“I’ve never been in here.”
“What, never?” He unlaced his boots inside the back door, and Maggs did the same, then shrugged out of her jacket. Pulling out the wallet, she handed it to him to see if he might recognize it.
“I found this on the trail, and no, I’ve never been in your cabin. I had no reason to come inside.”
“Visiting a friend?” Fin took the wallet and opened it.
“Okay, sure, but you never invited me,” she said as he pulled out the note and opened it.
“Well, I’m inviting you now,” he said, reading the words.
“I met the Robbins sisters and Mr. Goldhirsh on the trail, and they read the note. It’s really lovely, isn’t it, Fin, and sad. But I’m not sure we should be looking at it.”
“You have absolutely no context as to who wrote this note and why, and yet it’s made you go mushy,” Fin accused her.
“It’s about loving someone so much you’re willing to risk all to take a chance on that love,” Maggs said, reading the note again.
“You got all that from those words?”
“The Robbins sisters did too.” She felt the need to defend herself.
“Women,” he muttered. “Getting all gooey over a few words.”
“So you’re not a romantic then?”
“I’m a realist. Some note that could have been written years ago is not romantic, especially when the contents suggests that whoever wrote it was willing to break two relationships to achieve their goals.”
“But what if the relationships were unhappy ones?”
“You’re serious?” Fin shook his head. “You’re actually debating with me about a note when you have no clue who wrote it or why? This A.J. sounds like he wasn’t convinced anyway.”
“You can’t know that. Maybe he needed some time, and this note would have arrived and he could see that she really loved him.’
“As it’s a wallet, and I’m not saying women don’t carry those, but it’s likely it belonged to A.J., chances are he read it.”
Maggs exhaled. She hadn’t thought of that.
“I can see I’m wasting my breath.” She looked at the note. “That writing, the hearts and the squiggly tails, look familiar to me. I told Miss Marla and Miss Sarah that.”
He moaned. “So now they will tell everyone else about the note and that you recognized the writing.”
“I said maybe I recognized it.”
“No difference to them. Where have you seen this writing before?” He waved the note at her.
“I have no idea, but my memory is good. I’m sure it will come to me in time.”
“It could just be similar to someone else’s writing.”
“There is that. I’ll give the wallet to Chief Blake. He’ll know what to do with it.” Maggs folded the paper gently and put it back in the wallet, then placed it back in the pocket of her jacket.
“It could also have something to do with Simon Linbar’s murder, Maggs. That needs to be discounted too.”
“What? Why would you say that? That’s a huge mountain with people tramping up and down it constantly. It’s a slim chance it is linked to Simon’s murder.”
“I said it could, but it’s doubtful. Now go on in. The fire is on.” He waved her through the doorway.
The living and dining area were open. A half wall hid what she guessed was a kitchen, but it was the view through the big windows that drew her: the mountains capped with snow and blue sky. “Wow. That’s even better than my view.”
