Bear the Great – Chapter One-Hundred-Eleven.
<One Year Later.>
To: Autism Society of America
From: Estate of DEW
Re: Bequest
Dear Sir(s) and/or Madame(s):
Enclosed herewith, and in accordance with the wishes of the Estate of DEW, please find a check in the amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars (US). To be used for furtherance of the goals of your Society. Specifically, for the improved diagnosis, treatment, and support of those on the Autism Spectrum.
Sincerely yours,
AVW, Executor of the Estate of DEW
<AVW missed her better half, but life went on. She took up weaving, and her work became much sought-after in crafting circles. She turned their rental place in California into a studio that was full of light and was not-too-bad, considering. Well, with the air-conditioning running full blast when summer temps in the Central Valley soared into the triple digits it was at least tolerable. She sold their old place at a tidy profit, and found that, after a time, she didn’t miss it at all.>
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To: CPW District Ranger Search Committee
From: Aaron Lodge (formerly Aelin Logue)
Re: Thanks, but no thanks
I am deeply honored by your offer of promotion to District Ranger upon the untimely death by heart attack of the current holder of that office. I will, however, be unable to continue in the service of CPW, as I am hereby tendering my resignation in order to pursue other interests.
Specifically, I will be principal owner and proprietor of LodgePole Services, a trail guide and support organization serving those attempting to hike the Colorado Trail. Based in Denver with a satellite office in Durango, LodgePole will provide not only water/food caching, but also medical, athletic, and other logistical support for those attempting the 567-mile one-way traverse of the Colorado Trail. I myself hope to complete the trek at least once each season.
It has been a great pleasure serving @RoxStatePark. I wish you all happy trails.
Yours very truly,
Aaron Lodge, LodgePole Services
<A chance conversation with Voxdoc was the kernel of Aaron’s idea behind LodgePole. Cacheing was key to success for Colorado Trail thru-hikers. And bike-packing was a good way to get that job done just-in-time for each trekking party instead of letting supplies sit all season long for bears to break in and plunder. Voxdoc even invested start-up seed-money in the project, and volunteered to do proof-of-concept on the trail that summer. Although it was perhaps not a marriage made in heaven – Aaron still couldn’t help but think of the doc as a pompous little twerp – it was at least an alliance that promised to be fruitful over the long haul.>
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To: @RampartsBob
From: Julianne Acosta Rodriguez
Re: Green Acres Groomers Boarders and Breeders, LLC
Dear Bob,
After we moved out east to our beautiful new home on the plains – a home surrounded by 4 acres of wide open spaces with no HOA, I might add – we decided to expand our pet services to include not just grooming and boarding but also breeding. Should you ever find yourself out this way, do drop by and say hello. Although we don’t miss either you or chapter 47, paragraph 6 of the Ramparts HOA bylaws, we just wanted you to know that we’ve decided to let bygones be bygones. No hard feelings?
All the best,
Julianne and Chris
<The siding replacement project was almost fully funded. And @RampartsBob, for one, couldn’t have been happier. Being HOA Board Chair was getting to be a real grind. When this current term was up, that was it. He was done. Of course, little did he know what workmen would uncover when they dug down to get to that last bottom row of siding off Chris and Julianne’s old place. But at this point, all that was still in the future. Hitting <delete> after selecting Julianne’s email from the long list in his inbox was going to be the high point of his day.>
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From: Ginger Watts (Bear’s mom)
To: JLB Pet Psychic Services, LTD
Re: Bear’s passing, and other news
Dear Jacqui,
You were always so kind to us. I apologize for waiting so long to send this. But last week when Bear passed away peacefully in his sleep at age 11, it reminded me that none of us are getting any younger. It also reminded me that “thanks” were long overdue.
Bear’s last year was so much better thanks to you. By the end he was slowed by arthritis, as is true for many big breeds. But he always looked forward to getting outside for a little fresh air, and to see his favorite poodle over at the dog park. His anxiety never went away entirely after the untimely events in our neighborhood, but it was much more manageable after our sessions together with you. For that we are most grateful.
You should know that the neighborhood has changed, a lot. In fact, nearly everyone has moved away, including us! Yes, we’ve moved downtown to be closer to the grandkids. The blogger’s widow moved to California, so I hear. And the groomer lady and her husband moved out east to a bigger place on the plains where they now do dog breeding. In fact, we’re going out there next weekend to pick up Ursa, our new Great Pyrenees puppy. We’re very excited.
With much gratitude,
Ginger (and Ursa)
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From: A concerned citizen
To: Open/Unsolved Unit of the State Police
Re: Blogger murder case
Hi guys,
It has come to my attention that, after more than a year of mystery surrounding the so-called DEWConsulting case, there has been little to no progress, with no arrests being made, and no new leads turning up. At what point do you throw in the towel? Or maybe you’ve already done so? I don’t know. But here’s a suggestion: Why not try using a psychic? It couldn’t hurt. And you never know what a little empathic curiosity might uncover. Just sayin’.
Anyway, give it some thought. And if you need any help going forward, I’m only a phone call or an email away. What have you got to lose?
Regards,
JLB, concerned citizen and proprietor, JLB Pet Psychic Services, LTD.
<Squints came and squints went at the Open/Unsolved Unit. So the one who first opened the strange email from the Pet Psychic was not as familiar with the blogger murder case as he might otherwise have been. Still, he had enough time left before heading home to re-open the cold-case file and have a quick look. Reviewing, he was intrigued. There were a few holes that might need plugging there. Most of the principals had moved away, making his job that much harder. But as he picked up the phone to give @RampartsBob a follow-up call, he was hopeful. The wheels of justice grinding slowly had never really bothered him all that much. That was just the way the game was played. But it was the “grinds exceedingly fine” part that gave him hope each day when he came to work. This job could be fun if you kept an open mind. Nose to the grindstone and all that jazz. Gotta be worth a shot, right?>