Chapter 37 Leah #2
The librarian hooked a strand of mahogany hair behind one ear, turning her head from The Tank to Leah and back again.
Her pale gray eyes seemed to catalog the situation in a single sweep.
A slim bronze badge displayed the name “Elenie Martinez” typed neatly in black.
Realization tapped Leah on the shoulder as she recognized Florence’s sister-in-law.
“If you’re looking for somewhere to work, feel free to set up at one of the tables.
There’s plenty of room and I’m around if you have any questions.
I’m always around,” Elenie told Leah. Then she walked in easy strides toward the mountain of glowering man.
“We’re not a huge library but I’m sure I can find you anything you need.
Just let me know your genre. If you’re into butterflies or hamsters, I’ve got you.
Cookery, calligraphy, romance—it’s all here. Name your passion.”
“I’m not here for a book.” The Tank glared over Elenie’s shoulder at Leah.
The librarian looked neither concerned nor cowed. She drew herself up in height and still only came to his chin. “In which case, can I ask you to come back when you are? We are not a social club. People come here to work in peace.”
There was a momentary standoff—the man and Elenie Martinez at one end of the bookshelves, Leah still hovering at the other. The Tank shot her another scowl, then turned on his heel and lumbered to the door. It slammed behind him a few seconds later.
“Dumm wie zehn Meter Feldweg,” Elenie murmured into the sudden silence. She caught Leah’s eye and grinned. “Sorry. I have a head full of useless foreign phrases that amuse me.”
“I love the sound of that. What did you say?”
“It’s German and it literally translates to ‘Dumb as ten meters of dirt road.’” Elenie turned her head as the main door flew open again and a noisy group of schoolchildren spilled into the library.
Leah squashed down a surge of hero worship for the fearless woman with the gray eyes. “I kind of know you by proxy. I’m in a book club with Florence and your mother-in-law,” she blurted. “We’ve got a meeting tonight.”
Elenie’s eyebrows tented in interest. “I keep meaning to shoehorn my way into that but it tends to clash with the adult creative writing class I started. I suggested a lot of the books you’ve read to Ava.”
“We could probably change the night if I asked the others. It’s only once a month.”
Elenie’s smile softened. She suddenly seemed less assured and slightly surprised. “That would be very kind. See what they say and, if you can, I’d love to join you.”
Leah thought about explaining her run-in with The Tank but the noise level around them swelled like oncoming traffic and the school group flocked to the librarian, ignoring Leah completely and drowning Elenie in questions and excitement.
“I’m so sorry—I have to get back to work. It was great to meet you!” With a grin, Elenie allowed herself to be dragged away to a carpeted area in the corner and Leah was left hovering by the S–Z shelf in the Crime section.
That evening, she relayed the story to Hazel on their drive to book club, including her first meeting with The Tank.
“I don’t like it. This situation needs monitoring, Leah,” Hazel declared with a purse of her lips. “Make sure you keep your pepper spray in your bag and let’s see what Jackson has to say once he’s back.”
The thought of him brought a glow to Leah’s face, despite the context, and it didn’t go unnoticed. The old lady soon prized more from her than she’d planned to reveal, although Leah kept the more salacious details to herself.
“You deserve good things.” Hazel laid a soft hand over hers. “And so does he. Jackson hasn’t had it easy.”
Leah pictured him, tense and defensive, in the company of his parents. “He’s convinced he’ll only ever be second-best to his brother. It’s half of what makes him so prickly.”
Hazel huffed. “They always found Dominic the easier child. He was smart and biddable. It made them lazy and complacent parents. When Jackson started struggling at school, they thought he was just being difficult. It was Atherton who suspected he was dyslexic. Esther and I looked up everything we could find on the subject. She was forever ringing them to discuss articles we’d read, types of testing we’d found. ”
“I don’t think he knows any of that.”
“It became a constant bone of contention between Alistair and Esther. He thought she was interfering.”
“So they left him to struggle? Feeling stupid at school and even more stupid at home, rather than listening to someone who was trying to help?” Leah’s hands clenched tighter around the wheel, her eyebrows pinching with disgust. “He missed out on all those years of knowing Esther, having her support, because they thought they knew better.”
“There were other factors, too. Relationships, even within families, are complicated, sweetie. And the past has a long reach.”
Hazel’s measured reply was ambiguous but gave Leah the perfect lead-in to the diary entries she was struggling to get out of her mind.
“Do you remember Esther’s parents having a special anniversary party in 1972?” Leah asked.
Hazel gazed out of the window and all Leah could see when she glanced over was the old lady’s profile. “Yes. Yes, I do.”
“In her diary, it didn’t sound like Esther wanted to go.”
“No, we knew it was likely to be deathly dull.” Hazel chuckled but there was little humor in it. “She was annoyed because Atherton wasn’t invited.”
“So did you end up going?”
“We had to—Esther’s father wouldn’t let her get out of it and she roped me in for moral support.” Hazel plucked a piece of lint from her skirt. “We planned to stay for the first part and then leave as soon as possible. Escape the tedium, even if we couldn’t escape entirely.”
“Was Dickie there?”
“Yes, darling. He was—drunk and obnoxious, as usual.”
“Did your plan work?” Leah’s nudge was a careful one. She didn’t want Hazel to clam up now.
The lines deepened on her friend’s brow. Mixed emotions, all of them stormy, warred within her eyes. “We split up to make a less noticeable getaway—her out through the doors onto the terrace and into the garden, me via the library. We nearly got away with it.”
Hazel trailed off, less of her existing inside the car at that moment than back in the past. Leah couldn’t bring herself to break the silence; she didn’t know what to say.
The turn into Cassidy Stone’s road came frustratingly soon. She would have cursed the compact size of Pine Springs but she wasn’t entirely sure she was ready for the next part of Hazel’s story. And Hazel seemed even less ready to tell it.