I flashed him an appreciative smile. No more talk of blood for a while, thanks. “It went well. I studied pieces of Little Women all afternoon.” I stopped and blinked. “Did that sound weird to you all?”
“Yeah,” Gabriel said.
Derek grinned at me. “It does sound a bit ominous, and yet I completely understood what you meant.”
“Me, too,” Alex said, “having read the book a few hundred times when I was younger.”
“I did, too.” I smiled at her. “I know my work sometimes sounds completely dull, but the story behind this book is actually pretty interesting. The bookseller in town, who I’ve known my entire life, gave me the book to refurbish before the festival begins. He plans to auction it off at the silent auction. The festival committee chose to celebrate Little Women as the official book of the festival. So obviously, the book Clyde gave me is Little Women.”
“Obviously,” Gabriel said.
“It’s in terrible condition, falling apart,” I said. “And I’ve only got the first volume. But according to several online sources, if I were able to restore this one really well, and if I were lucky enough to get hold of the second volume, the two books would be worth about twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“Wow,” Alex said. “That’s unbelievable.”
“Unfortunately, the copy I’m working on will be worth less than half of that.”
“Less than half of that is still at least twelve thousand dollars,” Alex reasoned.
“That’s a lot more than I thought it would be worth at first, but I doubt we’ll get that much for it in the silent auction.”
Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. “So Clyde actually gave you the book?”
I frowned. “Do you know Clyde?” But then I remembered that Gabriel lived in Dharma now. And Gabriel was a book collector—or maybe he was book thief. Sometimes it was hard to tell. “Wait. Sorry. Of course you know Clyde.”
“Yeah, we’re buddies.” In a casual move, Gabriel rested his ankle on the opposite knee. “I’m kind of surprised he didn’t show me the book first. Is he the one who told you how much it’s worth?”
“No.” I considered it for a moment. “Actually, I don’t think Clyde knows how much it could be worth. Otherwise, don’t you think he would’ve said something?”
“Yeah, probably,” Gabriel mused. “Where’d he get it?”
“He said he found it in a used bookstore in Grass Valley, but I’m starting to think he was fibbing.”
“I know Grass Valley,” Gabriel said. “There’s a book co-op, but I’m not sure any of the sellers carry any real-pricey books like this one.”
“Well, like I said, it looks really funky and it’s falling apart, so maybe the shop owner didn’t know what they had.”
He studied my face. “But you don’t think so.”
“No. I think he didn’t want to tell me where he got it.”
“That’s a concern,” Derek murmured, and exchanged a look with Gabriel.
“Do you think it could be stolen?” Gabriel asked.
“Do you?” Derek asked, being cryptic again.
“I’ve already admitted that it looks awful,” I said. “But a knowledgeable book collector would recognize a diamond in the rough. Some might even consider it priceless.”
“Which means there’s a possibility that it was stolen,” Derek said.
“By a knowledgeable book collector,” Gabriel mused, then narrowed his eyes. “Maybe I’ll pay Clyde a visit tomorrow.”
“I was going to stop by there tomorrow, too,” I said. “Maybe we can go together.”
He gave me a lopsided grin. “Sure, babe. We’ll double-team him.”
“I’ll go with you as well,” Derek said.
“A triple-team is even better.” Changing to another subject, I turned to Gabriel. “Have you talked to Detective Willoughby today?”
“I have.”
“Any word on anything? Did they figure out what winery that wine bottle came from? Did they identify the fingerprints?”
One of Gabriel’s eyebrows lifted. That always impressed me. “He’s not real forthcoming with info, but I learned a thing or two.”
Alex grabbed a chip and pointed it at me. “I’ll bet you’re missing Inspector Lee right about now.”
“Oh yeah,” I said. “We would have a lot more information by now.”
“Inspector Lee hasn’t always been that willing to share,” Derek reminded me.
“She’s tough,” I said, and smiled, thinking of the hard-as-nails inspector. “But even if she won’t tell me stuff, she’ll usually tell you.”
Derek’s lips twisted into a grin. “True. But you and she have become pretty good friends, so that’s starting to change.”
“Thank goodness. At least she’s not trying to arrest me anymore.” I looked at Gabriel. “So what did they tell you? Did they find Jacob Banyan’s prints all over everything, I hope?”
“Nothing that specific,” Gabriel admitted. “They’ve got somewhat of a timeline, but no suspects yet.”
“Rats.” I sipped my margarita. “Maybe you could nudge them in the direction of Banyan?”
Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Good luck with that.”
I sighed. “He’s just so awful. I would love to see him thrown in jail for a good long time.”
I gave Alex a brief rundown of what Banyan had done to my mother. “I’m scared to death that he might make good on his threats to hurt her.”
“He sounds like a real jerk,” Alex said.
“That’s putting it mildly,” I groused. “He talks like he’s some kind of mob boss.”
“He’s not,” Gabriel put in. “Just a bully with a big mouth.”
Alex patted his knee as she gave me a considering look. “So, are you practicing your self-defense moves?”
“Ah.” I winced. “Um, I guess it’s been a few weeks.”
“Brooklyn,” she said. “You need to practice. You never know when you’ll need to defend yourself.”
“That’s the thing. I never believe it’ll happen to me again. And then suddenly something awful happens and I have to spring into action.”
“So far you’ve been lucky,” she said.
She was right, of course. With the number of times I’d stumbled onto murder scenes it was mind-boggling that I hadn’t been attacked more often.
“I’m very lucky. The few times I’ve needed to put your lessons to use lately, I was able to remember enough of what you taught me to save myself.”
“Darling,” Derek said, reaching for my hand. “The fact that you just basically admitted that you’ve had to defend yourself a few times lately? As if it were nothing? That scares me to death.”
“Me, too,” Alex said. She stood up and paced the room. Finally she turned and focused on me. “Okay, as soon as you get home, we’re going back to work. I want those self-defense moves to become second nature to you.”
I nodded. “I want that, too.”
“And Brooklyn,” she added, “if you have any hope of protecting your mother, you need to practice while you’re here.”
“Ah, the mother guilt.” I shook my head in defeat. “Works every time. You’re good.”
“I go with my strengths,” she said with a grin.
“I know, and you’re right. I’ll sign up for a class at the Dharma Dojo tomorrow.”
“Great idea. I know Keith, the owner,” she said. “I’ll call him in the morning and let him know you’re coming. He might give you a deal on his two-week introductory course.”
“Sounds great.” With a laugh, I rolled my eyes. Now Keith would be expecting me and I would have to show up. Which was just what Alex had had in mind.
“Perhaps I’ll go with you,” Derek said.
Suddenly I was much more interested. “I would love that.”
“You know what they say,” Alex said, smiling. “The family that fights together, um . . . huh. Can’t think of anything that rhymes with fights.”
I glanced at Derek. “Spends their nights together?”
“Poetry,” he said with a sexy chuckle that made me laugh.
His cell phone buzzed just then and he answered. “Stone.” He pushed himself up off the couch and listened for thirty seconds, grim faced, then said, “We’ll be right there.”
“What is it?” I asked. “What happened?”
“That was your father.”
My heart dropped. “Mom?”
“She’s fine. But just barely.” He reached down to help me up from the couch.
“We’ll go, too,” Gabriel said, jumping up from his chair. Alex was on her feet as well.
Derek gave Gabriel the pertinent information—Sonoma hospital, emergency entrance—and within a minute the four of us ran out to our cars.
Once Derek was driving down the hill, I turned to him. “Tell me.”
He reached for my hand. “Your parents went to an early dinner at Arugula. They were crossing the street afterward and your father heard someone gunning their car engine. The car came barreling up the Lane toward your mother. Jim says he practically threw her onto the sidewalk to get her out of the way and then came crashing down on top of her.”
“She’s hurt,” I whispered. My heart was pounding, tears stung my eyes and all I could seem to manage were short, sharp breaths.
He squeezed my hand. “I know what you’re feeling, love. But according to your father, your mother was just a bit scuffed and bruised.”
I pressed my other hand against my mouth. “But they’re at the hospital?”
“Yes. They’re in the ER.”
“Okay,” I whispered, and took a few more deep breaths in and out. “Okay.”
He gave my hand another squeeze. “Everything will be all right.”
I nodded. “Did anyone see the car?”
“He’s not sure. But one of Savannah’s bartenders came running out and offered to call the police while your father took your mum to the hospital. We’ll find out more when we get there.”
I sat in silence for a long moment, then said, “This is Jacob Banyan’s work.”
Derek tightened his jaw as he turned onto Montana Ridge Road and headed for the hospital in Sonoma. “I would have to agree.”
* * *
• • •
Derek, Gabriel, and Alex sat in the waiting area out front while I went into the curtained examination room where a doctor was evaluating my mother’s injuries. Dad sat in a chair right next to her, looking emotionally drained.
“I’m not staying overnight in the hospital,” my mother argued, then saw me walk in. “Oh, sweetie, it’s just a little bump and a skinned knee. I want to go home.”
“You’ve suffered a mild concussion, Mrs. Wainwright,” the on-call doctor said. His name badge read DR. SHARMA, EMERGENCY MEDICINE. “And you have multiple scrapes and contusions up and down your legs.”
“Well, of course I do,” Mom said reasonably. “I got slammed onto the sidewalk.” She winked at Dad and reached out for him. “Thank God. You saved my life, Jimmy.”
He squeezed her hand. “You cushioned my fall, sweetie pie.”
Tears began to stream down my cheeks as I listened to my parents’ good-natured teasing. She could’ve been hurt so much worse, I thought, and swore that Jacob Banyan would pay.
When I could finally speak, I asked, “How bad are the contusions, doctor?”
“There was a lot of bruising and quite a bit of blood from the scrapes she received falling on the sidewalk. We had to dig some bits of gravel out of her left knee.” Dr. Sharma sighed. “But we’ve cleaned her up and covered everything in antibiotic ointment.” He smiled at me, then my mother. “We’ll send you home with extra bandages and ointment. I would recommend using an ice pack on the bruises every hour or so, as long as you keep the bandages dry.” He smiled wider. “She’ll live.”
“And what about the concussion?” I asked.
“I’ll stay up with her,” my father said. “I’ll wake her up every two hours and check her pupils and her vital signs.”
I turned to the doctor. “Is that enough?”
“It was a mild concussion and she shows no symptoms that indicate anything worse.”
“What are those symptoms?” I pressed.
“Dizziness, slurred speech, confusion, nausea, ringing in the ears. Among others.”
I stared at my mother. “Is any of that happening to you?”
“No, sweetie,” she said. “I’m just tired.”
I turned back to Dr. Sharma. “She’s tired. Is that a bad sign?”
“Only if she wants to go dancing all night.”
I was still sniffling, but I managed a weak smile. “So you’re a comedian.”
“Just trying to keep it light.”
“I appreciate that. Thanks.” I shook his hand as my father helped my mother to her feet.
I walked out to the hall just as Detective Willoughby and Officer Jenkins approached. Derek and Gabriel stood up to greet them.
“I’m glad you’re here, Detective,” I said.
“I’m sorry about your mom,” he said. “How’s she doing?”
“She’s okay. She’s going home. She’s pretty shaken up so she won’t be able to talk to you tonight.”
Just then, Mom and Dad walked slowly out of the examination room.
“Well, hello, Stevie—oops.” Mom shook her head and the movement caused her to wince. “I mean, Detective Willoughby. I’m sorry. I’m not doing too well, but I’m sure I’ll be able to answer your questions tomorrow.”
“That’s all right, Mrs. Wainwright. I’m glad you’re doing a little better.”
“I’ll be much better by tomorrow.”
“That’s good news. We’ll stop by tomorrow morning around ten a.m., if that’s not too early for you.”
“That’s just dandy.” She turned and smiled vaguely at everyone around her. “Okay, we’re going home now.”
I grabbed Dad’s arm. “Are you all right?”
He blew out a nervous breath and lowered his voice. “Honey, I’ve never been so scared in all my life. It was like my whole life passed before my eyes.”
I wrapped my arms around him and felt the tears burning again. “She’s going to be fine, Dad. And don’t forget, you saved her life. So thank you.”
He kissed my cheek and gazed at me. And I could see the unshed tears in his eyes. “I’ll cry like a baby later, but right now I’ve got to be strong for Becky.”
“Are you okay to drive?”
“I’ll be fine,” he said, patting my arm. “It’s just a few miles.”
“Okay. But if you don’t mind, Derek and I will come by for a few minutes, just to check in.”
He nodded. “I would really appreciate it.”
I gave him another hug, and then leaned over and lightly kissed my mom. “I love you, Mom. You do everything Dad tells you, okay?”
“Oh, honey. I always do.”
I snorted lightly. “That’s funny, Mom.”
She managed to grin. “I still got it.”
I watched them walk slowly down the hall and out the door to the parking lot. And I wondered why they both suddenly looked so fragile when for all my life, those two had been towers of sheer rock.
I looked around, met Derek’s gaze, and heaved out a breath. “Oh God.”
He pulled me into his arms. “She’ll be fine.”
“I know, but now I really want to kill Jacob Banyan.”
He rubbed my back. “Let’s not say that too loudly with Detective Willoughby standing nearby.”
“Oh, yeah.” I almost laughed, just as Stevie approached us again. I turne
d and nodded to him. “Were you able to find anyone who saw what happened?”
Stevie pulled out his notebook, read a few lines, and frowned. “We spoke to several people who said they saw a car speed up and race through the crosswalk. One person described it as an SUV. Another thought it looked like a little sports car.”
“What? Wait.” Maybe I was the one with a concussion because I was totally confused. “Those are totally opposite vehicles.”
“Yeah.” He shook his head in disgust. “Eyewitnesses aren’t generally too useful. Everyone sees something different.”
“You should find out what kind of car Jacob Banyan drives. Like we told you, he’s been threatening her for a while now. He tried it again today at the festival committee meeting. I think he’s getting worse.”
“I’ll talk to him.” Stevie wrote it all down, then nodded. “Thanks, Brooklyn.”
“Is there anything else we can do?” I asked.
“Not just now. We’ll be in touch.”
“You’ll talk to more shop owners on the Lane? Someone must’ve seen something.”
“Yes, we will. And there are several businesses on the Lane that have exterior cameras installed so we’ll be viewing those tonight to see what we can find.”
That was something at least. I felt so damn helpless and it wasn’t a feeling I cared for. “It would be great if you found something.”
“We’ll let you know what happens.” He shoved his notebook into his jacket pocket. “But yeah, I’m hopeful.”
* * *
• • •
In the parking lot we said goodnight to Gabriel and Alex.
Gabriel hugged me. “You okay?”
“Sure.”
He leaned down to make eye contact with me. “Your mom will be fine.”
“I know.” I sniffled. “Thanks.”
“I’ll stop by tomorrow,” he said.
“Okay, thanks for that.”
He said something to Derek while I turned and gave Alex a hug. “I’m so glad you were here. Do you really have to leave?”
“I do,” she said, and pouted. “I need to get back and prep my team for a big meeting day after tomorrow.”
The Grim Reader Page 15