Chapter 24
A s much as I wanted to tell Frank about what I’d found concerning the plant and Andrew’s project, I didn’t want to text that information to him. After him basically telling me the elevators were bugged, it had got me thinking pretty hard.
If the ASF thought I was a suspect, might they be monitoring my texts? My phone calls? Emails?
Maybe I was being overly cautious, but I didn’t want to risk them believing I was more involved in this than they already did. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to build my case with solid evidence, then present it to them all at once.
I didn’t want them to be able to refute anything Frank and I found. But what I cared about most was protecting my daughter’s reputation. If this came back on Hazel in any way, I would never forgive myself.
She would. She wasn’t the kind to hold it against me, but it would wound me deeply. I did not want to put her in such an untenable position.
I got up to head back to the front desk. “Staying in here, Harry?” He could. I didn’t mind.
He stretched out his front legs, then stood, arching his back and yawning. I felt like I was interrupting his day. He hopped down and followed me to the desk.
A patron I didn’t recognize came in. I greeted her with a smile as I stepped behind the desk. “Good morning. Welcome to the library.”
“Thank you. What do I need to get a card? I’m new to the ship, but I’ll be on board for the next two months.” She stuck her hand out. “K’lyn Martech.”
“You’re Aetrean?”
She nodded.
“Your English is impeccable.” I could only pick up a trace of an accent. “I’m Ellis McFadden. I’m the head librarian.”
She smiled. “I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Ellis. I’m a professor of English at one of the provincial universities.”
“How lovely. It’s a pleasure to have you on board.”
“It’s a pleasure to be here. This is the first vacation I’ve had in ages. Even if this is a working trip.” She rested her hand on the countertop. “I’m basically here to expand my understanding of the language by immersing myself with native speakers and native literature. And that’s what’s brought me in today.”
“I’m happy to help you, K’lyn. What kinds of books are you looking for?”
“I’d like a wide variety of genres. I read constantly, so I’m open to whatever you suggest. And perhaps an audiobook or two?”
“Let’s get you a library card and fill it up.” I had her situated in about twenty minutes. My first round of suggestions included women’s fiction, literary fiction, historical, and a biography. For the audiobooks, I went with a thriller and a cozy mystery.
Just as K’lyn was leaving, my wristband vibrated. I checked and saw Zanya had sent me a message. I pulled it up.
Talked to Kelle Watts. She thinks Andrew was definitely seeing someone and that it was a newish relationship. Two months ago, his sheets started smelling like women’s perfume. Something floral, she said. Maybe lilies? She wasn’t sure.
I nodded as I read. I couldn’t recall smelling perfume on Sarah, but maybe she didn’t wear it in the lab. I sent Zanya a reply. Thank you. That’s helpful. I owe you.
Get me the next Louis Newton. I’m nearly done with this one.
I smiled. Will do.
I pulled Zanya’s card up on the main screen and added the audiobook so it would be ready for her when she needed it.
Laura came in soon after, and I went to the breakroom to get my lunch. Harry came with me. I’d brought the leftover eggplant Parmesan from Luna. Frank had been generous enough to send me home with the spaghetti and the eggplant, keeping the pizza for himself. I was more than happy with that.
I put my food in the Instachef to reheat and got myself a citrus-flavored water, too. When both were ready, I took them to my office to eat. I set everything on my desk and checked on how the translation was going.
It should have been done, and it was, sort of. As I scrolled through the first few pages, I saw a lot of missing words. Words the computer hadn’t been able to decipher because the original handwriting was either illegible or faded.
I pulled out my magnifying glass and studied the first few more closely to see if I could do better. Out of five, I managed to figure out one of them correctly, but the rest were just guesses on my part. So frustrating.
While I ate, I flipped through the new partially translated, digital edition until I found the plant that the computer had identified as a match for the picture I’d uploaded. I skimmed the first paragraph. The aconitum orbexilum was common to wet but well-drained areas with limestone in the soil.
On a hunch, I did a quick search to see which of the planets that were ports of call on our journey had such an environment. The results were two. Morphae, the second port of call we’d visited about four months ago, and Kem, a port of call we’d yet to reach.
The book in Andrew’s nightstand drawer had been about the biological species on Kem. Had he gone planetside at Morphae? I had no idea. But I knew someone who could probably find out. Zanya’s son, Xavier.
From my top desk drawer, I took a notepad and pen. Technology was great, but for some things, pen and paper would never be replaced. Especially when certain bits of information needed to be protected or at least kept private.
I made myself some notes—to tell Frank about the plant, about Andrew’s project, and Kelle’s confirmation that he had been involved with someone, but also to ask Zanya if she could ask her son if Andrew Woolsey had visited Morphae, something I was only going to do in person.
Lots of new information, but I wasn’t sure how to make sense of it. What bits mattered and what didn’t?
I still had to deliver the book to Sarah. Maybe I could find out if she was the woman in Andrew’s life. That might bring me a little closer to understanding what had happened to him. Maybe.
Once again, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed by how many questions remained unanswered. I wish I knew who had given Andrew that bruise.
I didn’t have time to think about it, either, as my wristband pinged. Laura had a question as soon as I was available. I hadn’t even finished my lunch. I folded the paper with my notes on it and stuck it in my jumpsuit pocket, then wolfed down the last few mouthfuls of eggplant Parmesan. I went back to work, eager for the day to be over so I could talk to my friends and Frank.
I thought about inviting Frank to dine with me and my friends at our dining hall, but I wasn’t sure either of us were ready for that. My friends would grill him, no matter what I said to them ahead of time. The meal would turn into an interrogation, and no matter how well-meaning my friends were, I didn’t want to put him through that.
Things between us were too new. Everything felt so right. I wasn’t ready to take the shine off of that newness by subjecting him to Vashti, Benni, and Zanya’s good intentions. I wanted to keep him to myself for a little while longer.
I lifted my brows. Was that what I was doing? Keeping him to myself? I had no worries about them liking him. He was very likable. But inviting him to dinner would be making my relationship with him official. Public.
For reasons I couldn’t quite name, that was giving me pause. I thought harder. Was it because things were so perfect right now and putting our relationship out there meant opening ourselves up to comments and criticisms? Maybe. I knew I couldn’t stand to hear anything against Frank. Not that I thought my friends or my daughter would say anything bad, but just the idea of it, that bothered me.
Maybe I was being silly, but I was too busy to dwell on it, and by the time my day was over, all I wanted to do was sit down and eat and forget about Andrew Woolsey. Even though I didn’t have the luxury of forgetting.
But before I could eat, I had to deliver the book to Sarah. With that in mind, I clocked out twenty minutes early and headed for the Botany Department, thankful the day had gone by without Scotty showing up again.
Harry sat in the corridor outside when I went in. Sarah saw me, smiled, and made a beeline for the foyer area. She came through the airlock and greeted me. “Ellis, how good to see you.”
“Thanks. You, too, Sarah. Here’s the book.” I held it out to her.
“Well, that’s bigger than I thought it would be.”
I nodded. “Which is why I wanted to be sure it was absolutely necessary. A book this size takes up a considerable amount of resources.”
“I promise it was worth it. I’ll make sure of that.”
“That’s good to hear.” I was tired and hungry and not in the mood for games. “I understand you and Andrew were more than just lab partners. I didn’t realize. You must really be hurting. I’m sorry for that. I know what it’s like to lose someone you cared for.”
She hugged the book to her chest and swallowed, eyes brimming with tears. “How did you know that?”
“You know how it is on this ship. People talk. It was nothing bad, I promise. Just words of condolence in respect to you. Maybe said to me because most people know I’m a widow and would understand.”
Sarah sniffed. “That had to be hard. Were you married long?”
“Long enough. But also not long enough.” I smiled. “It was hard. I’m sure you know all about that.”
She nodded. “Yeah, I do. He was a great partner. In the lab and out of it. I miss…” Her voice cracked. “Sorry.” She shook her head and looked at the ceiling. “I don’t want to do this here. Not in front of my colleagues. They didn’t know about us. Although I guess they will now if other people are talking about it.”
I felt for her. “Listen, don’t let anyone else dictate how you feel. We’re allowed to love who we want. Hold on to your memories. Let them comfort you.” Impulsively, I hugged her. “You’re going to be all right.” I inhaled without being too obvious about the fact that I was sniffing her.
Nothing but a clean, soapy smell. No perfume that I could detect at all. I let her go and gave her my best compassionate mother expression.
“I’m doing my best,” she said softly.
“It’s all you can do.”
She gave me a weak smile, sniffled once more, and patted the book. “Thanks for understanding. And for this. I’ll keep you posted on how the work goes. Just so you know it was worth it.”
“I appreciate that. Good luck to you.”
“Thanks.”
She went through a different set of doors as I left. Maybe to an employee area where she had a locker? I couldn’t imagine she’d want to take the book into the lab.
Harry was sitting next to the Botany Department doors in the corridor, good as could be. I smiled at him. “All right, little man. Let’s go home.”
He stood up and trotted alongside me. All I wanted was to get out of this jumpsuit and to eat. And to talk to Frank.
I stuck my hand in my pocket and felt the note I’d written myself. Well, I had one more thing to tell him now. Andrew and Sarah were confirmed as a couple. Did that make her a suspect? It did in my book.
But had she been the only woman in his life?
I added that to the list of questions I did not have an answer to.