6. Chapter 6 #2
He started to turn to go upstairs and get ready, then stopped. “Anelya is amazing.”Greg, like his dad, was not effusive, so I knew he was very serious about her. I was, too.
“Yeah, she really is. That scene today was one of what I hope will be many morning scenes like it.”
He nodded. “We just need to convince her.”
***
The Grockton Memorial Public Library was named after Greg’s mother, as were areas of the hospital.
When I was younger, I’d loved coming here after my parents divorced. My dad now lived in California, and I looked forward to bringing Anelya for a visit to meet him. But when they were arguing a lot when I was eleven or so, I’d started coming here after school and losing myself in manga books.
A kind librarian had me join a video game club, too. It had been a nice escape at the time. When Greg donated money to the library, I’d made sure funds were directed to the Teen Center also.
I passed the Teen Center on my way up to the local history and genealogy center, noticing a group of girls playing video games on a big screen. Three boys were recording something in a sound booth.
My smile lasted until I got upstairs and found the 50th anniversary volume of Grockton Fine Furnishings. We had one at the office of course, but I didn’t want everyone to know what I was looking into. No one was up here in the local history and genealogy loft on a Saturday afternoon.
I also pulled histories of the town, and family registries, too. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for and knew more genealogy might be available online. If Stephen had more children, would that be officially listed anywhere, though? I wasn’t sure.
An hour later, I closed the company history with a frustrated thump. I didn’t think there was information in there I didn’t know, but I was hoping there would be something about someone else taking over the company for a year or two while Stephen did international sales.
Greg had mentioned his father started the international line when he was young, but we still didn’t sell as much internationally except to Canada.
Were there research trips to Europe? I’d have to look into the company financial history.
That might get attention, but we had to learn what was going on.
***
The town family history was in my hand when the fire alarm went off in the library.
I stuck it into my bag and went outside with the other patrons.
The library had RFID and I knew there would be a record of me taking it out.
I’d come back another time. When I was at my car, I saw a large police presence, and then the fire rigs started pulling in.
This was more than a usual fire alarm.
“Hey, are you at the library?” Greg was texting me. “I’m on my way; there’s a bomb scare.”
A bomb scare? Why would he be coming here?
Then I heard a male voice yell “Bomb!”
I couldn’t see who that was but people started running.
The teen girls who had been in the Teen Center ran past me, and one of them tripped and fell.
I helped her up and directed the girls to a corner nearby where there was a Starbucks, giving them some money to get a drink while they waited for one of their parents.
I made sure their ride was coming, then helped police direct other people out.
When I saw the paramedics run into the library, including my girlfriend, every muscle in my body went taut. No.
Greg arrived then, out of breath. “I parked a few blocks away,” he said.
“Anelya is in there.” I said.
He nodded. “I was afraid of that. Ken, how can we help?” He asked the Police Chief who jogged past us.
“Help keep people away.”
“Is anyone injured?” I asked, but no one stopped to answer.
“What if this is because of us? And now Anelya is in danger?” I knew my worry sounded in my voice.
Greg shook his head, and I knew he was wondering the same thing.
I looked at the crowd gathering along the barrier the police set up. And my glance caught on a young man in a hoodie. It was a warm August day, and everyone else had on t-shirts and shorts.
“Greg,” I said.
“I see him,” he said, moving forward slowly.
He looked a lot like the photo Anelya showed us. What was his name again? Justin? Jared?
From what I could see of his face, he did look like Stephen, but his intense gaze on the library was my main concern. He did not seem to have anything in his hands, though, as they were just down at his sides.
Then he looked at us and ran.
“Stop!” Greg yelled, and one of the police offers noticed.
“Stop him!” I said to the officer. “We think he might be involved.”
The officer moved even faster than we did, skirting past the crowd, but soon I could tell that the man in the hoodie had disappeared.
“My Lieutenant will want to talk to you,” he said, joining us. He wasn’t even winded.
I was still catching my breath. “We will, but can you tell us if anyone is hurt inside?”
Then we heard it. A muffled explosion.
Greg and I raced into the library, ignoring the shouts of the police officers trying to tell us to stop.
“Anelya!” Greg called her name.
The lobby was filled with smoke, and firefighters were hosing down a trash can near the entrance.
Then we saw her, helping out one of the security guards at the library, holding an oxygen mask to him.
“Mr. Grockton and Mr. Grockton, sirs, you need to go outside. Now.” The officer we’d been talking to got in front of us.
My eyes were streaming a bit among the acrid smoke.
“Anelya!” I called, though my voice was a bit hoarse.
She looked up as she and her colleagues were getting the patient outside. Her eyes widened and she motioned for us to get outside. We followed the officer.
“That’s our girlfriend. Could we just make sure she’s okay?” I asked.
He shook his head at us but gave one short nod.
We jogged over to the ambulance, where Anelya was starting to bandage the knee of another person who had fallen hurrying out of the library.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She looked at us, her brows nearly coming together at the sight of us. “I’m fine. Really. We’re trained for this. Unlike you two. I can’t believe you went inside.”
“We were worried,” Greg said.
Coming from Greg, this was like an open declaration of love.
She sighed, seeming to know what it took for him to say that.
“I appreciate that, but I’m really okay. You both are okay?”
We nodded.
“Can I call you later?”
I noticed the Fire Chief watching us with Anelya.
“Yes, good,” I said.
Greg kissed her cheek quickly. I glanced at the Fire Chief again, unable to read if he was angry at her or us and decided to just leave.
“We might be coming on too strong,” I said, as the police led us outside the barrier.
Greg shook his head. “What if she’d been hurt?”
“Then I’m guessing her team of first responders would have known what to do? We need to do better, Greg. I don’t think she was happy with us. This is going to take more than flowers.”
Greg strode off towards his own car.