Ron, you won't see the letter in the chute until you've advanced far enough into the game - let me check my notes to see what exactly triggers it and I'll get back to you. (sorry can't remember right off my head). Will post back as soon as I get home this evening and check.
Mike is the expert on this game (obviously ) but I think that the trigger for the stuck mail could be reading in Vance's journal about his father's death...
"Once you give up integrity, the rest is easy." Anonymous
Yes Jenny, you must read the journal, and you must also have the red key and also the bottle of sleeping pills. Only when these three things are accomplished will the mail be "delivered" and you'll see the letter stuck in the mail chute. Hope this helps!!