Chapter 2 #2
Okay, it might have been my first check, but it’s clear, nonetheless. We both hurry to turn our flashlights on.
"Was that your inside guy?" Candy whispers to me.
"Yes, and you don't need to whisper. We're the only people here."
"It's still a library," she points out. I snort a laugh. "Now what?"
"Let's find out what books the sheriff’s been checking out." That might give me a clue. This place should have cameras. The town has the budget for it. Then I could really know what’s going on in here.
Normally it’s easy for me to get information. Hollis jokes that I’m more of the mayor than he is. The town's sweetheart. I do know everyone and almost everything that happens in New Hope. It might be because I'm nosy as hell, but it's helpful for a lot of other things too.
I’ve always felt some sense of responsibility for this town.
Even when I was a kid, I had an urge to make sure the people here were taken care of and happy.
I loved my childhood, and hope many generations to come get to experience the same.
That’s why staying informed of things is really important to me.
Other people may think that knowing when Mrs. Sugar has the flu and needs to be checked in on is ridiculous. But what they don’t understand is that she lost her husband a few years back and needs a helping hand sometimes.
Even in small towns there are disputes. Learning that one resident is upset with another and setting up a make-up session to find a resolution is key. These things sound small, but it's the small things that often count the most. That’s what I’m good at.
"You think finding out what he’s reading will give us clues?"
"Not really sure, but I'm still nosy as hell." I smirk. "Let's go look at his library card."
"Yes! Library card!" she shouts and then cringes.
"Let's try to keep it above a whisper but below a shout."
"Got it." Candy nods adamantly, making her ponytail bounce.
“Let’s go.” I gesture toward the front desk area.
I don’t waste any time once we get there. I pull out the first long wooden drawer that holds everyone’s library cards. I place it on the counter in front of Candy and go back to get the second one, doing the same.
“Let's get to work. I’m not sure how Shelly has these things organized. Hopefully, it’s alphabetical.”
“What year is it?” Candy flips through the cards.
“What?” I stop searching through the one I grabbed.
“I don’t know what this is.” She pulls one of the cards out, holding it up.
“I don’t know. I’m not the librarian.” I pull out one of the cards that I don’t think has seen the light of day in a decade.
“This is Ms. Nelson’s card. She’s dead.” Candy lets out a sad gasp.
“It’s fine. She lived a long, happy life,” I lie, not telling Candy about the lake incident of 2010.
I pull out a few others. “Okay, these are old, and it is alphabetical, and I don’t see his card. ”
“Well, maybe—”
“You think that hussy Shelly just lets him take whatever he wants? He can just come and go as he pleases? This is why the library needs to be shut down. We’re not that kind of town. We’re classy,” I lie again. Once you get one out, the second pops out a lot easier.
"You should take a breath." Candy is turning on the computer sitting on the desk. "I think those are old school; they've been kept as a bit of history. We've entered the digital age." Right, that makes sense.
“Won’t there be a password?” We might turn it on and not be able to do shit once we do. I didn’t think about needing a password.
“Let’s see.” Candy sits down in the chair in front of it. I watch as the screen lights up, praying for a Christmas miracle that Shelly hasn’t set one. If there is one, it better not have anything to do with the sheriff if Shelly knows what’s good for her.
“I bet the password is SheriffHudson69.” Candy turns her head toward me. “No spaces, obviously, and maybe an exclamation mark at the end.” She snorts a laugh, turning back to the computer screen.
“Looks like we are in,” Candy says.
“No password?”
“Guess we got lucky.” She beams up at me with a giant smile.
“No, it’s Shelly that’s lucky. This library was almost roasted marshmallows." I pace behind Candy as she does her thing.
“I found him!” Candy does a small victory dance in her chair. “Let's see these books.” I lean down, wanting to get a look for myself.
“Ahh!” I scream when all the bright lights of the library flick on, blinding me.
“Oh my gosh, we’re busted!” Candy squeals.
The steps on the old wooden floor are loud and drawing closer.
“Get down!” I whisper way too loudly. We both drop under the counter.
My heart is beating a mile a minute. Not in fear, but in anticipation of being caught by a certain someone. There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s him. He’s probably salivating, thinking he finally caught me red-handed, but I’m not going down that easy.
“Follow my lead,” I tell her, making Candy’s eyes grow impossibly wide. She nods but presses the palms of her hands to her cheeks.
Shit, she’s going to fold on me like a cheap chair, and I kind of love her for it. As long as I can see that interrogation tape, I’m okay with it.