Chapter 17 #2
I laughed and grabbed another tissue. “You’re right. Greg wasn’t looking at me, the district attorney brought up my name since the store was sponsoring the dart tournament. Greg shut him down, fast.”
“As he should. He’s your husband, yes, but he’s not stupid.” She turned the movie off. “So tell me what Amy actually said?”
After I walked Beth through my lunch, I realized I was reacting more to the idea that Amy and Justin were planning a family. Something she hadn’t mentioned. Was it because she didn’t think I wanted kids? Or did she just want this to be between them? “I feel like an idiot.”
“I’ve felt like one for a few months now, ever since I told Jim about my amazing job offer with the next degree.
I didn’t understand how we could have gotten on not only two different pages, but I think we’re in two different libraries in two different countries.
Okay, he’s probably reading a magazine at a ball game and I’m in a library.
” Beth nodded as I smiled. “There you are. Let’s go get our work done.
I’m dying to know if there is a secret room in the bar building. I wonder what could be hidden inside.”
“Whatever it was, I’m certain that the item or items was why Chip was killed.
According to Doc Ames, Chip bled out. The killer didn’t shoot him or cut his throat.
He died because he was tortured. Maybe the killer thought Chris would come looking for Chip.
Or even that Chris was upstairs in the apartment.
She said they’d been trying again.” I saw Beth’s smile widen.
I was starting to feel more myself. “You got me talking about the murder again on purpose, didn’t you? ”
“Maybe. But I like this Jill much better when she’s trying to help someone else rather than worry about not being first to know something about a friend.
” Beth stood. “I need to clean up. I smell like coffee and cookies. It’s not a bad smell, but it makes me want to eat all the time. I don’t know how you work there.”
“The books keep me company.” I stood and glanced at my running clothes. And honestly, I did snack all the time. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes. Thanks for pulling me out of my funk.”
“No problem. I feel like I still owe you a few pep talks after this visit.” Beth hurried upstairs and I let Emma out to run a little before we left. Then I followed Beth upstairs to change. I had microfilm to review.
* * *
After coming up empty-handed after a few hours of searching, I was waiting for Beth to come downstairs so we could go to dinner.
Mary Ann waved me over to her research desk.
“Your friend is diving deep into local religious sects and cults. I just printed off a list of online libraries that list more recent articles. Did she come with you?”
“She’s just finishing up some notes upstairs, then we’re heading over to Rascal’s Seafood for dinner. How have you been?” Mary Ann helped me with several projects when I was working on my MBA.
“Good. We’re busy all the time. The school needs to hire another librarian, but they keep saying we can have more interns.
Who don’t show up since it’s unpaid work and they get invited to a party down the hall.
” She opened a book and scanned it back into the system.
“So I’m doing outdoor drop box check-ins most days.
I guess you don’t have that problem at the bookstore since you don’t get returns. ”
“Not usually. But I feel your pain on hiring. I just had to reassess and shuffle staff assignments and hire two more part-time employees. One of my main guys is releasing his first book next year. Either he’s going to be busy because it’s probably freaking great, or he’ll be too depressed to work if it doesn’t sell. ”
“That’s Deek Kerr, right? He was a regular around here until you offered him work and a place to live.
Make sure you send over his release party info.
A lot of us would love to come and support him.
” She checked in another book. “And we’ll buy a copy or two for the library.
I’ve got a shelf of books written by our graduates near the entrance. ”
“He’d love that.” I adjusted my backpack. Beth still wasn’t down. “Hey, do you know of anywhere that might have an old blueprint of a South Cove building built in 1922?”
She set the book down and reached into a file on her desk.
She pulled out a flyer and handed it to me.
“If anyone has it, it will be this place. California history research and development. It’s funded by the state.
We send all our old material there if it has anything to do with California history. ”
I scanned the page. It had a website and an email address for specific research questions. “This is great.”
“Are you ready?” Beth asked, now standing at my side.
I nodded and tucked the page into my tote. I could research it tonight when we got home.
“Sure. But first, Mary Ann has a parting gift for you.” I let the two of them talk. As we were walking out of the library, I paused. “Are you coming back before you leave?”
“I’ll probably write here for the next three days while you work.
I find I get so much more done here than at the house.
Emma keeps falling asleep under the desk and then she makes me tired.
” Beth held the door open. “Besides, there’s just something about being on a college campus that makes it seem like anything’s possible.
I think that’s why I’m so excited to start in January. ”
“So you’re taking the offer?” We headed to the visitors’ parking lot where I’d left the Jeep.
Beth glanced around the still-green quad area. Not a lot of students were here because of the holiday break, but the few who were out were reading or chatting. “I believe I am. I’m just going to hope that God gives Jim the insight he needs to understand my calling.”
“You will be amazing.” I unlocked the doors and started the engine, turning on the heater to full blast. Other people might not find the temperatures cold here, but I loved my days at seventy, seventy-five at best. Unless I was tanning on the beach. “Let’s go eat.”
By the time we got home, Greg was there, waiting. Emma was sitting outside with him and there was evidence of a steak being grilled along with a baked potato in the oven.
“I didn’t think you were coming home for dinner,” I said after Beth had excused herself to go work upstairs in her room and call Jim. “We could have made dinner here.”
“I know how to cook.” He looked up at the stairs where Beth had disappeared. “Is she okay?”
“She’s resigned to the fact that Jim’s going to be Jim. And she’s taking the job offer. We’re going to have a doctor in the family if your brother isn’t an idiot.” I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. “Do you want to go out to the porch and talk?”
“Sure. I have something I need to say, anyway.” He grabbed a water and we, along with Emma, went outside on the back porch. The sun had already set but the color was still hanging around. Greg turned on the back porch light as we came out.
“Am I a pain?” I decided to start with the obvious. “Do I make your job hard?”
He sat next to me on the swing and put his arm around me after putting the water on a side table.
“Every day of my life. And I love it. Amy told me you were upset about the talk she got about confidential materials, but that mostly came from Marvin. And it wasn’t about you.
Marvin’s worried that someone, ahem, Amy will leak campaign information to his rivals.
Of course, they always change since Marvin never really commits to running for anything else besides South Cove mayor. ”
“I wasn’t as worried about that as the fact that she kept something personal from me. But I think she felt like it needed to stay between her and Justin. I realized I keep our stuff a little close to the chest too. I know you have an image to uphold in South Cove.”
He squeezed me. “I can take care of my image. And no, I don’t like you investigating but, Jill, you have a knack. And if you weren’t ninety-five percent devoted to your bookstore, I’d suggest you go to the academy. But that’s not you.”
“You’re lucky it’s not. How on earth would we stay married if we also worked together? I need alone time or I’d never get anything read.”