Buried in the Stacks

by Allison Brook

  Monday morning we stood holding onto each other in the hall of my cottage. Dylan’s ride to the airport wouldn’t be arriving for another hour, but I had to leave if I expected to get to the library on time.

  “Did you have a good weekend?” Dylan whispered in my ear.

  “Of course. I’m going to miss you.”

  “I’ll be missing you more.”

  That made me smile. “We’ll talk and text and email.”

  “I’ll be back home for good in a few weeks.”

  Smoky Joe meowed loudly as he wound between my legs. We burst out laughing. I scooped him up and put him in his carrier. Outside, I gave Dylan a quick kiss in the cold January air, and then we headed for our cars.

  “Talk to you later,” Dylan called to me.

  I waved, then pushed the ignition. “Off we go,” I said to Smoky Joe.

  He was too intent on cleaning himself to answer.

  When I arrived at work, I discovered that someone had tried to break into the library earlier that morning. Whoever it was hadn’t been successful because the broken window had set off the alarm. John and Danny were on the scene, questioning members of the staff as we entered the building.

  “I wonder if it was one of the homeless guys, looking for money,” Harvey Kirk said as he, Gayle, and I headed to our respective areas.

  “Or somebody who got angry for being tossed out of the library,” Gayle said.

  “Or it could be someone we know nothing about,” I contributed.

  They stared at me as if I had two heads.

  It didn’t take John long to work his way to my office. He wasted no time getting to the point. “Who knew about the list you sent me, the one you found in Dorothy’s desk?”

  “Why? Do you think someone on the list wanted to get hold of it?”

  “Carrie!” he warned, casting a stern look.

  “I mentioned it to Angela. That was it.”

  “No one else? Not Sally? After all, she’s your boss.”

  I shook my head. “No. But you have the list.”

  “If someone tried to break in, he or she might not know that I have it, only that there is a list.”

  “I never thought of that.”

  “Take care, Carrie,” John said, hurrying off, probably to question Angela again.

  I waited fifteen minutes before I called Angela.

  “Yes, John was here asking me who I told. Of course I mentioned it to Steve. He probably told a few friends and cousins.”

  “So, word of the blackmail list got out before John received it. But why would someone wait all this time to try to get it, thinking it was still in the library?” I wondered.

  “Beats me,” Angela said, “unless it was one of the homeless guys.”

  I groaned. “Not you too.”

  “You have to admit it’s a possibility. By the way, how was your weekend with Lover Boy?”

  “Great, although he had to fly back to Atlanta today.” I filled Angela in on the change in Dylan’s plans.

  “That’s not so bad,” she agreed. “New Haven’s not that far away. Steve and I had a pretty good weekend too. We managed to snag the best six-piece band around, and now the photographer we wanted is available. The couple he was going to shoot the day of our wedding broke up. We’re signing the contract tonight.”

  “Things are falling into place,” I said.

  “Don’t forget. We’re shopping for bridesmaids’ dresses this week. How’s Wednesday night?”

  “Wednesday’s an early day. I can make it.”

  “Please put it down in your calendar so you don’t forget.”

  I stuck my tongue out at her. “How could I forget with you reminding me all the time?”

  I called Gillian at work. She was busy with a customer and called back as I was about to take my turn at the reference desk.

  “Hi, Gillian. I was wondering—are you still planning to go to the fundraiser dance Saturday night?”

  “I suppose so.” She didn’t sound happy about it. “I said I would, but the truth is, I hate going to dances by myself.”

  “We can be each other’s ‘plus one,’” I said. “My boyfriend’s flying to Atlanta today and won’t be back for a few weeks.”

  “Oh, good! I mean, I’m sorry that he can’t go with you, but I’m glad we can go together.”

  I laughed. “I knew what you meant. We can go, stay awhile, and leave early. The purpose is to raise money for Haven House, and Dylan promised to contribute to that.”

  “Nice guy. I have to find myself one of those.”

  “Maybe you’ll meet someone at the fundraiser,” I said. “Someone tall, dark, and handsome.”

  “Of course I will. And he’ll be a philanthropist with deep pockets,” she kidded back.

  “See you Thursday night at eight for the meeting. Or do you want to grab a quick bite before?”

  “I’d love that. Anything to get out of cooking at home.”

  We agreed to meet at the Cozy Corner Café at six thirty.

  No one required my attention at the reference desk for some time, and I managed to bring my expense sheets for January up to date. Then a patron asked me to help her find all available information about summer high school programs in Barcelona because her daughter was determined to spend the summer there. The phone rang while she was flipping through the various links online.

  “Hello, reference desk. This is Carrie Singleton speaking.”

  “Carrie, it’s John.”

  “Oh, hi John.” I laughed. “I’m not doing any sleuthing. Just helping out patrons until Sally hires a replacement.”

  “We found out who broke the library window this morning.”

  “Really? Who did it? What were they after?”

  “A bus driver overheard kids talking about the incident on his morning route. He called the principal and gave him the boys’ names. The principal questioned the boys.” John paused.

  “And?”

  “The boys gave him a name that’s familiar to me. Manny Rawlson. Do you know him? He’s been in trouble a few times, but never regarding something like this.”

  “No, I don’t know him. Why? What are you getting at, John? You’re scaring me.”

  John exhaled noisily. “Manny texted one of the boys. His plan was to break into the library and grab the library cat. When we picked him up, he was high on amphetamines.”

  My mind froze. I was having trouble decoding what I was hearing. “Kidnap Smoky Joe? Why would he want to do something like that? And why did he—? Oh, he thinks Smoky Joe lives in the library full time.”

  “I don’t think the kid intended to harm the cat. He said something about keeping him for a few days, then pretending he found him wandering around, so he’d get treated like a hero. But I think it would be a good idea if you kept close tabs on him for the next week or two.”

  “I will,” I said. “Thanks for letting me know.”

  “Manny’s being charged with destruction of property and intent to kidnap an animal. I doubt it will result in anything more than a fine, but it puts him on notice. His parents as well.”

  No sooner had I disconnected from John’s call than the feline himself came bounding over to the reference desk for some mommy attention. I lifted him onto my lap. “Now don’t go off with anyone, Smoky Joe.”

  He stayed with me a few minutes, then wandered off to seek adventure. My heart was still pounding when Marion Marshall relieved me and I could return to my office. The idea that someone might try to kidnap Smoky Joe was terrifying. I’d have to check on his whereabouts more frequently and ask Angela to do the same when she could. I considered keeping him in my office for the next few days, but he’d probably meow and scratch at the door, wanting to get out. He’d never been confined to a small space, and I knew he wouldn’t like it one bit.

  I loved Smoky Joe. The little cat had become an essential part of my life. Until now, I hadn’t worried about losing him, because he’d never shown any interest in leaving the library
or the cottage. But John’s visit reminded me there were twisted, malicious individuals in the world and that we were vulnerable to the loss of people and animals we loved.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I missed Dylan terribly. Our weekend together had brought us closer. We texted and called each other frequently, and I was pleased that he now shared more details of his daily activities with me. He’d hired a lawyer to study the agreement that Mac had drawn up, was negotiating the rental cost of the office in New Haven, and had started packing up his belongings in the small Atlanta apartment, which he planned to ship home. He told me he missed my company and counted the days till we were together again.

  Since Tuesday was a late workday for me, I decided to stop by the mall in the morning for my chat with Lillian Morris. Before setting out, I called the store to make sure she was there. After a few minutes’ wait, I was connected to the women’s clothing section.

  “Hello. I was wondering—is Lillian there today?”

  “Speaking. I’m here today, all day till six. Who’s this?”

  I quickly made up a story, “I need to buy some clothes for a trip to Europe. A good friend said you were very helpful when she shopped the other day, so I thought …”

  “Sure. Come in and I’ll help you choose some new pieces to enhance your wardrobe. Be prepared! Your friend must have told you I’m brutally honest. I tell it like it is, and if the item doesn’t flatter your figure, I’ll let you know.”

  “I-I’ll be there soon.”

  Fifteen minutes later I was walking into Macy’s. The store wasn’t very crowded, I noticed, as I rode the escalator to the women’s section upstairs. Lillian turned out to be the only salesperson working in women’s clothing—a short, stocky woman with short blonde hair who appeared to be in her mid-fifties. She was riffling through a batch of receipts at the register. “Need any help?” she asked.

  “Lillian? I’d like to talk to you—about something important.”

  Clearly, she recognized my voice because she said, “Your story sounded fishy on the phone. Who are you, and what’s this about?”

  “My name’s Carrie Singleton, and I work in the library. You must have heard that Dorothy Hawkins was murdered.”

  “Yeah? So? It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.”

  “You didn’t much like her,” I said.

  “Are you kidding?” Lillian glared at me. “She was a snake. A sneaky, slimy snake that pretended to be your friend but—” She stopped abruptly, refusing to say more.

  “The police have found a list of names of people Dorothy was blackmailing. Your name was on it.”

  Fear and anger flitted across her face. “Right! She hit me up for money when she found out—it doesn’t matter what she found out. Like a fool, I paid it. But I told Dorothy if she tried for any more, I’d see that she regretted it. She was smart enough not to push her luck.”

  “Where were you—?”

  “The night someone ran Dorothy off the road? I was bowling with my league.” Lillian laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. “I’m glad she’s dead, but I can’t take the credit.”

  I thanked her for her time and exited the store. As I headed for my car, I played back my conversation with Lillian Morris. I was pretty sure she hadn’t murdered Dorothy. Much as she obviously disliked Dorothy, her beef with her was old. No, Dorothy had been murdered because she’d pissed someone off more recently.

  “Carrie! I didn’t expect to bump into you this morning!”

  I grinned when I saw Julia and Tacey waving at me. My little cousin looked to her mother. Julia nodded, probably to say it was safe for her to run to me, because she came barreling into my arms.

  “Cousin Carrie, I miss you! When are you coming to visit us again?”

  “Very soon.” I felt a pang of guilt. I’d been meaning to call Julia, but I’d been so busy—with Dylan, work, and my investigation—that I hadn’t done anything about it.

  Julia and I hugged. “I just bought some clothes for the kids,” she said. “They’re growing so quickly.”

  “Mommy, you said we could have lunch out today.”

  “So I did. Just a quick visit to the diner. You have nursery school this afternoon, and I’m expected at a customer’s house at one.”

  Tacey gazed up at me. “Will you come to the diner with us?”

  I glanced down at my watch. It was only ten after eleven and I wasn’t very hungry, but I wanted to spend time with Julia and Tacey. “Sure, I could go for a cup of coffee and a muffin.”

  “Wonderful!” Julia said. “The diner’s only a few blocks from here. Tacey loves their French toast.”

  “It’s yummy!” Tacey said.

  Julia’s car was parked close to where I’d left mine. I followed her to the exit, out to the main thoroughfare, and into the diner’s parking lot. Soon we were cozily ensconced in a booth.

  “I’ve been meaning to call you,” Julia said after we gave our orders to the pretty young waitress, “but I’ve been so busy with work and the kids, I never found a free moment.”

  “Same here,” I said. “And I’ve gotten involved in the Haven House project. A group of people have bought a house around the corner from Aunt Harriet and Uncle Bosco, where the homeless can spend their days engaging in various activities.”

  “So I’ve heard. It’s a wonderful plan,” Julia said. “This way they’ll spend their time doing something enjoyable instead of hanging out in the library.”

  “I want to go to the library,” Tacey said. “We never go there any more.”

  Julia and I exchanged glances.

  “Things have quieted down considerably,” I said, knowing of her concern that some homeless people had wandered into the children’s section. “We try to be proactive at the first sign of trouble.”

  “We’ll stop by the library very soon and take out a few books,” Julia told Tacey.

  Tacey clapped her hands. “Oh, goody!”

  She grinned at me, and I knew she was looking forward to seeing her friend Miss Evelyn.

  * * *

  News of the attempted catnapping had spread like wildfire, infuriating staff members and patrons, many of whom offered to keep an eye on Smoky Joe. I was touched by their concern and realized how quickly my cat had become a fixture in the library. We were a caring community and looked after one another.

  Despite the fact that not much progress had been made regarding the investigation into Dorothy’s murder, the atmosphere in the library had calmed down somewhat. Susan and I had a fun time decorating the walls and bookshelves with hearts and cupids—most of which she’d made herself—for Valentine’s Day. We needed Max’s help to hang her fantastic mobile of hearts, flowers, and “LOVE” signs in the reading room. I found myself grinning whenever I overheard patrons telling Susan how much they loved her artwork. Her self-image was much improved, and I figured it was time to suggest that she start making her wonderful craft items to sell on Etsy or at craft fairs.

  At a Wednesday morning meeting, Sally announced that she’d received fewer complaints from patrons in the past week. Even the situation with the homeless had died down. The few who continued to spend time in the library sat quietly reading books and magazines.

  A major reason for this change was due to the fact that Dorothy was no longer with us. I felt a pang when I realized days had passed since I’d last thought about her or done anything to help solve her murder. Evelyn showed up and asked for an update. She was disappointed to hear that I had no way of finding out what John had learned from questioning the people on Dorothy’s blackmail list, and even more so when I added that I hadn’t the slightest idea how to proceed with my own investigation.

  At five o’clock that evening—after asking Marion, who was working till nine thirty, to keep an eye on Smoky Joe until I returned—Angela and I hopped in her car and drove to the mall to choose the bridesmaids’ dress for her wedding.

  “My cousin Vicki is matron of honor,” Angela reminded me as she pulled int
o a parking spot near the bridal gown store, “so she gets to pick what she’ll wear. That leaves the four of you.”

  I laughed. “Which won’t be easy. We’re four different shapes and sizes.”

  “Short, fat, tall, and you,” Angela said, never one to mince words.

  “Something to keep in mind,” I agreed.

  I tried on long dresses, short dresses, midi-length dresses. Dresses with strapless tops, tops with spaghetti straps, off-the-shoulder tops. Climbing in and out of these complicated garments proved exhausting. My energy level was flagging when we agreed we loved a knee-length dress with a sweetheart neckline and short petal sleeves that would suit all four of us. Yay! No strapless bra for Angela’s bridesmaids!

  Selecting the color was almost as difficult a decision. Should we go for silver or cornflower blue? Both were available. Silver was classy. Blue was a good color for most people, which was why we opted for it in the end. Besides, we were ravenously hungry. I ordered my dress, then we made a beeline for a restaurant a few doors away, known for its delicious soups, salads, and sandwiches.

  A cheerful hostess led us to a table in the middle of the room, which was half-empty. Not surprising since it was after seven o’clock. I shrugged out of my parka and raced to the bathroom for a much-needed visit. I washed my hands, combed my hair, and returned to our table. I gave the large menu a quick look and decided on a cup of tomato soup and half a tuna salad sandwich on multi-grain bread.

  Angela leaned back in her chair, looking very pleased with herself. “Now the bridesmaid dresses are taken care of. You can buy navy shoes or fabric ones and have them dyed to match.”

  “I think I’ll get a pair of strappy navy heels that I can wear again,” I said.

  “Good idea. Did you tell Dylan the day we’re getting married?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Haven’t mentioned it. We’re still in January, and your wedding’s not until June.”

  Angela grinned. “Who knows? Maybe you two will be talking weddings by then.”

  “Here comes our waitress. What are you having?”