Murder by the Bookend

by Laura Gail Black

  Murder by the Bookend

  AN ANTIQUE BOOKSHOP MYSTERY

  Laura Gail Black

  For my husband, George, whose support and encouragement have never wavered.

  I love you.

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to my wonderful husband, George, whose love and support continue to push me on through my writing journey. I love you. Thank you to my eager, skilled, and very thorough beta reader, Pat Rohner, who remains ready to beta read my manuscripts on incredibly short notice and with tight deadlines. Thank you to Chief Mitch McElveen, Manning Fire Department, who answered all my odd questions on how a library might burn, fortunately understanding I was not planning a real crime. Thank you to Chief John Schomp, Wharton Fire Department, Ret., who patiently offered advice and answers on the behavior of fire and later took the time to read and critique my fire scene. Thank you to my amazing agent, Dawn Dowdle, whose unflagging belief in my writing abilities has far more of an impact than she realizes. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books for making my publishing journey an incredible one and for continuing to let me share my stories with the world.

  Chapter One

  “How do you think it’s going?” I peeked out through the curtained doorway from the back room.

  I’d inherited the bookstore three months ago from my uncle, Paul Baxter, who had not quite creatively named it Baxter’s Book Emporium. Two months of soul-searching and intense waffling had finally forced me to admit I had fallen in love with the small, quaint town of Hokes Folly. The people had accepted me with open arms, and I was pretty sure I’d finally found a place I belonged, a place I could truly call home. As a result, I had taken it upon myself to rename the bookstore, but I had rejected the idea of putting my own last name on it, since Quinn’s Book Emporium wouldn’t have been much better.

  Rita Wallace rolled her green eyes at me as she snagged two fresh pots of coffee, one decaf and one regular. My friend and next-door neighbor had offered to help with tonight’s grand reopening event. “Jenna, it’s only been twenty minutes since folks started coming in. Why don’t you ask me when it’s all over?”

  I sighed, resisting the urge to grumble about how friends were supposed to lie to you at times like this in order to make you feel better. After grabbing another box of the commemorative coffee mugs I’d splurged on as giveaways for the guests, I followed the chuckling redhead as we threaded our way toward the coffee station at the front of the store.

  Rita leaned toward me as she poured the coffee into the urns. “Take a deep breath and chill out a bit, hon. It’ll be fine,” she whispered before easing her way through the crowd to return the empty pots to the back room.

  I smiled as I pulled a mug from the box and ran my thumb over the store’s new name, printed in a deep smoky-gray-blue on one side of the mug. “Twice Upon a Time.” Uncle Paul would have approved. I’d come to Hokes Folly, nestled high in the mountains of North Carolina, at his invitation. He had offered to help me get back on my feet after recent trauma in my life. I had arrived, looking forward to reconnecting with an uncle I hadn’t seen in almost a decade, only to find him dead.

  Before I let my thoughts move in a too morbid direction, I took a steadying breath and finished unpacking. As I turned back to the crowd, I scanned the faces, recognizing some. A handsome form in a black tux held up a couple of plastic shopping bags as he walked in the front door. Keith winked a chocolate-brown eye at me, and my heart pitter-pattered like a tap-dancing poodle. I just hoped it wasn’t wearing a tutu. In the aftermath of solving not only my uncle’s murder but also a second murder, I’d begun dating Detective Keith Logan, and I shot him a playful grin. At least I hoped it looked playful rather than somewhat nauseous, which was how I felt. After all that had happened, I needed this to go well.

  Keith set his bags behind the counter and planted a chaste kiss on my cheek. “I bought three of each, so there is no way we can run out of coffee tonight.”

  I had brought in enough sparkling wine for everyone to celebrate, but I hadn’t thought to replenish my dwindling supply of coffee. Before I could thank Keith for stepping in and saving the day with his emergency run to the grocery store, a lithe brunette in an elegant, black evening gown stepped in front of us and held out her champagne flute to Keith for a refill.

  “What a charming little party this is.” The woman’s bored expression made a mockery of her words, but her husband’s firm grip on her elbow made her clamp her lips shut before she said more.

  “Now, Selina, dear, I think Miss Quinn has done a truly delightful job of bringing together those truly interested in books.” He turned to me. “I must apologize for my wife’s rudeness.”

  I’d been mentally counting to ten, and I took a slow breath before responding to the director of the Hokes Folly Community Library. “That’s okay, Mr. March.” I nodded slightly at him, again hoping my true feelings didn’t show through.

  In contrast to his wife’s obviously expensive gown, he wore a cheap, brown suit that clashed with his ruddy complexion and dirt-colored hair. Although his tone and face had remained calm, I noticed he didn’t release the tight hold on his wife’s arm.

  To help smooth things over, I turned a tentative smile to his much-younger wife. “That’s a lovely gown, Mrs. March.”

  Selina slid her hands down the black, sequined material. “Yes, isn’t it? I’ve always liked wearing Vera Wang. Haven’t you?” She narrowed her eyes, and her mouth took on the tiniest hint of a sneer.

  My teeth ground together as I choked back the catty response I wanted to blurt out. Her dress may have cost more than a month’s take-home pay from my store, but that was no reason for me to be rude. Okay, maybe I could be a little catty.

  “When it’s all I can find.” I tilted my head and smiled sweetly, ignoring the frown that whipped across Selina’s delicate features.

  Keith stepped forward with the refilled flute. “Both dresses are equally stunning, though everyone knows it’s the woman who makes the dress beautiful, not the other way around.” He smiled and handed Selina her glass.

  Selina’s mouth opened in a small “O,” and a gasp left her lips. However, before she could speak, her husband tightened his grip on her elbow and led her away through the crowd.

  As they moved away, Selina ranted at her husband. “Did you hear what he said to me? The gall! Anyone can see that thing she has on came straight off the sale rack at K-Mart.”

  Douglas’s jaw tightened, but his response was too softly spoken for me to hear.

  I glanced down at my own far less expensive dress, which I had purchased from Kohl’s, thank you very much. I’d spent too much on the black sheath dress, but the sleeveless gown hugged me in all the right places, and I hadn’t been able to resist buying it. And the fact that Keith couldn’t keep his eyes off me tonight made it worth every penny.

  A glass of sparkling wine was pressed into my hand, and I turned to look into Keith’s eyes. “I can’t drink this. The last thing I need is for it to go straight to my head. It’s all I can do to keep track of who’s who as it is.”

  “Oh yes, you can. You look like you need it.” He placed a hand on the small of my back, gently guiding me toward a quiet corner. Once in a slightly less crowded spot in the store, he blocked my view of the room for a moment, giving me a bit of a break from the crowd.

  I tensed and relaxed my shoulders a few times and rolled my neck to loosen the tightness. “I just want everyone to have a good time.”

  Keith shifted a bit, unblocking my view. “Sweetheart, look around you.” He gestured with his glass at laughing couples, several people contentedly browsing the shelves, and small conversation groups, which had sprung up around the room. “Everyone is having a good time.” />
  I inwardly winced at Selina March’s rudeness. “Some don’t seem to be.”

  Keith chuckled. “Don’t worry about Selina. Tomorrow, you’ll probably be her best friend. She’s just in one of her moods. From what I hear, she’s pouting because Douglas put his foot down and wouldn’t let her stage a late-nineteenth-century ball at the inn.”

  A picture of the elegant turn-of-the-twentieth-century mansion, which was now the five-star Hokes Bluff Inn, popped into my head. Built in the early 1900s and intended to outshine Biltmore in Asheville, the estate had over three hundred rooms, a bowling alley, two indoor swimming pools, and more. I could just see a ball in the grand ballroom, a stringed orchestra playing period pieces while ladies in beautiful dresses danced with dashing men, all in period dress.

  My eyes wandered over my own little soirée, with my new coffee mugs and my rented but inexpensive champagne flutes. I took in my guests, dressed in everything from nice dresses and suits to true formal wear. Next to the image of a late-1800s ball, I could see why Selina would see this as a bit of a letdown.

  Keith slipped his arm around my waist and gave me a little squeeze. “Your grand reopening is a smashing success.”

  I smiled up at him, relaxing at his warm touch, and paraphrased Rita’s words. “Let’s just hope you can still say that when it’s all over.”

  Soft strains of classical music wafted from the stereo my only employee, Mason Craig, had set up behind the front counter, the soothing notes relaxing me further. I took a small sip of the sparkling wine, enjoying the way it tickled across my tongue.

  Keith stroked the back of my neck softly, his warm fingertips drawing random patterns across my skin. “You look beautiful tonight. You should wear your hair up like that more often.”

  “Stop that.” I reached a hand up to check the artful twist Rita had arranged in my shoulder-length, dark blonde hair, hoping to bluff my way past the warmth that signaled a blush creeping across my face. Yep, all still in place since the last time I’d nervously checked it.

  I once again scanned the room, and as I was about to take another sip of the wine, I saw Mason Craig frantically waving at me from the front door. I’d hired him during the investigation into Uncle Paul’s murder, and in spite of his personal past with my uncle, I hadn’t regretted the decision.

  I nodded at Mason and handed my glass to Keith. “No rest for the weary. I need to go see what’s happening.”

  This time, I traversed the store more quickly, sidestepping guests’ questions and well-meant compliments. I reached the door to find a flustered twenty-year-old Mason blocking the entrance. I placed my hand on his arm. “Is there a problem?”

  “This is Linus Talbot.”

  Smiling warmly, I extended my hand in welcome to the tuxedoed man, recognizing the name as belonging to the town’s Director of Antique Books at the library. Hokes Folly might be a small town, but due to the historical significance of the Hokes Bluff Inn, the library had a rare book section that was the envy of many larger cities. “I’m so glad you could make it, Mr. Talbot.”

  I turned back to Mason. “Is his name not on the list? If it’s not, it was an oversight. I did send Mr. Talbot an invitation.” Again, I shot a warm smile at the older gentleman.

  Mason looked down at the clipboard in his hand. “Yes, ma’am, his name’s here. But—”

  “But,” Linus interrupted, “I don’t go places that don’t also allow Eddy to come.”

  My gaze followed Linus’s gesture, and I noted the medium-sized dog sitting quietly beside his master, his head barely reaching Linus’s knee. The wavy, golden-red coat and white chest were well groomed, and deep-brown eyes returned my stare. A giggle burbled up when I noticed the black bow tie around the dog’s neck, which exactly matched the one Linus wore.

  “He’s well trained, he’s dressed formally for the occasion, and your invitation did say ‘Linus Talbot and guest.’” Linus raised his hand. “We solemnly swear that Eddy will not chew anything, disturb other guests, or make a mess in any way.”

  My heart melted for the dog when I saw Eddy sitting with right paw raised, his eyes glued to Linus. Why the heck not? I preferred not to alienate someone who had been helpful to me in the past and whose assistance I was likely to need again. “All right, you can both come in. But I’ll hold you to that promise.” I tore two tickets off the roll on a stool beside Mason and handed them to the librarian. “One for you and one for Eddy. You’ll need them for tonight’s drawings.”

  Linus and I walked into the store, leaving Mason to cover the door.

  “You’ve really done a lot with this place in the last couple of months,” Linus said, his brows up and a speculative gleam in his eyes.

  I nodded slowly. “It took us weeks, but we finally organized everything. Thank goodness I had Rita and Mason to help, or I’d probably still be working on it.”

  Linus chuckled. “I do remember the mess in which Paul kept things. It’s amazing he could ever find anything in here, but he seemed to know where every book was hidden. Are those refreshments?”

  I blinked, startled by his abrupt change of subject, but I understood when I followed his line of sight to the table I’d set up. “Yes, we have coffee and sparkling wine. If you’d like, I can scare up a bowl for Eddy to have some water.” I reached down and stroked the dog’s head, receiving a tail wag in response.

  “There’s no need. Eddy loves to drink from those little Styrofoam cups. If he gets thirsty, I’ll make sure he has something. But I think I’ll go help myself, if you’ll excuse me.”

  I smiled and watched the book specialist walk away, Eddy trotting beside him, never moving more than a foot from his master. What would it be like to have a pet that devoted to me? Maybe I should consider getting a kitten or puppy now that I’d decided to give living in Hokes Folly a try.

  Rita waved from across the room and pointed at her watch. I glanced down at mine and realized it was time for my welcome speech.

  I stepped to the front counter and cleared my throat. “Excuse me. May I have everyone’s attention, please?”

  The sounds of conversation slowly died as faces turned to me expectantly.

  I tamped down the butterflies in my stomach and took a deep breath. “I’d like to thank you all for coming tonight. As you know, Uncle Paul loved this store and this town.” As I continued my speech, the nervousness left me. This was my town now. I belonged here. “In the past few months, I’ve come to love them too. You’ve all opened your hearts to me, and I hope to serve the community as well as my uncle did.”

  Determined not to bore anyone with a long speech, I wrapped up. “So please, everyone enjoy your time here tonight, and don’t forget to take a commemorative mug home with you.”

  A brief round of applause echoed through the room before guests turned back to their conversations. A man stopped to give Eddy a quick pat before chatting with Linus. Again, I wondered if a pet might be a good idea, as the guests seemed content having the dog in the store.

  “Ms. Quinn.”

  My daydream about pets ended, and I turned to see who had spoken.

  “Bradford Prescott.” A man extended his hand, his other resting at the waist of the woman beside him.

  “Mr. Prescott, I’m so glad you could make it tonight.” I took his hand momentarily, recognizing the candidate for state legislature from a speech I’d watched him give recently. “How is your campaign going?”

  “Beautifully, thank you.” He gently nudged the woman forward with his hand. “This is my wife Becky.”

  Bradford and Becky? Their matching shades of blond hair and their elegantly coordinated attire marked them as one of the few couples in Hokes Folly that could be considered our version of a power couple, and I remembered Bradford’s wife worked at the district attorney’s office, although I had her listed in my records as Rebecca. Their almost alliterative names were a bit cutesy, but I figured no one would dare say so and risk offending them. I shook the perfectly manicured hand the peti
te Becky held out.

  “I’m so glad to see you allow animals in your store.” Bradford gestured toward Eddy, who sat patiently at Linus’s side as the librarian talked to another guest.

  I smiled again at the odd pair, the proverbial man and his best friend. “Consider this a trial run.”

  “As you know, stronger animal cruelty laws are part of what I hope to accomplish should I be elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives next month.”

  Stifling a groan, I turned the smile toward Bradford. “Oh?” How could I get out of this? I really had no desire whatsoever to listen to his mini-stump speech, as I’d already heard much of his political opinions at the town meeting Rita had forced me to attend with her. He’d verbally danced circles around his opponent, his political savvy and intelligence impressing me even when I had disagreed with a few of his stances, although I thought he was spot-on regarding animal welfare. After the Howell bribery scandal had broken last week, completely discrediting Bradford’s opponent, I figured Bradford was a shoo-in for the position. No one wanted to reelect a corrupt official.

  I tuned him out as I subtly searched the crowd for Keith’s dark head over the crowd. Darn. He was deep in conversation with Phillie Hokes, the last member of the Hokes family still living in Hokes Folly. She and her sister had owned a vintage and antique clothing store next to my bookstore. Phillie had recently closed the store, although she was still disposing of the remaining inventory and fixtures and had thrown herself more fully into her love of gardening. I thought of the gorgeous flower beds I’d seen in her backyard. She was probably filling Keith’s ear with information on what plants she thought I should include in my display windows as we approached the holiday season, ignoring her knowledge of my completely brown thumb. Plants and I did not get along.

  Next, I scanned for Rita’s flaming hair. No luck there either. I caught a glimpse of her back as she walked into the back room, probably to make more coffee or grab more sparkling wine. Mason was a bust, too, as he still had his hands full at the front door. Resigning myself to a political chat, I returned my attention to Bradford as he droned on about his agenda.