the counter announcing in a high, whiny voice that Karch owed fifty-two cents including tax. Karch paid with exact change.
"Nice hat," the clerk said.
"Thanks."
Karch took the envelope to the counter by the door. It occurred to him that the clerk might actually have been making fun of his hat, but he let it go.
With his back shielding the clerk from viewing what he was doing, Karch reached into the pocket of his suit coat and took out the envelope containing the ace of hearts playing card he had found on the floor while searching room 2015 at the Cleo. He took the card out and slid it into the envelope he had just bought, then stapled it closed.
Using the thickest Magic Marker he could find in the plastic cups, he addressed the envelope to Leo Renfro and put down the postal box address and number. In large letters he then wrote DO NOT DELAY! and URGENT! on both sides. On the lines provided for a return address he wrote 773 and on the back he wrote Leo Renfro's cell phone number.
He went back to the service counter and saw the clerk was now taping shut the box on the floor. Again he did not look up. This time he didn't even ask what was wanted. Karch could see the name tag pinned to his shirt said STEPHEN.
"Excuse me, Steve, do you mind putting this into the proper box for me?"
The young man sullenly put down the tape and walked over to the counter. He took the proffered envelope and looked at it as though there was some question as to whether he could accomplish the request.
"I need it to go in there now because this guy always checks his box first thing in the morning."
The kid finally decided he could handle the assignment and headed behind a partition that apparently led to the mail room.
"And it's Stephen," he called back out to Karch.
Karch stepped away from the counter and went around the corner and down to box 520. He watched through the little glass window as the envelope he had just given the clerk was shoved into the box on top of the other piece of mail waiting for Leo Renfro.
Karch had left the shop before the clerk made his return to the counter. As he walked to his car, he said out loud, "That'll be fifty-two cents… and it's Stephen."
Once inside the Lincoln he said it again and again, working on the pitch and getting an approximation of the right sullen tone and whine into it. When he had it down close enough he started the car and pulled away from the curb.
To make the call he couldn't use an open pay phone with background traffic noise. He drove around Burbank for ten minutes looking for the proper venue. He finally spotted a restaurant called Bob's Big Boy and parked in the rear lot, backing into a slot next to a Dumpster.
Inside the restaurant he found a pay phone in the alcove leading to the rest rooms. He dropped in coins and called Leo Renfro's cell number. He realized the chance he was taking. Renfro's mailbox was a blind drop. Though it obviously was in his name, there was no way for Karch to know whether the operators of the shop would have Renfro's cell phone number. But his plan had a built-in contingency for that.
The phone at the other end of the line was picked up after two rings but no one said anything.
"Hello?" Karch finally said, his voice the best approximation of a high whine.
"Who's this?"
"Mr. Renfro? This is Stephen at Warner Post and Pack It."
"How'd you get this number?"
"It's on the envelope."
"What envelope?"
Karch concentrated on his voice.
"That's what I am calling about. You got an envelope today. It's marked urgent and says do not delay. Your phone number is on it. I don't know, I thought I'd call you. We're closing up and since you didn't come in, I thought I should call you in case, you know, you were expecting some – "
"Is there a return address?"
"Yeah – I mean, no. All it says there is seven-seven-three."
"Okay. Thank you. But do me a favor, don't ever call here again."
Renfro abruptly hung up. Karch kept the phone to his ear as if giving Renfro the chance to get back on and ask more questions. Finally, he hung up. He thought it had worked. He felt confident. His impression of Renfro from the conversation was that he