When John got to Frank's office he found that the lieutenant had something for him. Frank was leaning back in his office chair so far that John thought it was going to flip backwards. The lieutenant was holding a slide photograph up to the overhead fluorescent lights.
"Come on in, John," he said as he studied the slide pinched between his fingers.
"Got time to talk?" John asked. He was nervous. He wanted to come off professional and friendly at the same time. This was something he could never do. To add personal anger into the situation would be a stupid move.
"First look at this." Frank flipped one of the slides over to John.
"What is it?"
"Just look."
John held it up against the lights. The image was clear. It was a side view of a blue car.
"I hope you don't mind. I went on and asked a favor from a woman I know with the state police. They sent these pictures taken at the tunnel the night you got into that scuffle with the Chevy."
"No. I don't mind at all. I was going to tell you to find out what you could." John reached into his front pocket and pulled out the letter that was on his Jeep the night before. "Check this out."
Frank took the paper. John held up the slide again, squinting at the image in the tiny white square.
The lieutenant looked down at the letter. "Well," he said, "It's a quieter approach."
"I just wanted to get you up to date. After being shot at twice, this letter doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot. You know what I mean?"
Frank rubbed his mouth with the tips of his fingers. He looked away with a thoughtful expression on his face. "I wonder if this letter is from someone else. A third party."
"Don't say that."
"One person just comes right out and fires at you and maybe the other wants to write about it first."
John smiled. He lowered himself into the wooden office chair across from Frank and tossed the slide back across the desk. "But I can't figure who is out to kill me. They must not want Tammy's story out. Even though she really has no story. "
"I would bet they're both from the same person now that I think about it. He might just now be telling you that he was just playing around before, taking pop shots. Now he's serious."