Blue Ink

Jamie stared at the note for a long time. Then another one slid under the shutter.

This one was written in blue ink. Same handwriting.

*You didn't answer my question. — E.*

Jamie looked at the first note. Black ink. The second one. Blue.

The letters were the same. The loops on the y's. The strange habit of crossing t's too high. Fifteen years hadn't changed that.

Jamie grabbed the notepad.

*Maybe. Depends what you left behind. - J*

Outside, the street was empty.

No footsteps. No shadow moving past the shutter.

Nothing.

Jamie walked to the security monitor behind the counter.

The camera showed the sidewalk. The parked car. The bus stop.

No person.

Then, for half a second, the image flickered. One of the camera feeds went black.

Jamie stared at the monitor.

Of course, Jamie mumbled.

The pharmacy's security system was held together by hope, duct tape, and whatever budget the owner could avoid spending. Normally Jamie would've just ignored it.

But if a camera stayed down until morning, it meant paperwork. Paperwork meant reports. Reports meant emails. Emails meant phone calls asking questions nobody actually cared about.

Jamie would rather go outside and fix the camera himself.

He grabbed the store keys from under the counter.

As he turned back toward the shutter, something slid underneath it.

Another note.

Just three words.

*Don't go outside. — E.*