Chapter 26
Hollywood, California
It was raining the next day as Grace, Kathryn, Lydia, and I entered the library.
The raindrops seemed louder with the quiet inside the building.
Miss Clampett stood at the circulation desk, checking out a patron, while an older man sat in a chair reading a newspaper and a teenage couple giggled together toward the back of the large room.
“What is the plan?” Grace asked, eyeing Miss Clampett.
“You and the girls will ask her for help in the children’s section, which is in the far back corner of the building,” I whispered. “And while you have her occupied, I will look through the index cards.”
“Is there another employee we need to be worried about?”
I hadn’t thought about that. A quick glance around the room didn’t turn up any possibilities. “We will hope not. If one shows up, hopefully Lydia can distract her or him.”
“Be prepared if there is one,” Grace said to her older daughter.
“How much trouble can you get into if you’re caught?” Lydia asked, her voice low. “Will they kick you out? Revoke your library privileges?”
“Yes,” Grace and I said at the same time.
Kathryn giggled behind her hand. “You sound like that’s the worst punishment possible.”
“It is.” I smiled, but then my humor faded because I realized that if I succeeded and I stayed in 1849, I would not have a library to visit for a long time. All our books had been lost in the hotel fire, and new ones were hard to come by.
“How shall we distract her?” Lydia asked. “What shall we say?”
The smell of paper and ink filled my nose as I thought about how this would work. I was thankful they’d agreed to come because even though Mama had told me to fight for my husband, I knew she didn’t like that I was looking for answers in history books.
“Is there an author you enjoy?” I asked Kathryn. “One that might be difficult to find?”
“In the children’s section?” She smiled. “It’s been a long time since I’ve read The Tale of Peter Rabit or The Velveteen Rabit, Aunt Ally.”
“I need Miss Clampett as far away from the circulation desk as possible, and the children’s section is toward the back of the building.”
“I suppose I can ask for help finding something for one of Julia’s little girls,” Kathryn offered. “There is a children’s novel called Jackanapes by Juliana Horatia Ewing that has been popular in London in my other path. I could ask if she has that one. It might not be easy to find.”
“That would be wonderful.”
I often forgot that both Lydia and Kathryn were crossing time to their other paths, Lydia to 1709 in Massachusetts and Kathryn to 1879 in London.
“This is exciting,” Kathryn said with a gleam in her eye. “I feel like a sleuth.”
“You must give nothing away,” Grace said. “We want Ally to find her information as quickly as possible. Kathryn will come with me, and Lydia can stay with Ally to keep an eye out for her.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at her.
The patron moved away from the counter as we approached. When Miss Clampett saw us, she gave me a wide grin. “It’s so nice to see you again, Miss Bennett. How may I help you?”
“This is my sister,” I said, indicating Grace, not wanting to explain our complicated time-crossing relationship. “And her daughters. They’re visiting from Washington, DC.”
“How lovely.”
“I was in Little Women,” Lydia said with some self-importance. “The movie.”
“Oh my.” Miss Clampett’s eyes shined. “I am planning to come to the premiere.”
“I hope you enjoy it.”
“We’ve come looking for a book for my nieces,” Grace interrupted her daughter. “What was the name of it?” she asked Kathryn.
“Jackanapes by Juliana Horatia Ewing,” Kathryn said, playing her part well. “Or another book like it.”
“Yes, of course,” Miss Clampett said. “There’s a children’s section in the back of the building.”
When she made no move to show Grace and Kathryn where to look, Grace gave her a smile, though I could tell she was nervous. “Could you show us, please? I would love for you to make some suggestions, if possible. I’m certain your expertise is invaluable.”
“Well. My goodness.” Miss Clampett’s cheeks turned pink at the praise. “I would be happy to show you.”
“We’ll wait here for you,” I told Grace. “Take your time. Lydia and I could use a nice long visit.”
Miss Clampett didn’t seem to think anything was out of place as she led Grace and Kathryn away.
I didn’t waste a moment, glancing around one more time to make sure there were no other employees within sight before I moved to the back side of the circulation desk and opened the filing system.
My heart dropped immediately because it was obvious that the system was not categorized by the title of book but by the name of the borrower.
And there were hundreds of cards to look through.
“Lydia,” I said, motioning her to join me, my heart pumping hard. “Start in that drawer. Under each name, look for a book titled The Annals of San Francisco. Hurry. And watch for another staff member.”
She didn’t ask any questions and joined me, opening the drawer next to mine.
I started with the As, hoping and praying I wouldn’t miss anything in my desire to be quick.
Lydia began with the Fs in the next drawer.
My hands were shaking as I glanced up often, wondering how much time we would have before Miss Clampett got suspicious.
Minutes ticked by, but it felt like it was taking us forever. I was in the Ds when Lydia let out a little squeal.
“I found it!”
With another glance toward the back of the library, I closed my drawer with relief.
“It was checked out by a woman named Elizabeth Hennesy,” she said. “And her address is listed.”
“Where does she live?” I asked, sweat gathering on my brow.
“It says 103 West 4th Street, Los Angeles.”
I repeated it, memorizing the address.
Movement at the back of the library made Lydia fumble with the card as she shoved it back into place and closed the drawer. I took Lydia’s hand and pulled her out of the circulation desk as Kathryn came into view, followed by Grace and Miss Clampett.
“Did you find something?” I asked, breathless.
“Yes, faster than I expected,” Grace said, questioning me with her eyes.
I gave a quick nod, and her shoulders relaxed.
“Shall I open an account for you to check out the book?” Miss Clampett asked Kathryn.
“You can use mine.” I smiled, trying to even out my breath. “What book did you decide upon, Kathryn?”
“We thought some English folktales and legends would be fun,” Grace said. “Robin Hood and King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.”
Kathryn smiled, but then her face grew serious. “My friend Austen said these are his favorites.”
She had told me that Austen’s parents had died two years ago in her other path, and he had been sent off to boarding school. Every time she brought up his name, I could hear the sadness in her voice.
As soon as possible, we left the library and headed down Hollywood Boulevard toward Los Angeles in the automobile we’d borrowed from Julia.
“Do you want to come with me or go home?” I asked Grace.
“We’re going with you,” Grace said, not even letting me debate with her.
I drove through the rainy streets of Hollywood and into Los Angeles. The traffic wasn’t bad, and we were able to get there in about twenty minutes, but I was surprised when we found our address.
“It’s a hotel,” Lydia said.
The Barclay Hotel was one of the oldest in Los Angeles and sat on a corner lot.
“Do you think she lives here?” Grace asked.
“What if she was only staying here but left and took the book with her?” Kathryn chimed in from the back seat.
My heart dropped at the thought. “I need to see that book.”
“How will you ask for it?” Grace frowned. “What excuse will you give?”
“I’m so desperate, I don’t care what she thinks. I’ll just ask her for it, without a reason.”
The four of us entered the beautiful hotel, and I inquired about Elizabeth Hennesy at the front desk.
“Why, yes. Mrs. Hennesy is still with us.” The clerk smiled. “She and Mr. Hennesy have been with us for several months now. Room 108.”
I thanked him and looked toward the hallway he had indicated.
“The girls and I will wait here for you,” Grace said with an encouraging smile.
With a deep breath, I left them and walked down the hall to door 108. I wasn’t afraid to meet her, but nervous that she wouldn’t have the book for some reason.
After knocking, I took a step back and waited.
The door opened, and a woman appeared. “Can I help—?” She paused as recognition dawned on her face.
My lips parted as I stared at her.
She shook her head. “How did you find me?”
“Bess?” I blinked several times, uncertain that I was seeing straight. She appeared exactly the same, except her hair was shorter and she didn’t look nearly as exhausted. “What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came for a book, The Annals of San Francisco.”
Bess glanced over her shoulder at the book lying on a table.
“You have it.” I was both relieved and confused as I took a step forward.
She blocked my entry. “You can’t have it.”
“Why not?”
“Bess?” a man called from somewhere inside the room. “Who is here?”
Alarm registered in her eyes as she said, “A bellboy. I’ll see what he wants.” She moved forward, forcing me back into the hall, and closed the door behind her. “You shouldn’t be here.”
“Who was that?”
“You shouldn’t be here,” she repeated.
“I’m so confused.”
“You need to listen to me and leave.”
I’d had so many questions for her since I discovered she was a time-crosser, but none of them came to mind as I stared in surprise.
“Go home,” she said.
“But I need that book. I need to see how history plays out. Are Sam and I supposed to die on November 3rd?”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
“I do.” Panic clawed at my heart. “My twenty-fifth birthday is November 2nd, and if I give up this path and need to change history to save Sam in the other one, I will forfeit that path, as well.”