Read It and Weep (A Library Lover's Mystery)

by Jenn McKinlay

  “You’re in luck. I’m on call for the water taxi tonight, since both Sully and Ian are working on the set for the play,” he said. “I’m getting double overtime. Let’s go.”

  “Can I bring Heathcliff?” Lindsey asked.

  “Sure, he loves the taxi,” Charlie said.

  “When did he go out on the taxi?” Lindsey asked.

  “Oh, um . . .” Charlie grabbed his jacket off of a nearby chair. Lindsey already had hers on.

  “Charlie,” she said in a warning voice.

  “Well, sometimes when I’m watching him for you, I take him down to visit Sully and we go for a ride on the taxi,” Charlie said. He made a face like he was expecting her to slug him. “He missed Sully and I know Sully missed him, too, since you two—”

  “Since Sully dumped me,” she said. “It’s fine. I’m not mad. Much.”

  Heathcliff’s ears perked up at the name Sully, and he did a happy dance.

  “No, we’re not going to see him,” she said. Heathcliff sat back down and gave her a sulky look from under his bushy eyebrows. “I’m not going to cave in, so forget it.”

  “Come on, boy. They’ll get back together, you’ll see,” Charlie said.

  “Charlie!” Lindsey protested.

  “What?” he asked. “You, Sully and Heathcliff are like PB &J. You just go together.”

  “Whatever,” Lindsey said. She knew it was pointless to argue with him.

  “Cheer up, buddy,” Charlie said to Heathcliff as he led the way out the door. “At least you still get to ride in the boat.”

  • • •

  The air was cold out on the water, and Lindsey’s nose began to run. She had forgotten to wear gloves and kept her hands jammed into her pockets when she wasn’t blowing her nose.

  Wishbone Island was halfway out into the islands, so it only took a little over twenty minutes to reach. Heathcliff loved it. He had his own spot on the boat where he stood and rested his paws on the side; he barked at the wind and tried to bite the waves that splashed up against the boat, and he never stopped wagging.

  Lindsey sat in the seat next to him, keeping a hand on his leash just in case a stray wave knocked him overboard. She realized it was unnecessary, as he seemed to have better sea legs than she did, but still, he was her baby.

  “Charlie, exactly how many times has he been out on this boat?” she called.

  Charlie looked at her and then cupped a hand to his ear and yelled, “Huh?”

  Lindsey knew he could hear her. The engine and wind weren’t that loud. She shook her head at him, not buying his dodging of the question.

  “Oh, look,” Charlie cried. “Here we are.”

  He cut the engine back and turned the wheel to follow the perimeter of the island toward Charlene’s cabin. Wishbone Island was named for its shape, and Charlene and Martin’s cabin was at the pointy end of the wishbone.

  Although the line of the island was rocky, the island itself was lush with trees. There were several cabins on it, as it was one of the few of the Thumb Islands that had electricity. Given the modern conveniences and boat-only access, it was a perfect getaway spot, especially for a local celebrity like Charlene. Lindsey knew that Charlene loved the peace and quiet that her family could get on the island, away from her life as a busy news anchor.

  Charlie brought the boat right into the long dock that belonged to Charlene’s cabin. Heathcliff jumped out as soon as he could, and Lindsey scrambled out to tie the boat while Charlie shut down the engine.

  Heathcliff was dancing on his feet and Lindsey finally said, “Okay, go ahead.”

  Heathcliff took off at a run, down the dock and up the stairs that led to a large deck. From there he crossed the deck to scratch against the door, which led into the cozy red cabin with the white trim nestled against a thick thatch of fir trees.

  Lindsey waited for Charlie, and together they made their way up the steps. Lindsey had just reached the landing when she saw Charlene come out the door, shutting it behind her.

  Charlene was a tall, lithe black woman, who while strikingly good looking, also possessed a keen intelligence that was easy to see in the spark in her eyes. She carried herself with an air of confidence, and she was a successful news anchor quite simply because people trusted her. They trusted her to report the facts and keep them informed about their world.

  Right now, she was a casual version of her usual self in jeans and a black turtleneck sweater with her shoulder-length hair tied back by a plaid scarf. She glanced at Lindsey with a worried look.

  “Lindsey! Charlie!” she cried when she saw them. “When Heathcliff showed up at the door, I didn’t know what to think. Is everything all right?”

  “It’s fine,” Lindsey assured her. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to check and see that you are doing all right?”

  “So you came all the way out here in a boat with your dog?” Charlene asked. “Cell phones reach the islands, you know.”

  “I know, but I wanted to see you for myself,” she said.

  “Well, as you can see I’m fine,” Charlene said.

  Lindsey glanced at Charlie and he shrugged. Charlene was definitely not herself. Lindsey had expected her to be sad or distraught; instead, she seemed stressed and slightly irritated.

  Lindsey held out the Tupperware tub she’d brought with her. “I made you pumpkin squares. I thought the kids would like them, and they’re somewhat healthy.”

  Charlene’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. This was so nice of you and I’m, well, I’m just out of sorts.”

  “That’s okay; you’re grieving,” Lindsey said. “It’s perfectly normal to feel angry, scared, sad, all of that.”

  She reached out and hugged her friend around the tub of cookies. Charlene gave her a firm squeeze back, and Lindsey pressed the tub into Charlene’s arms.

  “How are the kids? Are they doing all right?” she asked.

  A squeal of laughter sounded from the open window of the cabin, and Charlene glanced over her shoulder at the house.

  “Yes, I haven’t really told them anything,” Charlene said in a low voice. “I’ve been waiting.”

  “Kids are tougher than people think,” Charlie said. “They’ll be okay.”

  “Maybe,” Charlene said. “How are you doing, Lindsey?”

  “Me?” Lindsey asked.

  “Yes, I know that you and Robbie seemed to really hit it off,” she said.

  “Oh, I—” Lindsey glanced at Charlie and saw his outraged look. He had been very clear over the past few months that he fully expected her and Sully to get back together.

  “Explain,” he said.

  “Well, Robbie certainly was a charmer. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t flattered to be noticed by him and I was very sad about, well—” Lindsey’s throat got tight and she realized she didn’t even want to utter the words that he was gone. She shook her head. She had a purpose here more than just to check on her friend.

  “You cared for him a lot, didn’t you?” Charlene asked.

  “Yeah,” Lindsey admitted, ignoring Charlie’s huff of indignation.

  “I understand,” Charlene said. Her voice was so sympathetic that Lindsey was afraid she would burst into tears.

  “Look, I don’t want to keep you,” she said. “I’m sure the kids must be getting ready for bed, but I feel better now that I’ve seen you. Will you please call me if you need anything?”

  “I will absolutely,” Charlene said. She took Lindsey’s hand and squeezed it in hers. “You’re a good friend.”

  “Thanks,” Lindsey said. She turned to Charlie and Heathcliff, who was busily sniffing all of the corners of the deck. “Charlie, why don’t you take Heathcliff down to the boat? I’ll be right there.”

  “All right,” he said. “Good night, Charlene, and I’m sorry for your loss.”
r />   Charlene gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Charlie.”

  Lindsey waited until they had started down the stairs before she turned back to Charlene.

  “What is it, Lindsey?” Charlene asked. “What’s on your mind?”

  “Charlene, did you know that Robbie fathered a child?” she asked.

  Charlene’s eyes went wide and she blew out a breath. “Did Robbie tell you that?”

  Lindsey lowered her head. “No, I was reading some old articles about him and it was mentioned in an old Times interview.”

  Charlene put the tub of pumpkin squares on the table and crossed her arms over her chest. She did not look happy.

  “Why are you digging into Robbie’s past?” she asked.

  “Because I’m a buttinsky?” Lindsey suggested.

  The sound of laughter came from the cabin and Lindsey cringed. She sincerely hoped that was from the television and not because the kids were eavesdropping and laughing at her.

  “Yes, you are,” Charlene said. “But given that I’m a reporter, I can’t really fault you for it. You need to stay away from this situation, however.”

  “I promise I’m not getting involved,” Lindsey said. “It’s just that someone was out to get Robbie and that someone is still out there, and I’m worried—”

  “Worried about what?” Charlene asked. She was watching Lindsey closely under the yellow porch light, and Lindsey wished she had just kept her mouth shut. Charlene had enough to deal with without getting all riled that her mother might be a target, too.

  “Nothing,” Lindsey lied.

  “Oh, no, you started to say something,” Charlene said. “You need to finish it.”

  Lindsey blew out a breath. She was going to go for vague and hope that Charlene didn’t put it together. “All right, I’m just worried that Robbie wasn’t the only target.”

  “Meaning you think my mother might be next?”

  18

  “Well, you weren’t supposed to get it that quick,” Lindsey said.

  “It’s nothing I hadn’t thought myself,” Charlene said. “Mom, of course, refuses to listen.”

  “Of course,” Lindsey agreed. “That’s why we’ve all agreed to keep watch over her. She won’t be allowed out of our sight.”

  Charlene smiled. “I might have known. Meanwhile, I’ve been nagging Emma to assign an undercover officer to tail her twenty-four-seven.”

  “Excellent. Between all of us, she should be safe.”

  Charlene nodded. She looked as if she wanted to say more but she held back.

  “I did know that Robbie fathered a child,” Charlene said, “but I don’t think that had anything to do with what happened.”

  “Does Emma know?” Lindsey asked.

  “I don’t know,” Charlene said. “I don’t feel right telling Emma about Robbie’s personal business.” She looped her arm through Lindsey’s and led her away from the house. “It was so many years ago, and Mom said when he refused to get married and settle down, the mother put the baby up for adoption. It was before Robbie was famous, so the mother probably didn’t think he’d be a contributing factor and she couldn’t do it alone. They were just kids themselves.”

  “Don’t worry,” Lindsey said. “I’m not judging. It just made me think that maybe, given his success, the mother might have come looking for him.”

  “No, not that I know of,” Charlene said. “I mean, I would think he’d have mentioned it if she had.”

  “I suppose so,” Lindsey said.

  “What does Sully think about your interest in Robbie’s background?” Charlene asked.

  “Nothing as far as I know,” Lindsey said. “I mean, Sully and I don’t talk that much anymore, so it’s not like I mentioned to him that I’ve been reading articles about Robbie to see if they shed any light on who might have a vendetta against him.”

  “So, are you and Sully really over?” Charlene asked.

  Lindsey glanced down the stairs and across the small dock to the boat where Charlie and Heathcliff sat waiting. Was her relationship with Sully done for good? The thought was a tough one to process. She didn’t like it but she didn’t see much hope for them if Sully didn’t learn to better communicate.

  “I don’t know, but it doesn’t look good,” she said.

  Charlene glanced over her shoulder at the cabin as if to be sure that the kids were all right and then back at Lindsey. She studied her for moment and then asked, “Do you think you would have dated Robbie, you know, if—”

  “If he hadn’t been murdered?” Lindsey clarified. “Hard to say, but I did like him. Yes, I’m admitting it; I really, really liked him, despite my good sense. Why do you ask?”

  “I was just wondering,” Charlene said. “If Robbie hadn’t, well, if things had been different and you fell for each other, then Robbie would have stayed here and we could all have lived happily ever after.”

  “Yeah, his wife might have had something to say about that . . . oh, and his girlfriend, too,” Lindsey said.

  She could feel her face get warm at the thought of having Robbie Vine for a boyfriend—which was ridiculous, since he was gone—but the thought that she never got to have him be something more in her life made her sad.

  “Yeah, well, it would have been nice,” Charlene said. “Don’t you think?”

  “Yeah,” Lindsey said. She suspected Charlene just needed to hear that Robbie’s story could have had an alternate ending. “I am so sorry for your loss.”

  “Thanks,” Charlene said, and she hugged Lindsey close. “For everything.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” she said. “Call me if you need me.”

  “I promise,” Charlene said.

  Lindsey hurried down the stairs and untied the boat. She gave the boat a shove and scrambled aboard while Charlie fired up the engine.

  Twenty minutes later, they were pulling up to the dock. Lindsey was about to hustle out when she recognized the tall figure standing on the dock waiting for them. Sully.

  Heathcliff went right into spasms of joy, and Lindsey felt her own heart do a skip and a jump. Why was it whenever she thought she was getting over him, he showed up and she was knocked flat all over again?

  He grabbed the side of the boat and tied it up while Lindsey and Heathcliff jumped out. Charlie followed as soon as he switched off the engine. Sully didn’t say anything but glanced between Charlie and Lindsey, obviously waiting for an explanation.

  Lindsey just glanced at him and then at her watch. She wanted to get over to the theater and help Nancy and Mary.

  “Charlie, are you heading home?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said. “I have the phone here forwarded to my cell so I’ll get any taxi calls wherever I am.”

  “Would you mind taking Heathcliff with you?” she asked. “I want to stop by the theater and see how things are going.”

  “Sure, me and the dog dude can hang out and watch Animal Planet. He digs the Gator Boys,” Charlie said. Then he eyed Sully with a wary glance. “Everything all right, boss?”

  “Huh?” Sully glanced between them. “Yeah, it’s fine. I just stopped by the office for a minute for a paperwork thing.”

  “Cool,” Charlie said. “So, I’ll see you later, Lindsey. See ya, boss.”

  She nodded and waved as Charlie and Heathcliff set off toward home. Lindsey turned in the opposite direction and headed to the theater. Halfway down the pier, Sully fell into step beside her.

  “So, you needed the taxi?” he asked.

  “Yep.”

  Silence fell between them, and Lindsey sighed. She didn’t like how things were between them now. It was all awkward and wrong. She couldn’t help but feel that Sully didn’t say what he was thinking and she was afraid that if Sully didn’t learn now to say what he was thinking, then if they got back together she would always fee
l emotionally detached from him. And she just didn’t see that as a happy-ever-after.

  “I’m guessing you went to see Charlene,” he said.

  “I did.”

  “Probably brought her a banana bread.”

  “Pumpkin squares, actually,” she said.

  “Oh, man, you didn’t give any to Charlie, did you?”

  “No, why?”

  “Because if he made out just because he was on taxi duty tonight, I would be seriously annoyed,” he said. Under the streetlights, Lindsey could see the teasing twinkle in his eyes; she remembered this Sully, the one who made her laugh, and she smiled.

  “He didn’t get pumpkin squares, just a healthy tip,” she said.

  They continued down the street to the theater, and things felt more like it used to feel between them. Lindsey felt the tension in her shoulders ease. Maybe she and Sully could find a way back to where they’d once been after all. Of course, that was assuming he was interested.

  “So, how are you holding up?” he asked.

  “I’m okay,” she said. “I’ve never seen anyone die before, so that’s been kind of tough to process, but I imagine we all feel that way.”

  “Somewhat,” Sully said. “But I don’t think the rest of us knew him as well as you did.”

  Lindsey raised her eyebrows and gave him an inquiring look. “How well do you think I knew him?”

  Sully gave her a rueful smile. “Not as well as he would have liked.”

  They paused in front of the theater. The breeze blowing in from the water pushed his dark curls forward over his forehead. Lindsey wanted to push them back, but she didn’t.

  “I think I was just a novelty for him,” she said.

  “I disagree,” Sully said. “I think he saw something wonderful in you, the same way I do when I look at you.”

  Lindsey felt her breath catch and when she looked into his eyes, she was undone. She wasn’t sure which one of them started it, but she realized they were leaning toward one another, caught up in the moment.

  “Hey, you big shirker!” Ian yelled as he banged open the theater door and popped his head out. “I’ve been looking for you. Get in here! We have a set to finish for dress rehearsal tomorrow night.”