Chapter 41 Summary
Tony waited outside Steven’s apartment anxiously until Officer Kate Williams arrived. After verifying his identity, Kate went inside with the building manager, who was promptly told to stay outside, and conducted a careful sweep. She recovered Steven’s phone and, after a thorough search, found his wallet and laptop tucked under the desk. While checking the bedroom, she discovered a folded scrap of paper wedged between the mattress and headboard. Unfolding it, she read the same chilling line that had surfaced elsewhere: “The living delivers a warning; the dead will reveal the consequences of a warning ignored.” Realizing the potential evidentiary value, she bagged the note despite having handled it without gloves and resolved to send it to the police lab for analysis.
Kate returned with the laptop bag and wallet and informed Tony of her findings. Tony requested the laptop for company files and agreed to present proof of ownership at the Rutherford Lane station to obtain its release. Kate warned him that the police would retain control until he signed the proper forms, and emphasized that they had secured the apartment as part of the ongoing investigation.
The chapter ends with Tony feeling relieved after his employee's belongings are recovered. At the same time, Officer Williams remains committed to having the note analyzed, despite the possibility that her fingerprints might be on it, as the message on the note could hold a key lead in the complex and violent mystery surrounding Steven's assault.
