“Two years ago.”

He looked at me.

“Are you certain this is his?”

I almost laughed.

“That's my husband's watch.”

“You're certain?”

“I know every scratch on it.”

He nodded.

“Don't touch anything else.”

Then he stood.

He looked across the lawn.

“Forty-seven?”

I nodded.

“Each one numbered.”

“Yes.”

“Any idea what the numbers mean?”

“No.”

“Did your son receive anything yesterday from the woman he gave the umbrella to?”

I froze.

“No.”

Detective Harris looked at Eli.

“Tell me about her.”

Eli hesitated.

“She was pregnant.”

“How pregnant?”

He shrugged.

“Really pregnant.”

“Did she tell you her name?”

“No.”

“Did you tell her yours?”

Eli nodded.

“Did you tell her where you live?”

“No.”

“Anything about your father?”

“No.”

“Anything about this house?”

“No.”

The detective was quiet.

Then he asked the question that made my stomach turn.

“Did she touch the umbrella?”

Eli frowned.

“Of course.”

“What about the handle?”

“She held it.”

“Anything else?”

“No.”

Detective Harris looked at the watch again.

He wasn't joking anymore.

“Okay,” he said.

“We'll figure out how this got here.”

I stared at the sea of umbrellas.

“Who would do this?”

He didn't answer.

The First Box

After photographing everything, the officers carefully opened Box #1 again.

Inside the box, beneath the watch, was a folded piece of paper.

Detective Harris opened it with gloved hands.

He read it silently.

Then he looked at me.

“You may want to sit down.”

I took the paper.

There was one sentence written in blue ink.

I knew the handwriting.

I knew it immediately.