While the strawberry tarte cooled and Caydance was slicing apples for the scones, in the Saturday morning mail, a postcard from Jack had arrived, along with a note from Jean Brown. On the front of Jack's postcard, over multiple scenes, such as Fisherman’s wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge, “San Francisco” was superimposed. On the back was a series of thrilling if not entirely comprehensible semi-sentences.

“Have to keep ability to go back and forth to France, did what Dad asked. Duty rewarded. Giselle is filling in for an injured friend who dances for the San Francisco Ballet. She’ll be in San Francisco soon, and so will I. Much soccer in the Spring. Don't mention this to Dad. See you next week. In good mood; can talk American football; bring Griff to dinner! When?”

What Jean Brown had written was: "Although I cannot be certain, comparing some of the images with the two works of his in my collection, I think that the book you are researching is by Mackie Alarie."