Sleuthing with the Stars (Survivors’ Book Club Mysteries #6)

Chapter 1

Lights surrounded the Next Chapter bookstore on the main drag in Sedona, Arizona, bringing in customers for tonight’s special event.

The store was bursting with people waiting for the start of the night’s event.

A local bike enthusiast had talked Rarity Cole into inviting an Olympic-winning racer who had just released his first memoir to come for a talk and to sign books.

The annual Sedona Red Rock Race was on Saturday, so they’d scheduled the book event for the Wednesday night before. And the store was standing room only.

“I can’t believe so many people came.” Shirley Prescott stood next to Rarity Cole, owner of the store, as they both studied the crowd.

“No one’s touching the cookies or the coffee, but we’ve refilled the water pitchers three times.

There are people in line outside, just waiting to buy a signed book.

Katie’s gone out with cups and water for the line.

I’m not sure I ordered enough copies. And to make it worse, Friday’s author sent his assistant to check on us.

She’s been badgering me with questions all night. ”

“Which one is that?” Rarity followed Shirley’s directions and found the woman standing against a bookshelf, on her phone. She was furiously typing. “Are we doing something wrong?”

“According to Jane Carey? Everything. The light over the dais is too dark. The room too small. And the treats appear to be homemade.” Shirley sighed as the woman looked up and frowned at her. Again.

“Well, Mason Pike’s signing will be a totally different setup.

Did you tell her about using the back alley for the talk, signing, and the movie following?

No matter what, it’s already planned. There’s nothing we or she can do about it.

Tell her to take a chill pill.” Rarity watched as more people pulled books off the shelves and headed over to the purchase table.

“Seriously? I’d rather kick her out. She’s giving me a headache.” Shirley glanced at the treat table. “Maybe I should refill the water pitchers. One looks low.”

“I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Rarity said, but as she checked her watch, she wasn’t sure at all.

Especially about the number of books they’d ordered.

This was the biggest author signing they’d hosted since she opened the store.

Maybe she needed to think about a new place to hold these events.

Marc Billings was going to be happy with his signing.

They’d set up a sales table near the door and had chairs filling the book club area as well as the ends of the book aisles.

“I’m going to go get Darby and our guest and start this party a few minutes early. ”

Darby Doyle had been Rarity’s first employee.

She’d gone off to Scotland to finish out her undergraduate degree and was now back in town for at least the summer.

Who knew where she’d land in the fall, but Rarity was glad to have her back for now.

She’d volunteered to be the author wrangler for the upcoming events, and Rarity happily relinquished the role.

Darby was outgoing, cute, and extroverted.

She thrived in these situations. And from the way Marc kept looking at Darby, she was enchanting the author as well.

Rarity kept the moderating role mostly because she loved talking to authors about books. She’d just have to ignore the huge audience staring past her and at Marc.

Rarity would have rather been home, reading on the couch tonight.

She was a true introvert and big events like this drained her energy stores, but since they also filled the store’s coffers, it was a necessary evil of the job.

Shirley loved the planning and coordination of the events.

And her other employee, Katie Dickenson, just loved being around people and talking books.

Rarity had already handled the sales of several Katie-suggested fiction books to the waiting throng.

Rarity walked into the break room where Marc Billings was just finishing telling Darby a story that had something to do with bike riding in Scotland. “I hate to interrupt, but I think we should start the talk. Darby, grab Marc a bottle of water to take up with him. Do you need anything else?”

Marc took a deep breath, nodding at the back door. “Maybe I should just sneak out the back.”

“Oh, no, you don’t. You have a store full of excited fans wanting to meet you and hear about your book.” Rarity wanted to run away with him, but the show must go on. “Are you racing on Saturday?”

Marc smiled and Rarity’s heart almost burst. He was adorable.

“Since my accident, I leave the racing to the kids. I’ll be on the sidelines, cheering and doing the commentating for the live feed.

That’s where they send the old guys out to pasture—as sports commentators.

Although if I’d known what they got paid, I might not have worried about writing the memoir for a few years.

Strike when the iron is hot and all that. ”

Rarity nodded as she waited for him to slip on his jacket over an expensive polo shirt and jeans. “I changed up my life a few years ago, due to a health issue. It takes a while to find out who you really are when you’re not your job anymore.”

He lifted his head and stared at her. “I’ve never had anyone say that so clearly. That’s exactly how I’ve been feeling. Trying on new identities. Thank you.”

Rarity shrugged as they stepped toward the door.

“I’m not saying I have it all figured out, but I’m getting closer.

I’ll make a brief introduction, talk about our events over the next week, and then focus on your book.

After that, we’ll start with the list of questions I gave you last week.

If there’s something you don’t want to answer, just tell me a different story.

I’ll move on and not press you. This is your time to shine, not a serious journalistic interview.

At the end, we’ll have about ten minutes for audience questions. ”

Rarity stepped out of the break room and, after making sure Marc was following her, headed to the fireplace where Archer Ender and Drew Anderson had built her a temporary riser that could be stored away between events.

She let Marc get settled with a microphone and then did his introduction.

After that, her memories of the event blurred together.

And in what felt like a few seconds, the author talk portion of the night was over.

The signing line was almost out of people, and Rarity had left Katie with Marc to help with crowd control.

She, Shirley, and Darby had handled the book sales.

Darby pulled up the last box that they’d shoved under the table and stacked them so people could see the book.

“I have one more box in the back that I had Marc sign earlier for stock. Maybe we should have bought a box or two less?”

Shirley shook her head. “We’ll probably sell those this next week.

We’ll keep them out on a table during the weekend.

Besides, Friday we have the filmmaker in for his book on the spider film that we’re showing later that night.

We’re getting a nice set of signed books for the store, but the goal is always to sell out, so we have room for the next author. It’s a rolling target.”

“It sounds exhausting for the authors. You’re only as good as your last book.

” Rarity stood and stretched since there were only a few more people in the shop.

“Let’s start putting away chairs. Shirley, you stay here, just in case we have some stragglers.

I’d love to get home in the next hour or so to let Killer out for a walk and maybe sneak in a swim. My shoulders are killing me.”

“I was supposed to tell you that Killer’s with Terrance,” Shirley said as Rarity and Darby walked around the table. “I’m sure he’s gone for at least one walk tonight with his favorite neighborhood watch captain.”

“I didn’t know Terrance was going to be home.” Rarity met her friend’s gaze. “I didn’t call and ask him to take Killer for the night.”

“You know you don’t have to ask.” Shirley waved them away. “Go work. I’m going to try to figure out how many books we sold. Authors always want to know the numbers. For word people, they keep track of sales better than most accounting majors.”

Rarity started stacking chairs and soon was joined by Archer and Drew. “Hey, guys. I didn’t know you were coming by.”

“Where else would we go?” Drew shrugged but then elbowed Archer. “Although, I remember a time when we were both single and we would meet up for a beer after work rather than stop by the bookstore or crystal shop to help you two move furniture or cabinets or boxes.”

“Or chairs. Or build a stage,” Archer added, but as he did, he leaned over to kiss Rarity. “And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Good, because I was getting a little worried there.” Rarity put the chairs she’d just folded up on the carrier.

“Brown chairs are the rentals and need to go on these two brown carriers. We can store them in the break room. The silver ones are mine and go on the red carrier. Are either of you available to take these back to the rental shop Saturday morning? We’ll need them for Friday’s outdoor event.

The carriers won’t fit in my Mini Cooper. ”

“Excuses, excuses,” Drew said, grinning. “As long as it’s early. With the race starting at ten, I’ll need to be here at eight. Archer, I think we’ll need your truck too.”

“I already told Jack he’d be opening the booth on Saturday.

Katie just told me that you gave out all of my adventure tour flyers.

We might be busy this week as well. Who knew a bike race would bring in so many hikers.

” Archer put the last silver chair on the rack and pushed it into the storage behind the fireplace.

Darby was behind him, waiting to put the lectern in the closet as well. “One more thing and we can lock this up.”