in a rocking chair, hand sewing some flowers onto a quilt.

She glanced up and smiled, "Oh... Hello, Jade!"

"Hey, Ms. Clark," I said as I sat down at the table.

She set down her work and came to sit next to me, "Would you like some coffee? Tea?"

I shook my head, "No thanks. I am here to give some news."

"Oh! Of course, go ahead."

I scratched behind my neck and looked towards the table, "Well... Stew told me he didn't find anyone at school yet but we will keep asking around. Also, I found out Bree started talking to Quinn Mathews before she went missing."

"Quinn Mathews? Do you think..."

I shook my head, "As much as it was a little suspicious. She didn't do it... We haven't found anything else yet but we will keep looking. I am sorry I don't have better news."

Ms. Clark nodded and gave me another smile, "It's okay. Thank you for trying to help. I haven't had much luck either but I am sure we will find her. Now how about I make you up some dinner?"

"Oh, no thank you, Ms. Clark. My parents already have dinner waiting for me at home."

She stood up along with me and gave me a tight hug, "Okay then, see you later, Jade."

I stepped out of the stop, into the brisk night. I was still in my work uniform so I didn't really have anything to cover me from the wind. I rubbed my hands against my arms in an attempt to warm up and began to speed walk towards my house. This town honestly seems really creepy at night without Bree here. Normally, she would walk with me on my way home but now I only have myself and her poster's staring at me as I walked. In about five minutes, I got to the driveway of my home to notice something sticking out of the mailbox.

Did my parents not get the mail earlier?

I walked over to the rusted, metal box and pulled out an envelope. Inside of it was a note. It took my eyes a few seconds to scan over the scrambled handwriting in black ink: STOP LOOKING FOR BREE CLARK OR ELSE.

The note dropped from my hands as I stood frozen in shock.

What the hell?! Did I just get a death threat?!

Mom's voice broke through my thoughts, making me jump, "Jady girl! What are you doing out here? It's cold out."

My eyes looked over to where she was standing in the front doorway, "I am coming in now! I thought I saw a deer or something."

Mom laughed, "We are close to the woods of course there are deer here. Come in before your dinner gets cold."

As she turned to head back in, I reached down and crammed the note into my apron pocket. I walked up the steps and sat down at the table for dinner. Right as I finished eating and deflecting questions my parents were asking, I ran up to my room and locked the door. Pulling out my phone, I dialed Stew's number.

His tired voice answered, "Hello..."

"Stew! Did you get any notes in the mail?"

He waited for a moment before answering, "Not that I know of. Why are you asking? And how did you get my number?"

"Bree gave it to me a while ago for emergencies. Not important... Anyways, I got a note in the mail telling me to stop looking for Bree or else."

I heard his laugh on the other end, "Jade, that isn't just a note. That's a death threat."

"I know that, dumbass!"

"Okay okay. What are you going to do then?"

I paused and thought for a moment.

What was I going to do? Was Bree really worth risking my life.

Of course she is! What am I thinking?!!!

".... maybe you should stop," I caught Stew's voice at the end of his sentence.

"What?"

He sighed, "Jesus, Jade you never listen to me. I said if you are getting threatened, maybe you should stop looking for Bree. Let the police do their jobs. That is what they are there for. If they have given up on her maybe we should too. They are the professionals."

"Stew, Bree is our friend. We can't just give up on her like that."

He sighed again, "I don't know, Jade. I did what I could around school. Maybe Bree just isn't meant to be found. This can get dangerous for us. And... Jade, you are my only friend left. I just can't lose you too. Please."

"I will be careful, Stew but I can't give up yet..."

I began to hear faint music from the other end of his phone from a particular band. That exact band played at the small bar a couple of blocks from my house, "Umm... Stew, are you outside right now?"

He was silent for a few moments, "Oh... yeah... I went for a walk. I needed some fresh air for a bit. You know my parents are being strict again."

"But, your house is on the other side of town."

He let out a laugh that sounded a little nervous, "Yeah... I guess I just kind of went where my legs took me... Oh, my mom is calling. I will talk to you later, Jade. Be careful."

"Stew-"

He hung up before I said anything else.

Weird.

Stew has always been weird with me so I wasn't totally surprised with him acting strange. I shrugged and threw my phone on my desk and changed into my pjs. Flopping down on my bed, I stared up at the ceiling.

That still isn't normal for Stew to be out so late. His parents have him on a strict curfew. Especially since Bree has gone missing.

Something about him was definitely off tonight but for now I have to find out who left me that note. If I find them, I can find Bree.