The Reading Circle

by Ashton Lee

  Lottie’s skepticism turned into an acute frown as she hung up the receiver. “Have it your way, then.”

  After another five minutes had passed, Councilman Sparks entered the outer office with his customary vote-getting smile affixed to his face. Maura Beth noted, however, that it disappeared in an instant as he greeted his visitors.

  “Nora?” His tone was incredulous, his expression one of astonishment. He gestured toward the inner office reflexively but could not take his eyes off of his former secretary.

  Even after everyone had been seated around his desk behind closed doors, he continued to stare, and it was with tremendous satisfaction that Maura Beth saw clearly that once again Councilman Sparks had been caught off guard. The last time that had happened, everything had gone her way. She could only hope for the same results today.

  “If you don’t mind my saying so, Nora,” he said at last, “I wouldn’t have recognized you if I’d passed you on the sidewalks of Commerce Street. What have you done to your hair and your face? Have you, uh, had one of those girlie-girl makeovers or something like that?”

  “Something like that,” she said, as she and Maura Beth exchanged thoroughly amused glances.

  Sounding somewhat tentative, Councilman Sparks continued. “Miz Mayhew, I thought this session was to be strictly between yourself and the City Council.”

  Maura Beth looked around the room, gesturing with a sweep of her hand. “So it was. So where are Mr. Badham and Mr. Martin? I thought they were attached to you at the left and right hips.”

  Councilman Sparks cleared his throat and sat up a bit in his chair. “Very funny. I have Chunky and Gopher Joe attending to other duties elsewhere. I’m taking care of this myself. That’s all you need to know. Meanwhile, even though I have no idea why it’s necessary for you to be here, Nora, I think the time has come for us to get down to business.”

  “I couldn’t agree with you more,” Maura Beth said. “So let’s get this started, shall we?”

  Councilman Sparks extended his hand with an expectant expression. “You have the documents I requested?”

  Maura Beth presented the folder she had brought in with her. “As you’ll see, all library business has been zeroed out.”

  He took his time examining the papers one by one, nodding approvingly and occasionally looking up with a dismissive smirk on his face. Then he got to the bottom of the stack, and his eyes widened dramatically. “Miz Mayhew, what the hell is this?”

  “That’s where I come in,” Nora said. “Please allow me to explain.”

  Councilman Sparks glanced down at the paper again and came up glowering. “Are you two trying to pull a fast one on me?”

  “Not at all,” Nora continued. “My father once told me that if I ever lost my job or needed help in any way after he was gone that I was to open his safety deposit box at the bank, and that’s just what I’ve done.”

  “But your father isn’t gone, Nora. He’s still very much with us out at the nursing home.”

  Nora continued to speak calmly, keeping the emotion out of her voice. “He may be out at the nursing home, Mr. Sparks, but he’s not with us at all. He hasn’t been for some time now, and you know that as well as I do. Of course, I also needed help after you dismissed me so casually. You have no idea how much letting me go put me in a tailspin.”

  Councilman Sparks brandished the sheet of paper and then crumpled it in one quick motion, while training his eyes on Maura Beth. He tried aiming the ball at a nearby trash can, but his throw was off considerably. “What have you done with the real Nora Duddney, Miz Mayhew? Who is this woman sitting in front of me speaking these complete sentences?”

  Nora ignored his insult, speaking for herself. “Never mind the compliments, Councilman. I’m pretty sure you thought our fathers left no paper trail of the liberties they took with the original library funding seventy-odd years ago. Perhaps your father covered his tracks, but, as I’ve found out, Daddy chose not to for his own reasons. He was a very far-sighted man, as I don’t have to tell you. And he obviously didn’t want to take the fall all by himself if their embezzlement was ever discovered. You’ll find a copy there of the exact sums they divvied up, and even back in those days, it was a generous haul, so to speak. I can imagine the interest that has accrued by now to your account alone. And then there’s what amounts to a confession with Daddy’s signature at the bottom. Looking back on it all now, I realize what he did was very wrong, and I’m certainly not proud of it. But as I said before, he’s also not with us anymore. You, on the other hand, are, and have everything to lose if this comes to light. Of course, that never has to happen.”

  Councilman Sparks was fidgeting in his chair now, his expression as dark and threatening as either woman had ever witnessed. “Just what is it you smiling lady blackmailers want from me?”

  “At last!” Maura Beth said, pouncing upon his words almost gleefully. “We have a very simple solution in hand for you. First, we propose that the necessary repairs be made to the library to reopen it, and that once and for all the idea of closing it down be put to bed. Those repairs won’t cost the city a cent, since insurance will cover most of it, and Douglas and Connie McShay have very graciously offered to pay the deductibles for us. Of course, I will want to continue in my position.”

  With daggers in his eyes, Councilman Sparks said, “Is that it?”

  “Not quite. The repairs won’t really give Cherico the facility it needs and deserves. That would be just a stopgap measure for an antiquated building that was never intended to be a library. The square footage, the budget, the lack of personnel, no off-street parking, and no computer terminals all need immediate attention to bring the library into the millennium.”

  “All that costs money, Miz Mayhew. Money Cherico just doesn’t have.”

  Both women were shaking their heads simultaneously, and Maura Beth said, “But you and your family have it, Councilman. You’ve had it for quite some time, and it’s money that was intended to fund the library properly. That never happened, so perhaps it’s time to make amends.”

  “I intend to do my part. My conscience wouldn’t allow me to do otherwise,” Nora added. “I have power of attorney over Daddy’s estate, so I also have access to his funds. I thought you and I could match very healthy contributions to get the campaign started.”

  “To get what campaign started, Nora?”

  But it was Maura Beth who answered. “The campaign for a brand-new library somewhere in Cherico. Anywhere other than 12 Shadow Alley. We can keep it open until its replacement is ready. One that will have plenty of square footage, lots of light and space, computer terminals to access the Internet, a children’s librarian, a reference librarian, a technical services librarian, oodles of parking for the patrons, and an up-to-the-minute collection. Just imagine it: You’ll go from being the library ogre to the library hero. You could even think of it as your legacy.”

  Councilman Sparks maintained his stubborn façade. “A library is not a legacy. It’s a luxury. It’s a waste of money.”

  Maura Beth shifted into her highest gear, having waited a long time for the opportunity to turn things around for good. “That’s where you’re wrong. Did you know that many companies view a town’s school and library facilities as a primary asset when they’re seriously considering locating there? They want to be sure that their employees and their families don’t get shortchanged in that department. You’ve made quite a deal out of creating that industrial park of yours. But you might be better off doing what you can to strengthen the quality of the schools and the public library to make that park even more attractive to prospective plants. I’m sure Cherico is a hard sell to industry these days. Why not make your task a little easier?”

  “I think I may have mentioned this to you before, Miz Mayhew,” Councilman Sparks said, his expression softening a bit. “But you could run for office the way you go on about things.”

  “Picture it,” Maura Beth continued, unwilling to let up for a second wh
ile making a frame of her hands. “The Charles Durden Sparks Public Library. It’ll be a whole lot more visible than any old plot of graded land north of town. Everyone will see the building with your name on it every single day of the year. Every time they go in to use it, they’ll think of your generous contribution that made it possible. There’ll be a plaque in the lobby honoring your vision, and future generations will regard you as an honorable public servant.”

  “I was thinking that my family might be remembered as well,” Nora added. “Perhaps the Nora Dean Duddney Genealogy Room and the Layton Merrill Duddney Reference Department. Maura Beth tells me there are lots of possibilities in a library that’s done up properly.”

  Councilman Sparks considered briefly, obviously weighing his choices. “The fact remains that you ladies are flirting with extortion.”

  “And the fact remains that you would never hear the end of it if Miss Voncille Nettles and the Crumpton sisters, just to name a few, got wind of this,” Maura Beth said. “Aren’t Mamie and Marydell among your chief campaign contributors? At any rate, we all know about the rumors that have been circulating for years. So much better that they remain just that.”

  Councilman Sparks rose immediately from his chair and assumed a stately demeanor. “I see no problem with making the repairs to the library, especially since the McShays will be covering the deductibles. As to the rest of this so-called proposition, I’ll need a few days to think it over and assess my financial situation. I’ll have my decision on Friday. Until then, good day.”

  Outside in the hallway, Maura Beth and Nora were full of smirks and congratulatory hugs. “I think we rattled his cage,” Maura Beth said. “But my heart was beating a mile a minute there at the end.”

  “Oh, you were magnificent, but I was trembling, too. I’ve never stood up for myself like that in my life. I was always shoved to the side like an embarrassment to my parents and everyone else. I can’t believe I wasted so many years living down to their opinion of me.”

  Maura Beth gave her another warm hug. “Well, you’re your own woman now, Nora Duddney.”

  They walked out into the bright sunlight of late May and stood on the steps of City Hall for a while, gazing at what little pedestrian traffic there was. Then Maura Beth gave a dramatic little gasp. “I must get my mind off fictional plots. All the King’s Men and assassinations just flashed into my head. I was thinking, what if Councilman Sparks decided to have us offed because of what we know and the documents we’re hiding from him?”

  Nora’s laugh was carefree. “He wouldn’t have the nerve, I can promise you that. I worked for him too long not to know what makes him tick. He doesn’t really like to take chances. His pride won’t let him. He’s always taken the easiest way out—or the path of least resistance. Believe me, he’ll cave rather than risk his reputation or his legacy. I heard him use that word a lot over the years. In any case, I don’t think either of us needs to be on the lookout for speeding cars, screeching tires, and flying bullets.”

  Then they walked along the sidewalk together in the direction of the library, and that was when it happened. There were two sharp reports coming from somewhere behind them, and both women instinctively hunched their shoulders. Ahead of them, just coming out of The Twinkle, a tall man in a coat and tie started visibly and ducked quickly. All three people eventually straightened up and examined themselves tentatively for possible wounds. But there were none to be found.

  And then the culprit appeared in the form of a rusty rattletrap of a car moving like molasses along the street with pungent black exhaust pouring out of its tailpipe.

  With her adrenaline still flowing, Maura Beth exhaled and turned to an equally relieved Nora. “Now, how does a car like that get a safety inspection sticker?!” She was tempted to yell something obnoxious to the driver—a very old man with sunken cheeks and no teeth—but thought better of it. Above all, she had her reputation as a public servant to uphold, no matter how badly a couple of backfires had frightened her to the bone.

  “I guess that’s what we get for talking so glibly about assassination plots,” Nora added.

  They both managed a chuckle, and as they passed The Twinkle, Maura Beth said, “I must remember to give Periwinkle an update on everything when she’s not so busy with her customers. She’s been having a very rough go of it since she split up with her ex again.”

  All sorts of people seemed to be dropping in on Maura Beth and her library these days. This time, Becca and Justin Brachle claimed they had been in town for a lunch of sweet tea, sandwiches, and tomato aspic at The Twinkle and just wanted to see how things were going.

  “We were so devastated when we heard about all the storm damage,” Becca was saying once they’d gathered around the meeting room table. “Oh, that smell out there really is awful! How do things stand? Does it look like you’ll be reopening soon? If not, we’ll have to hold our next Cherry Cola Book Club meeting in somebody’s home. Of course, we’ll be happy to volunteer in that case.”

  “Help is on the way,” Maura Beth said. Then she explained what the McShays intended to do and hinted that there might soon be a campaign starting up for a brand-new library.

  “Oh, we’d be glad to contribute to that, wouldn’t we, Stout Fella? Whatever you need us to do.”

  Justin’s expression was quizzical, but his tone was compliant. “Whatever you say, Mommy.”

  Maura Beth drew back with a tilt of her head, her intuition immediately kicking in. “Mommy?”

  Becca leaned in, her face a joyous study. “That’s really why we dropped by, Maura Beth. We’re pregnant, and we wanted you to be the first to know as we make the rounds.”

  “Oh, I couldn’t be happier for you both. Congratulations!” The two women rose from their chairs and hugged, while Justin caught the kiss that Maura Beth blew in his general direction.

  “Time for me to settle down and be a father, it looks like,” Justin said in that boyish manner of his. “Gotta leave something behind besides a bank account and a big house, I figure.”

  “When are you due?” Maura Beth said, feeling a kinship with Becca she had never experienced before.

  “Well, I’m not very far along, so it might be sometime early next year—maybe late January or early February.”

  Maura Beth’s sigh was almost girlish, her eyes half-lidded. “It must be a wonderful feeling. I can’t wait to experience it myself.”

  “It’s a new phase of our lives, right, Stout Fella?”

  “Yep, the way I see it, we’ll either have a boy who likes football or a girl who likes cooking.”

  Becca gave him a stern look and wagged a finger. “Now, don’t be sexist, Justin. We could also have a girl who likes football and a boy who likes to cook. Or maybe somebody who likes both—the best of us combined.”

  Maura Beth reached over and gently patted Becca’s hand. “Oh, I know you’ll be happy with whoever comes along. And I have some good news of my own, by the way. We just found out this morning that my Jeremy will be teaching English down here in Cherico this fall. We’re both so excited, and he’ll be moving down this summer from Nashville. I’m sure I’ll be helping him find a place to live.”

  There was a playful twinkle in Becca’s eye as she gave Maura Beth a nudge. “Would that be big enough for two eventually?”

  Maura Beth’s voice was full of confidence. “Things are headed that way, I think. He needs to get settled first. In fact, there are a number of things that have to be settled. But a new phase of my life could very well be on the way, too.”

  Mr. Parker Place was the next unexpected visitor, knocking on the front door about an hour after the Brachles had left.

  “So what brings you here today, Mr. Place?” Maura Beth said, once they’d seated themselves in her office. “I’d give you the grand tour of all the damage, but I know you can smell it from here.”

  “That I can,” he told her, briefly wrinkling his nose. “Well, I just took a little break from The Twinkle, and the first thing
I wanted to do was thank you for introducing Mama to all those audio books. You’ve opened up a whole new world for her. She’d just about given up reading with her eyes going bad and all. She’s been after me for a while to mind my manners. ‘Baby, don’t you go too long without thanking that nice young woman,’ she keeps reminding me.”

  Maura Beth gave him her most gracious smile. “That’s why we’re here, Mr. Place. Just another service from your friendly local library.”

  He returned her smile briefly, but soon he was looking uncomfortable and hanging his head. “But I also came to tell you how concerned I am about Miz Lattimore. She just isn’t herself these days. She mopes around and just doesn’t have that special Periwinkle spirit she always has. We’ve talked about it once or twice back in the kitchen, but she won’t open up to me too much. ‘I need to put everything connected with The Marina Bar and Grill behind me,’ she says.”

  Maura Beth’s sigh was full of exasperation. “I know. She’s said the same thing to me. I’ve told her that I’m here for her any time she needs me. Lord knows, she’s been there for me over the years.”

  Mr. Place leaned in and nodded his head crisply. “I have an idea that may get her out of this depression, though. Her birthday is coming up next week, so I was thinking maybe we could all show up right after we close that night and have a little surprise party. Maybe just her closest friends in the book club. Think it’s a good idea?”

  “I sure do,” Maura Beth said, tossing her red hair back with her prettiest grin on display. “And I can get Becca to coordinate the potluck dishes we all bring along. We can’t have Periwinkle serving her own food now, can we? You’ll just have to make sure she doesn’t fill up too much before we get there.”

  “And I’ll contribute the birthday cake. How does a big chocolate caramel sheet cake sound?”

  “Ooey, gooey! I’ll start calling everyone up right away and really get things started.”

  “I knew I could count on you, Miz Mayhew.” Mr. Place caught her gaze politely and then pressed his lips together, making a slit of his mouth. He appeared about to say something further but caught himself at the last second.