“Do you know if Jenny was ever truly sober for very long? I mean, more than a day or two in a row.”
“Certainly. I think so. I guess I can’t be totally sure because though I know Edwin, Rosie, and Hamlet well, I never did know Jenny as much as I knew of her. I heard the stories, but I’m fairly certain that she had some good spurts. Aye, I heard as much, I think.”
I nodded. “One of her neighbors said she didn’t, that she was never really sober. Not for any stretch of time at least.”
Tom blinked and took a sip from his glass of water. “Neighbor? You talked tae her neighbor?”
“I did. I went to her building and snooped around.”
“Really? Does Edwin know?”
“Kind of.”
“I see. Well, I don’t want tae offend you, particularly on our first date and considering my plans of scheduling our second date before we say good night tonight, but it would tend tae worry me if you were spending too much time at Jenny’s building. I know where she lived, and I don’t think it’s a great place for you tae be.”
I looked at Tom for a long moment. I wasn’t offended. “Where are we going on our second date?”
Tom laughed. “I think we should try something quieter, perhaps with a little more privacy.”
“Sounds nice.”
“So, you’ll accept?”
“You’ll have to ask first.”
“It’s not quite the end of the evening yet, so we’ll see how it goes. But before we take this any further, I’m going tae be an arse and ask you something you’re trying to avoid. You’ll stay away from Jenny’s building, won’t you?”
“I will not go there by myself. I haven’t told you about the other parts of my new Edinburgh family. I’ve met a man, a cabdriver.”
“Is he as handsome as the pub proprietor you know?”
“His wife probably thinks so,” I said, though I suspected Aggie would find Tom plenty handsome too.
“I like him already.”
I told Tom about Elias and Aggie and their home and my new home. I told him that Elias had come with me on two of my visits to Jenny’s flat and neighborhood. I didn’t tell him about my first visit to a pub, and I didn’t tell him about the puzzle sitting on my kitchen table. That one was still a secret for me, Elias, and Aggie, or at least it felt like it should be.
As Tom listened I noticed that when he was concerned about something, his left eyebrow angled and his forehead creased. It might have been the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. This date was going very well, at least on my part. I couldn’t remember the last time I thought someone’s eyebrow angle was endearing.
“Sounds like Elias knows what’s what,” Tom said after I explained his protective nature. “I’m sure he’ll be careful.”
I nodded and tried not to smile too goofily at his eyebrow.
The evening didn’t come to an end as much as a soft landing. After dinner we moved back to the mostly empty pub and sat on stools that Rodger brought out from the back. When the pub had been closed for an hour, one customer still remained. An old man named Johnathan was standing at one of the tables. He was hunched over his still half-full pint mug and would lift his head and take a drink every now and then, though the level of liquid in his glass didn’t seem to change. I kept expecting him to topple over, but he never did.
Rodger kept himself busy cleaning and then sweeping the cobblestoned floor. He didn’t actually ignore Tom and me, but he pretended to.
“Oh, it’s really late,” I said as I looked at the time on my phone. “Rodger could use your help.”
“Rodger’s fine. The time flew this evening,” Tom said. “I’d like tae drive you home, but if you don’t want me tae know where you live, I’ll call a cab, or we can call Elias. I’d like tae meet him.”
“I’d be okay with you knowing where I live.”
We said good night to both Rodger and Johnathan before we left. Rodger didn’t seem to mind being left with the cleaning duties and he said he’d make sure Johnathan got home okay.
Tom expertly steered his old but well-maintained Peugeot out of the small space he’d parked in the street. I was impressed with myself that I was able to direct him right to my cottage and that I didn’t flinch every time he made a right turn from the left lane.
“You have a whole cottage?” he said after he pulled next to the curb in front of the guesthouses.
“I do. It’s behind the guesthouses. I feel very fortunate to have found Elias and Aggie.”
“It’s not easy tae find a place tae live. May I walk you in?” Tom said.
“No, I’m okay,” I said. “It’s just around back.” I put my hand on the car door handle. I didn’t think there would be a problem with Tom walking me to my door, but I still had enough Kansas country girl in me to hold back a little. Not inviting him in wasn’t a modern notion at all, but no matter what, there were still fields of wheat and checkerboard curtains running through my blood. “I had a really great time, Tom. Thanks for the date in your pub and the Irish restaurant, and my first real Scottish whisky.”
“I had a great time too,” he said.
The moment was awkward, but surprisingly only for a brief instant. We both managed to lean in at the same time and with the same velocity. We didn’t smack foreheads or noses or anything else. We simply kissed. And we both finished at the same time. I thought we deserved a round of applause for the perfect choreography.
“See you tomorrow?” Tom said. And then he laughed. “Well, that wasn’t cool in the least. I should be a wee bit more difficult tae read. I have some ideas for our second date, but I’ll use the notion that I need tae think about them as an excuse tae come see you at the shop tomorrow.”
“I like that you’re easy to read. And, yes, tomorrow. I bet we’ll run into each other sometime.”
“I’ll make a point of it.”
I got out of the car, waved at Tom, and then hurried around the end guesthouse. It looked like all the lights were off at the McKennas’, so I tried to walk quietly around their cottage to mine. I heard Tom pull away from the curb and move down the street.
I was living in the afterglow of a great date and a kiss that might not let me sleep ever again, when a voice came from the dark spot around my front door.
“Late night, Ms. Nichols?”
I screamed and then froze fearfully in place.
TWENTY-THREE
“Inspector Winters! Are you out of your mind?” I said as the police inspector, still dressed as a civilian, emerged from the shadow and into the light that stretched from a streetlamp in front of the guesthouses. I was scared, because it was all very weird, but I was also angry.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Nichols. I should have handled that better.”
“What are you doing here? Were you waiting for me?”
“I was waiting for you. Do you suppose we could step inside yer wee house?”
I wanted to punch him, not invite him in for a conversation, but assaulting a police inspector, even one who was acting this weird, wasn’t ever a good idea. Even if he deserved it.
No lights had come on in the McKenna house. I was surprised—my yelp had seemed blood-curdling and then some to me.
“You can come in, but we’ll leave the door open and I’m not going to be hospitable.”
“Of course,” he said.
Once inside, I huffily pointed to the couch and then took a seat on the chair. I left the door open but it was on the side of my house that wasn’t directly next to the McKennas’. As much as I wished they would come by to see what was going on, they must have missed the drama.
“Why were you waiting for me?” I asked.
“I’m sorry, Delaney,” he said, his tone surprisingly genuine. “It wasn’t my intention tae scare you. I was simply going tae see what you were up tae this evening. I waited on your front stoop. Your neighbors—a woman named Aggie—came over and offered me a coffee, but I declined. I explained tae her that you’d stopped by the station earlier a
nd that I wanted tae talk tae you again. But you weren’t in any trouble. When you didn’t arrive in what I deemed was a timely manner, I sent an officer over tae the bookshop tae check on you. No one was there. As the night wore on, I became determined tae make sure you were okay. You’re new tae town and there’s been a murder, and I am a police inspector. Aggie didn’t have your phone number, or she said she didn’t. I thought about contacting Edwin MacAlister, but he’s your boss and I just didn’t know. I just wanted tae make sure you were okay.”
“Why did you need to know what I was up to?” It was ridiculous that he’d waited as late as he had, but I didn’t think I should say that outright.
“Mostly, tae make sure you were safe. But also because you came tae the station with some information. When you left I got tae thinking about what you were doing, perhaps ‘investigating.’ I wanted more specifics. I’m a police inspector. I was doing my job, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, but I’m afraid I did frighten you and I am sorry about that.”
“How did you know where I lived?”
“You wrote it down for us when you came in with the lad, Hamlet.”
“Oh.” I now remembered the sheet of paper they’d put in front of me, and how I purposefully left off my cell number because I didn’t want to use my American minutes since they would cost way too much in the UK. “Why couldn’t you just follow up on the information I gave you?”
“Who says I didn’t?”
“Did you find anything? Did you figure out who Jenny was yelling at? Who she was fighting with?”
Inspector Winters smiled coyly. I didn’t realize I’d moved forward on the chair and was leaning my elbows on my knees with anticipation. I rolled my eyes at him and leaned back into a casual position.
“I’m not at liberty tae say. That’s police business,” he said.
“Of course. Can you tell me anything? Are you any closer to knowing who the killer is?”
Inspector Winters looked at me, the smile gone from his round but pleasant face. He wasn’t a handsome man, but there was something appealing about his eyes. They were intelligent.
“No, I was hoping perhaps you asked around at the shop about what your boss was hiding.”
“I didn’t have time and only Rosie was there when I got back.”
“When’s the last time you saw your boss?”
“Yesterday,” I said.
“How was he then?”
“Sad about his sister.”
“He has secrets.”
“Doesn’t everyone?”
“Aye, but his might be big.” When I didn’t comment, he continued, “You’ve met some of Mr. MacAlister’s friends?”
“Sure.”
“They’ve come into the shop?”
“No, I met them when I was with Edwin. We delivered a book to one of his good friends.”
“Books. Lots of books.”
“Yes, there are lots of books in the bookshop.”
“Do you know what the most valuable book in the shop might be?”
“No idea. I haven’t been able to immerse myself in my job yet. The murder … well, you know.”
“Aye. You didn’t see Mr. MacAlister today?” he said.
“No.” I suddenly realized that’s why he was waiting for me. He might have been concerned about me, but mostly he was here to ask about Edwin. “Have you tried to call him?”
“I have. He hasn’t called back.”
“He will.”
He nodded. “So, where were ye?”
“I was out on a date.” It felt strange to say as much, but I didn’t think I should lie about that since another person had been involved.
“Aye? How’d it go?”
“Uh, it was great,” I said.
“I’m glad tae hear that. I’m truly sorry if I surprised you and it seems I was spying on you. That was not my intention. Truly. You’re okay, that’s good. And you weren’t out doing things you shouldn’t have been doing. I’m sorry.”
“Apology accepted,” I said doubtfully.
“Well, I should go,” Inspector Winters said as he stood. “You should give your mobile number tae the McKennas. It might not hurt tae give it tae me, but you aren’t under any obligation tae do so. I’ll give you mine, just in case you want tae call me other than on the station phone.”
“All right,” I said as I stood too. I explained my minutes predicament and that I was only using my current phone for emergencies. Inspector Winters said he would only call if he deemed it necessary. I knew that Elias had my number because I had called him at least once. I was pretty sure that Aggie had just played dumb, but I’d check with them tomorrow. I didn’t mind giving Inspector Winters my number, and I really didn’t mind having his.
When we finished, he moved to the open doorway and faced me.
“One more question if you don’t mind,” Inspector Winters said.
“Okay.”
“You might not know which book is the most valuable, but do you think the lad, Hamlet, knows?”
“Maybe. If Edwin told him.” Hamlet probably knew the value of the books better than Edwin, but I didn’t want Inspector Winters to hear that from me.
“I see. Well, I was just thinking that perhaps Hamlet knows the value of everything in the shop. I do believe, and my partner pointed this out tae me, Hamlet is knowledgeable regarding the value of most things. You might want tae keep that in mind.”
I nodded. “Hamlet’s not a killer, Inspector Winters.”
“Good night, Delaney.”
He left and I closed and locked the door behind him.
The adrenaline that had shot through me when he’d scared me had dissipated along with the good-date glow, leaving me tired and worn out, buzzing. It was late but I wondered if I’d struggle to fall asleep.
I didn’t have to wonder for long. I was out only a few seconds after my head hit the pillow.
TWENTY-FOUR
I’d set the alarm on my phone for early the previous morning. I forgot to reset it so I was up again at 5:30, which worked out fine.
Aggie had surreptitiously put a few things in my kitchen. I made a full pot of coffee and took a mug with me to the shower. Elias had fixed the water problem, so between the two of them, my morning got off to an ideal start.
I glanced at the table as I returned the mug to the kitchen. I’d told Aggie that I didn’t mind if she came in and worked on the puzzle, and it looked like she had. The message had grown.
There was now a second line. It said: “The demon (open space) too much.”
“This isn’t looking good,” I said to myself.
Jenny must have been apologizing to Edwin and using her addiction as an excuse. But that was just speculation. In fact, I was speculating everything. Even though I’d found it in Jenny’s flat, maybe it hadn’t been from her, or written by her. The handwriting was neither feminine nor masculine; almost generic with no strong points or curves. And, besides, if she was, in fact, apologizing, there was still too much missing to know what she was apologizing about.
I looked at it closely, trying to memorize something unique. The only thing of note was that the O’s didn’t close all the way. If I were given the opportunity to look at a sample of Jenny’s handwriting, I would try to zero in on the O’s—and that still might not help much.
A quiet knock tapped on my back door.
“Coming,” I said.
“Hello, lass,” Elias said cheerfully. “I saw yer light on. I thought I’d offer a ride tae work this morning. Aggie’s got me off doing some errands, and I’ll be passing right by the bookshop.”
“Thanks, I would love a ride. But…”
“Aye?”
“Do you have to be somewhere quickly or could we take a detour?”
“A detour would be fine if it’s a safe one.”
“I think it is.”
“Awright, meet me oot front when ye’re ready.”
I put the final touches on my minimal makeup, threw a brush and sm
all bottle of hairspray, my borrowed umbrella, and my own umbrella into my bag, and made my way out front.
“Aggie got more of the puzzle. I will talk to her later but please tell her thank you for me,” I said.
“I will.” He paused as he sighed and rubbed his finger under his nose before he pulled the cab onto the road. “Ye’re a grown woman, lass, but we were a wee bit worried aboot ye last night. We went tae bed at around eleven and ye werenae home. Ye had a police inspector waiting for ye, though he assured Aggie that he was just making certain ye were okay. He asked for yer phone number, but Aggie lied and said she didnae have it. We didnae want tae call and bother ye. I’m not asking where ye were and—well, Aggie told me not tae say anything at all—but I guess I’d just like tae know if ye’ll be late often. It’s none of our business, but since ye’re still so new here and ye were so interested in that neighborhood, I couldn’t help but be worried. If I know ye’re planning on those hours, I wilnae be too concerned.”
I smiled. “I’m sorry, Elias. It’s been some time since people paid attention to my schedule. I should have thought—you’ve been so kind. Call me anytime you’re concerned. I’ll get a UK phone soon, but go ahead and use the number I have until then. And I’m not really sure of my work schedule yet. I’ve been told I may set my own hours, but that still feels strange. Last night I was on a date with the man who owns the pub a few doors up from the bookshop.”
“Oh. I hope it went well.”
“It did. At least as far as I’m concerned. It was a different sort of date, but a good one. I think that all first dates should be that casual. I told him about you and Aggie, and he invited you both in sometime.”
“We’d like that. Thanks for telling me. It’s good tae know ye wernae getting yerself into any trouble.”
“I don’t know, Elias. I really liked him. There could be plenty of trouble ahead.”
Elias laughed. “That’s the best kind. Ye’ll let me know if he breaks yer heart. I’ll cut oot his own with a pocketknife if he’s as terrible as that.”
I chuckled even though I thought there was a note of sincerity to his words. I still didn’t understand completely what Elias and Aggie had seen in me, but I appreciated their protectiveness. When I was nineteen I wasn’t all that fond of it from my parents, but this was different. Now it was just nice to know that people cared.
The Cracked Spine Page 20