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[thelaptop]

Desmond stole a quick glance at James, then Betty before reaching out carefully for the piece of paper with a tweezer he had on the very same desk.

"May I?"

[LuckyDee]

Regardless of what either of them may respond, it takes only a fraction of a second to spot that it's a single letter-sized sheet of Hughes & Romanov stationery. Its content comes from a typewriter.

Betty has her eyes averted, as if she's glad to be rid of it.

[thelaptop]

Desmond picks up the piece of paper carefully with his tweezer and tries to read what was written on it, first to himself, then out loud.

[LuckyDee]

╔═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║                                                                   ║
║                                          Hughes & Romanov         ║
║                                          235 Kingsport Boulevard  ║
║                                          49843 Ashburn, MI        ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                From the desk of Henry M. Brecker  ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║  Betty,                                                           ║
║                                                                   ║
║  There's no easy way to break this to you, so I'll just go ahead  ║
║  and get it right out: I'm leaving you. I'm leaving all of this.  ║
║  I've been untrue for too long, and I can only pray to the Light  ║
║  for forgiveness. From you I don't expect any.                    ║
║                                                                   ║
║  I'm in love with Mary, and have been ever since I laid eyes on   ║
║  her. We've been growing ever closer since, and I'm sick of       ║
║  pretending otherwise anymore. We're leaving this town together   ║
║  to start a new life elsewhere. I've sent divorce papers to       ║
║  Schrader, all they need is your signature to make it official.   ║
║  It's up to you. The house and everything in it is yours, I       ║
║  don't need it anymore.                                           ║
║                                                                   ║
║  I'm sorry for putting you through this. I hope you'll find       ║
║  someone who can do better. Goodbye.                              ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║  H.                                                               ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
║                                                                   ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

[thelaptop]

Desmond glances around to see how the others were reacting.

[dragonfly]

"O Betty, that is terrible!" James exclaims before giving her an awkward hug. He takes a step back and asks: "But how.. I mean, why.. why would he write that letter at the office? And who's Mary? has he ever talked about her? Mentioned her name?"

[LuckyDee]

"All I know is that the big guys have a secretary named Mary" she responds. "Hank went back to the office yesterday evening to finish some report. He was still out when I went to bed, which has happened before. And this morning I found this... this baloney lying on the kitchen table!" She gets worked up reliving today's bafflement, and the waterworks start flowing again. Intelligibility being suffocated in her sobs, she utters "H-h-h-he wuh-would ne-herver zjestabuh-buh-bandon me li-hi-hi-hike thiiiiiiiiiis!"

[dragonfly]

Betty, there must be an explanation for this and I'm sure Desmond and I will get to the bottom of this. Won't we Desmond? James' gaze shifts between Betty and Desmond and he stammers; "I mean, we can't just let this happen to poor Betty am I right?"

[thelaptop]

Desmond looked at the letter gravely.  It seemed a little too clean, a little too incongruous with what Betty described.  James had a point -- there must be an explanation for this, but it probably wasn't the one that they were seemingly guided to think.  But first, there was a business to be run.

"Yes James, we can get to the bottom of this.  I don't usually work with a partner on cases, but I think I can make an exception this time.  However," Desmond said, looking at Miss Betty in the eye, "we need Miss Betty to officially retain our services.  I'm waiving my usual fee and just ask that Miss Betty be willing to reimburse us on expenses."

[dragonfly]

"So Betty, what do you say? Will you let us help you?" James stares at Betty.