The Old Safe Box LbNA #21037

This is the sequel to “The Old Stock Box”, now retired. For more information on that retired box, check out my blog at www.literaryfluff.blogspot.com under archives for March 2006. My blog has some of the written material that the box contained to round out the story of a tragic love affair. It is not necessary to read this material to solve the secret to “The Old Safe Box” but the other written material here may make more sense. It is the beginning of a story…or the end of one depending on how you look at it.
After all, Mackey LaRue was surely no lumberjack. Maximillian LaRue was a charmer, a socialite, a con-artist. He leeched the wealth from rich widows and swindled ignorant men with snake oil and old Indian remedies. Love was just a passing fancy; money was his true obsession.
When the police searched Mackey’s small one room home in the town of Colton, they weren’t sure what to make of the carefully preserved note found under his mattress. An officer asked Mackey about it but the convict only shrugged and said, “It’s all I have left of my sister.” Perhaps, this is what led Mackey LaRue to murder and madness.

HINTS:
1. You can begin your hunt for The Old Safe Box on the Stone Valley Trail near Colton, NY. There are several trailheads to choose from. Begin at the one off the Browns Bridge Rd near the water tower and power station. Do not cross the bridge. The letter will guide you the rest of the way.

2. As in the previous box, the direct clues must be figured out. I strongly suggest trying to decipher the letter before venturing out.

3. Please do not remove anything from the box. After finding the box, you may either backtrack out or continue to follow the trail. This “loop” will shortly intersect with the main trail. Go right to return to where you started.

4. There is an inkpad and pencil in the box but during the winter months the ink may be frozen so come prepared.


LaRue’s Past Made Public

Canton, NY-- After the conviction of Maximillian (Mackey) LaRue in Canton, NY last summer, disturbing news has been released about his past. Mr. LaRue fits the description of a wanted fugitive in Paris, France who allegedly robbed a bank and jewelry store before evading the law and fleeing the country. A bank clerk was stabbed to death in the robbery. Due to the bloody nature of the attack and crime, the wanted felon was nicknamed, “Jacques the Ripper”.

Mr. LaRue established himself in Montreal, Canada, where he was well-known as a wealthy widower who opened his home to travelers from abroad. His sister, Monique LaRue, resided with him for a time before committing suicide.

Because of Mr. LaRue’s questionable past, he is now suspected in his sister’s death. Monique LaRue was a former resident of Colton, NY. She emigrated from France but only remained here for two years before joining her brother in Montreal. She earned a citizenship award for her church work with underprivileged children and impoverished families.

There are no plans at this time to extradite Mr. LaRue. He is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Walter Smith, a lumberjack who was found in the woods last summer with an axe in his chest.



MONIQUE’S LETTER PAGE ONE

July 10, 1931

Dear Mrs. Smith:

I am writing to you in reference to your recent visit with my brother and me in Montreal. I was quite impressed with your church group and their devotion to the faith. It is in that spirit which I write to you and hope you remember our lunch time conversations of romantic mysteries, dashing swashbucklers, and murderous intrigue. Not all of them were idle fantasy, my friend.

Unlike my brother, who is fascinated with counting numbers, I am much more straight-forward in my code of conduct. First, letters have always obsessed me and in that lies a hint of mystery. Then, I prefer the written word, simple yet clever, genius with ease. Remember what you told me, Mrs. Smith, rewards are nice but the intrigue is the thing.

Sincerely,
Monique LaRue



Second Page


1. Pines and small seeds
Yellow eggs left little of waste
Go and turn east

2. Turn all kittens east.
Look east for trail
Turn right and intersect left

3. Pines and small seeds
Watch and take easy road
Turn on water early rain

4. Great owl
Run into ghost hill tree

5. Field of little lilies over water
As cold cats eat small squirrels
Real old ancient dirt

6. And trails
First of real knights,
Turn all kittens east
Look east for trail
Tree owl
Real old cat kite.

7. But little used eggs
Maps are right kites ever ready
Orange net
Run into ghost hill tree

8. Pines and small seeds
Right easy goes into song too easy rain

9. Otters veer easily right
Bright rocks in deep ground egg

10. And trails
Apples ripen really old water,
Turn all kittens east
Hollow and right dirty
Look east for trail

11. Field of little lilies over water
Turn right and intersect left

12. And trails
Sail into great net
Flower over ready
Over vain early risers last only on kits,
Turn all kittens east
Look east for trail

13. Field of little lilies over water
Roll every dog
Maps are right kites ever ready

14. Dogs own well nothing
See tall and ill red stars,
Take hollow egg north
Look east for trail

15. Last only on kits
Tree owl
Rest in vain ever real
Flower over ready
Four apples leave little seeds

16. For really old men
Fake all little lovely egg nest
Leave old grass,
For it’s not dirty
Turn water into night
Easy very easy right goes right every egg now sings

18. For really old men
Take hidden egg really easy,
Last only on kits
It’s not too old
Where only owls dwell

19. Last only on kits
It’s not
Look around really giant egg
Hike out look left only water
Sit turn under mile pine

20. Really early horses in dark eyes
Water ends lovely lyric