There was a pair of shoes in the letterbox

of the house belonging to one of the people on my regular pedalling route.
I thought this was a bit odd. They were sticking up leaving the flip lid open. The laces had been undone and they had been placed there neatly, side by side.
If someone had simply dumped the shoes there I doubted they would have been places there so neatly. I rather thought the laces would not have been undone.
The shoes were the usual sort of casual sports shoes that so many people wear. His? I thought so.
I thought about this as I pedalled on. The  curtains were open  but...
The man who lives in the house is someone I have mentioned before. He is an isolate. He doesn't mix. Why were his shoes in the letter box? 
I had never actually entered his property and I didn't feel comfortable about doing it then. It was too early to call on the neighbour. She would not be out of  bed  until I was on my way back.
No, I wasn't being curious. I was genuinely concerned.
I did the essential shopping and intended to call in on her on the way home but didn't need to  because the neighbour on the other corner saw me at the greengrocer and stopped me.
    "He's had a stroke. His brother-in-law came over and told us. Apparently he got quite violent."
The stroke does not surprise me but the "brother-in-law" did. We had no idea that he had any family at all. I said this to P.... 
    "Yes, really odd. I had the impression that they had not had contact for many years. The brother-in-law is a widower though. That might explain it. Oh well, it's none of our business."
No, perhaps not.
But, on the way home, I stopped. The shoes were still there in the letter box. My guess is that the ambulance men had put them there. To me it seemed like an advertisement - "nobody is home here".
I took the shoes out of the letter box and put the lid down. Then I took a deep breath and entered the property. I was trespassing and it didn't feel good but it did feel right. I put the shoes neatly by the front door and left.
I wonder what will happen to them...and to their owner.