"I appreciate your doing this for me, Katie."
Katie glanced at Eugene as he shook hands with Cas. "Oh, it's no trouble at all. Mattie will be so pleased you wanted her book for Missy."
"I like mine so much, with everything in it. I wanted her to have it, and she will be pleased to have it signed. It will be a nice surprise for her. It was the first thing I thought of when Miss Minnie and Miss Mayme told us you were coming by on the way to the lake. I forgot to take it with me when we moved."
"We were all concentrating on moving, I guess. Anyway, I'm glad you brought it. Mattie loves to sign them for people. It makes her feel good to know someone is enjoying her book."
Cas waited until Eugene had locked the car to go in with him. "You're lucky to have personal holidays you can take," he remarked, making small talk. "What is the name of the company you work for in Fort Craig?"
"Rid-A-Pest," Eugene beamed proudly. "It's a national chain, got good benefits, too. And one of the reasons I like it is I like to be outdoors," he added as they went into the shop.
Once inside, Cas wandered up and down a couple of nearby aisles with gift items on them.
The shelves were so full, there were lots of things to look at and in his case, figure out what they were. He paused to admire the flower arrangements displayed on the shelves, too, to keep from staring at Eugene's hair.
Not being in uniform this trip, Eugene's head of luxuriant hair wasn't hidden beneath a cap and looked, Cas would swear, like it was enjoying its freedom. Eugene wore his wealth of hair in what must have been a much spray netted pompadour, the predominant white steaks in it giving it a slightly theatrical appearance.
Cas looked everywhere but at that hair. He picked up a small arrangement and studied it critically, though he didn't know an onion from a posy except by the smell.
"I don't know whether he looks more like a television evangelist or an undertaker," he thought to himself trying to keep his opinion from appearing on his face.
Connie hadn't missed the luxuriant hair either. She was amused at Eugene's old-fashioned manners but didn't miss the fact that he also managed to make sure all of them knew he was taking Katie to see her sister at his own personal expense.
Noticing Cas's new-found interest in the gift items, Connie turned away to hide her smirk. She was tempted to tease him a little but decided to wait till later and do it in private, keeping an eye on him.
"Cas is no more interested in shopping than he is in cooking. He must not want it to be obvious he's thinking the same thing I am. Mr. Eugene Austin is as phony as a three dollar bill!"
At the moment, Cas was not looking at the arrangements in the window, but through the window at the library. He willed Hannah to come outside for something. Anything. He wished he'd thought to call her before they had walked over there.
Less than two minutes later, Hannah did come out of the library. She walked slowly down the library steps as if not sure where she wanted to go.
A big smile covered Cas's face when he saw her. He hurried out of the shop and called to her, beckoning.
No one noticed. A potted plant had caught Connie's eye and the Anderson sisters were busy showing Eugene and Katie around.
"It's a little messy in here right now. I'm going to have to get someone to move these two file cabinets," Miss Minnie said somewhat apologetically as she showed Eugene her small office.
There were cups, stationary and other things stowed in odd places and on the shelves behind the cabinets.
"We're not in that much of a hurry," Eugene told her. "I'll be glad to move them for you now."
It figures, Connie thought as she watched them a few seconds before looking around for Cas." Now where did he get off to so fast? And just what is our sheriff up to?"
Cas had gone to meet Hannah and they were on their way back when she saw him.
He looked pleased urging Hannah in the door. Then he took Katie's arm and started pulling her toward the door where Hannah hesitated looking as if she didn't know why she had come.
Katie smiled and slowly started moving, though anything that put distance between her and Eugene met with some degree of resistance. Connie stood and watched a few seconds before joining them.
"I want you to meet someone," Cas urged Katie on.
When Connie had gone to join them Miss Mayme followed. Cas was smiling broadly as they reached Hannah.
"Hannah McLaughlin, this is Katie Ellis, Mattie Carrington's sister."
Hannah and Katie smiled at each other. "Hannah works at the library, we're neighbors," he explained to Katie.
"What's got into him," Connie wondered, her teeth getting dry from all the smiling for no apparent reason.
Hannah shook hands with Katie, both of them now smiling warmly at each other. "I'm so glad to meet you. I suppose it's obvious, since I work at the library, I like books."
"I do too," Katie agreed. "I work in a bookstore."
"I have your sister's book. The first one she did. If I get a chance," Hannah said wistfully, "I'd like to get her to sign it for me."
"Do you have it with you?" Katie asked immediately. "We're taking one up to Mattie to get it signed for Connie. She bought it for her daughter. We could take yours too."
"No, mine's at home. Wait!" Hanna had a sudden idea. "There's one at the library that hasn't been stamped yet. I'll get it and bring mine from home to replace it. Are you sure you don't mind?" Hannah asked, excited at the chance.
"Not at all, I'd be pleased to."
Hannah had disappeared into the library when Eugene appeared at Katie's side. "All finished moving. Are you about ready to go?"
"Will be in just a minute. I'm going to take another book to get signed, Mattie will be pleased."
"Yes, I'm sure she will. I'll be with you in a minute, I'm going back and wash my hands."
Hannah got back with her book to take to Mattie and with a wave at Cas and Katie, returned to the library looking pleased.
Eugene came to join them, basking in Miss Minnie's gratitude for his help, which pleased Katie. The visitors said their goodbyes and left on a wave of good will from everyone but the sheriff's dutiful wife, whose dry teeth belied her cheerfulness. She eyed her over friendly husband suspiciously.
"That rascal is up to something. I'd bet my next batch of cookies on it," Connie thought to herself. "I'm never sure if he's devious because he's sheriff, or he's sheriff because he's devious, but he is definitely up to something."
Having waved Katie and Eugene on their way, Cas walked Connie back to her car in the parking lot by his office, still in good spirits.
"I know Missy will like that cookbook. It's one of those hope chest necessities you mentioned the other day. Being her father, I'm not hoping very hard," he admitted. "I don't want to lose my little girl."
Connie kissed him on the cheek, affection overriding her suspicions. "You're not going to lose her. You may have to get used to sharing her with a family of her own some day is all."
"I'm glad you're getting the book signed for her too, it will mean more than just having one off the shelf. Lucky for Hannah to be able to get hers signed, too."
"Um-hum, that was lucky. And that reminds me?"
"What?" He recognized the look. She was wearing her suspicious expression that meant he might be in some kind of trouble.
"Why were you so anxious for Hannah to meet Katie?"
"I wasn't anxious," Cas defended himself. "I saw her come out of the library and thought it would be a good time to introduce them, since they're both so interested in books. I didn't even know Hannah had one of Mattie's cookbooks."
That was the truth, Connie was sure of that. This handy application of a little truth was a thing he'd learned from the many suspects he'd questioned over the years, throwing a little truth in to distract from what you weren't saying.
"Hum, I guess not. Anyway, I'm glad she had one at the library to use until she should swap it for hers. It did work out well."
She didn't move to
ward her car, her deep blue eyes narrowing again, "But it seemed funny to me that she came out just at the right time."
"And you're the one who says I'm suspicious of everything," Cas scoffed. "Want to apply for a Deputy position?"
"No, I think I'll just go home and cook our dinner. But I still wonder why you were so anxious to introduce them. Now," the blue eyes stared intently into his brown ones, "If as I once suspected, Hannah was a witch, you might wonder about their reactions to each other. Cas!"
"What now?" Dismay at how close she had come to the truth was quickly disguised as irritation.
"You surely don't suspect Katie is trying to do away with Mattie?" Her voice rose with indignation, "Mattie's her sister! That's terrible! Even for a suspicious sheriff to think!"
"It's not only terrible, it's way out in left field. Now, how about that dinner?" He opened the car door.
Connie didn't move. "Would you tell me if you did suspect Katie?"
"I don't know, since I don't suspect her."
"Oh, all right. I guess it is a little far out. The things that happened couldn't have been anything but accidents."
"That's right. Mattie tripped over the belt to her robe when she fell on the stairs, and the explosion in her kitchen was caused by gas."
"But you did wonder about it, didn't you? I could tell by the questions you asked."
"I asked the same questions anyone would have asked."
She got into the car and he bent down to kiss her. "You're more suspicious than you keep telling me I am," he grinned.
"I guess it's rubbed off. Will you be home soon?"
"I'll leave in about half an hour."
Cas watched Connie go out of the parking lot before returning to his office. He reached for the phone and hurriedly dialed the library's number.
"Pine County Library, Hannah McLaughlin speaking."
"I was afraid you'd already gone. I didn't know you have one of Mattie Carrington's cookbooks."
"That's because you and I don't exchange recipes very often," Hannah pointed out. "I was glad to get the chance to have it signed. Thanks for calling me over. And Cas, before I went out and saw you, I did have the feeling someone was calling me, that's why I went out. Was it you?"
"Yes. I wanted you to meet Katie. If I'd thought of it before Connie and I walked over, I'd have phoned."
"I'm glad. Thanks for thinking of me."
"Did you like Katie?"
"Yes, I did. She's a very sweet person. Is Mattie Carrington like her?"
"No. She's a lot older, for one thing. She's got one of those sour personalities that people always describe as good hearted, when they talk about them to give you an idea."
"Oh. Well, then I'm glad it was the sweet one I met!" Hannah laughed at his description of Mattie. "And thanks again for the chance to get my book signed."
Cas said goodbye and rested his cranium full of troublesome thoughts on his hands.
"So much for that. As Connie says, it was probably foolish to suspect Katie anyway. Oh well, Sanctuary, here I come."
Chapter 8
Jo Beth arrived at the library breathless, thankful Hannah was already there and the doors were open.
"Hi there! It's only me," Jo Beth's breathy words rushed out when Hannah looked up. "I'm about five minutes late. Might as well admit it, since you've already opened for business. Did you have much trouble while I was off doctoring up my cold, and being late my first day back on top of that?"
"Not to worry, I won't dock you," Hannah smiled. "I'm changing the date on the stampers. There's not much left to put up. And everything went fine while you were gone," Hannah assured her. "Probably because I knew you'd be back soon."
"Oh sure, I don't mind hogging all the credit. Anything exciting happen?"
"Yes, something good. I got to meet Mattie Carrington's sister."
"The one who's writing the new cookbook? How did that happen?"
"Her sister and her boyfriend who was taking her to see Mattie stopped by the Anderson's flower shop on the way to the lake to see her. She's taking my book by Mattie Carrington to her for her to sign. Just about everyone I know has that first one, it's a jewel. So now I'll have a signed one. It's sort of a long story how I managed it. That is, there's no harm done, so I hope you're going to approve. I sent the copy we had and brought in my copy for the library. Am I in trouble?" Hannah spoke quickly and added, "It's the only way I could manage to get it signed."
"Oh, that's fine with me, I'd have done the same. And after all, you didn't dock me for being late," Jo Beth chuckled. "I'm happy for you."
She closed the drawer she kept her purse in. "And your trip to Fort Craig over the weekend must have been good for you too, judging by that big smile. Did you have a high heeled time?"
Jo Beth looked with approval at the neat desk top with the stampers carefully dated correctly and only four or five books left on the corner to put up.
"I don't know if it would qualify as a high heeled time or not, but I really enjoyed my visit. Gina and I always have a good time, she's my best friend. We went shopping and I bought a new blouse. And I made a new friend, Gina introduced us. She works where Gina does."
"That's nice, as long as they don't try to steal you back to Fort Craig. I need you here." Jo Beth crossed her arms across her breast in comic supplication.
"Not a chance," Hannah assured her. "I like books better than computers. And I like living in Maryvale, too." She hesitated, not offering anything further.
"That's good to hear, I'd have to be awfully selfish to begrudge you a visit with your best friend." Jo Beth looked down at the correctly dated stampers standing at attention like little soldiers in a line and all the loose pencils trapped in a mug beside the pens, like they'd captured them. She wondered a little, turning away her quizzical glance, at her feeling Hannah might have a problem she didn't care to discuss but Hannah didn't volunteer any information so Jo Beth didn't ask any more questions.
She shrugged and chuckled affectionately, "Bring on Monday, we're ready!"
Monday's routine kept Hannah busy, but thoughts of Tim intruded once in a while. She scolded herself for being so foolish and disappointed he hadn't called. She reasoned it was Monday in his office the same as it was at the library.
"And being our brand new county judge, he's new at his job, just as he reminded me when we talked about it. But oh, it seems so long now since we talked about it."
She sighed, hoping Flora was right and Tim would call her again. Excuses kept running through her mind about how busy he must be and she remembered he had to call on Connie Larkin sometimes to help with his extra work and correspondence.
In spite of all those plausible sounding excuses, every passing hour made those excuses sound weaker.
Jo Beth watched Hannah's unhappy expression surreptitiously and helplessly but she kept busy and kept silent, not prying.
The Friday work day at the library was really dull, and looking at her watch she was disappointed there had been no call from Tim. But she remembered Flora's prediction that he would call.
She remembered how sure Flora had seemed that he would call. She had managed to survive on that hopeful prediction until Friday by keeping as close a watch as she could on the front door in case Tim went by on his way to the Smithy.
Little plots and schemes were hatching in the back of her mind by then about accidental meetings. She was admitting to herself some of them were so ridiculous she'd never have the nerve to try them, when the ringing of the phone interrupted her devious plans. She picked it up, glancing hopefully again out the door. It was nearly lunchtime and her eyes had started searching the empty sidewalk across the square.
"Pine County Library, Hannah McLaughlin speaking."
"Hannah, this is Tim. I, that is," he hesitated a little. "Do you have time to go and have lunch with me somewhere? If I remember right, you usually go early?"
"Yes, Jo Beth likes the later lunch hour." She hoped he couldn't hear her heart pounding, "I
would like to."
"I thought, if you don't have to hurry back today, we could go out and have barbeque."
"I won't have to hurry back today. Everything is in pretty good shape," Hannah told him gaily. She would have gone with him if she had to climb a mountain of books and work on the way out the door.
She smiled into the phone, getting a grip on her emotions. "I don't think the public can do us much harm with only the rest of Friday between us and the weekend."
"Good," Tim's spirits rose too. "I'll come by for you at eleven or a little before."
"Fine. I'll watch for you."
Putting down the phone, Hannah grasped her forearms and hugged herself to keep from dancing, right there in the library.
"He called! Flora was right, he called!"
Jo Beth peeked out from behind a shelf. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I got caught here when I realized you were on the phone."
"That's all right. I don't mind your knowing I have a lunch date, if that's what you call it."
"You look so pleased, that must be what we should call it," Jo Beth chuckled. "Who with?"
"Tim Carpenter."
Jo Beth smiled knowingly. She made a note that whatever was wrong with Hannah, Tim had fixed it. "Um-hum," the smile broadened into a grin.
"Now, don't hum at me. He's a nice person, and I enjoy his company." Hannah added silently, "And I was afraid he'd never call!"
As soon as Tim's car stopped in front of the library Hannah came out, looking happy to see him.
"That's a good sign," Tim thought, "Or am I just pecking at crumbs?"
Doubts didn't slow him down any. He went around and opened the door for her feeling like a little boy on the way to his first dance with real girls.
Two blue eyes bright with interest watched them as they pulled away from the curb.
"Minnie! Guess what? I saw Hannah McLaughlin get into Tim Carpenter's car just now."
Miss Minnie looked up, "You're sure it was his car?"
"Of course! I know his car. And besides, he got out to open the door for her, and she was smiling at him."
"I'd smile too, if someone came to take me to lunch," Miss Minnie muttered, going on with her work.
Recipe for Trouble Page 12