The Mystery at Sag Bridge

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Look!" Cora demanded. Seated at her desk, she pointed a shaking finger at her laptop screen, then turned to watch anxiously for Cisco's reaction.

Cisco leaned over her shoulder and read:

Where did that come from Darlin'?

He straightened up, drew his eyebrows together, and dropped one side of his mouth. "Yeah? So? Why are you so excited? What does that mean?"

"That's what I want to know! What do you think it means?" Cora waved her hand at the screen, and then searched his eyes again.

Cisco shook his head and folded his arms over his chest. "Cora, what are you asking me here? You show me something you typed and then ask me what you mean. In reference to what? I haven't got a clue what you're driving at!"

"I didn't type that! That's the problem!" Cora said, rapidly tapping one heel on the floor, frustrated that she had to explain what seemed obvious to her, that he wasn't as blown away by the message as she was.

Cisco rolled his eyes and glanced at the ceiling, clearly struggling to remain patient. "What do you mean, you didn't type that? Who typed it then?"

"That's just it! That's the question!" Cora opened both eyes wide and jabbed her finger at the screen.

He threw his arms up in the air and rolled his eyes again. "Cora, back up. Give me a break. Talk to me here!"

Cora took a breath, stretched her neck, rolled her shoulders, and leaned back in her chair. Cisco plopped into his chair, swiveled it around to face her, and waited, hands tucked into his armpits.

"Cisco, I was working, sorting things out, whatever-working. The laptop was off. I turned it on, checked emails, played a game of solitaire. Then I opened a Word document. These words just started to flow onto the screen. Like an f-ing Ouija board or something! And I called you right away. That's it. I don't know how it happened." Her eyes kept moving back and forth between the screen and Cisco, and she put a thumbnail between her teeth.

Cisco, leaning back in his chair, exhaled loudly. "So someone hacked your computer. Or you stored a series of keystrokes to your clipboard unconsciously, and they appeared in the document when you opened it. Computers do crazy things. Nothing to get so excited about."

"Come on! That's pretty far-fetched. Why would I type those words?" She shook her head and turned down a corner of her mouth.

"I don't know. What were you doing last time the computer was on?"

Cora crossed her arms over her chest, imitating his position, and glared at him. "Cisco...no. Don't go there. That didn't happen."

He shook his head slowly from side to side and let out a low groan. "Fine. Why do you ask me if you don't want to hear what I have to say? How do you think the words got there?"