Chapter 7
The next morning, they were at the bookstore, when Rarity told everyone about the look-alike. “I swear, Darby, she looked just like you but more dressed up.”
“So my doppelganger has better fashion sense? Nice.” Darby took a bite of the scone in front of her. “She probably runs every morning and only eats green leafy vegetables too.”
Rarity chuckled as the box of scones made its way around the table. “I don’t know about that, but she did look like you.”
“They say that there are exact replicas of each person in the world. The reason you never see them is they live so far away from each other. But with modern travel, finding your nongenetic twin is more likely to happen. It’s like how there are only nine story plots in the world.
We just keep putting our own spin on the old plots,” Jonathon said as he reached for a second scone.
“Maybe your stalker is going after that girl and not you?” Katie had finished boxing up the new books to bring over to the booth. “Do we want these in the wagon again?”
“Sure.” Rarity leaned back into her chair. “We’ve only got until noon today, and then everyone will be off the clock until Tuesday.”
“Except me,” Shirley added.
Rarity sipped her coffee. “Right, except Shirley who begged me for permission to open the store for a few hours tomorrow.”
“What time are you opening?” Jonathon opened his notebook, pen in hand.
“You don’t have to come,” Shirley protested. “I think I told you that before.”
“I need writing time. I’ve been busy with bookstore stuff since I got here. Don’t send me away. I never get anything done with Romeo around. All he wants from me is cuddles and treats.” Jonathon pleaded with Shirley, holding his hands together in a symbolic prayer gesture.
“Fine, you can come, but no stocking books. I want to see your word count when we’re done,” Shirley warned, a smile on her face.
“I brought my laptop today, just in case we’re slow.” He turned to Rarity. “I take it that the sleuthing club is taking over on Tuesday night?”
“That’s the plan. I’ve already called the other two members and told them we’d be cutting the book discussion time short. And that we might do the same the next week.”
“I really enjoyed this week’s book,” Katie said then slapped her hand over her mouth. “I know, keep it for book club.”
“And with that, let’s get our day going. Darby number one? You and Katie are with me.” Rarity stood and went to get Killer from his daybed by the fireplace.
“Not funny.” Darby finished her scone before she stood.
Katie grinned and hugged her friend. “You’ll always be Darby number one in my book.”
“Still not funny, guys,” Darby said as she followed Rarity out the door.
* * *
Drew came into the booth around ten. Rarity had asked Sam to fill him in on the woman they’d seen the night before. Rarity used the excuse to walk Killer, and they took the conversation outside, again.
When they were far enough from the tent, Drew paused in a narrow area between the rows of tents. “I showed a picture of Darby to the organizers of the bike race and the film festival. The bike race people identified her as working at the bookstore.”
“So Darby number one.” Rarity told him what they’d been calling their Darby.
“I bet she loves that, not.” He chuckled as he scanned the crowd over Rarity’s head as they talked.
“Anyway, so no duplicate. But the film festival people all identified her as Talia Brooks. She has a movie in contention for best short film under two hours. She’s from Riverside, California, near Los Angeles.
So yes, our Darby has a double. And you’re wondering if these attacks on Darby could be misplaced? ”
“But how would he know number one’s address and phone number? If you’re stalking someone, wouldn’t he know she lives in California?” Rarity thought knowing this explained the Darby sighting last night, but not the attacks. “I still think it’s the Scotland ex-boyfriend.”
“She only dated him a few times. I don’t think she’d like hearing him called her ex,” Drew said, reaching down to pull Killer out of the way of the passing crowd. “The plate on the black truck is from California. We’re running it now.”
“Aren’t you sensitive?” Rarity shortened Killer’s leash. “So the truck could have just been a bad driver? Part of the film festival group?”
“That’s the theory. Besides, hanging around Sam will do that to a person.” He smiled at her. “Anyway, that’s my news. There is a Darby doppelganger in town.”
Rarity and Drew walked back to the tent, and then he left.
Rarity was glad the weekend festival in the park was almost over.
Keeping Darby in her line of sight all the time was harder here than at the store.
She needed to make sure that Darby wasn’t going to be alone next week.
If they got through the film festival, maybe the stalker would realize he had the wrong person and head back to California with the rest of the festivalgoers.
Unless he truly was after Darby number one.
Tuesday night, she’d introduce a Keep Darby Safe campaign at the book club meeting. Then they could get down and dirty in the who killed Mason Pike investigation. Having two projects might strain their resources, but they had Jonathon in town until the murder was solved. Jonathon and Romeo.
And Jonathon still hadn’t brought his dog to the bookstore. She needed to talk to him about that.
Archer came into the tent at the end of the festival. “Do you want to load the books in my bus? It’s just outside the park in the vendors’ parking lot. Jack’s coming over as soon as he takes the last load for our booth over.”
Killer came out from under the table and pulled on his leash, trying to get to Archer.
Laughing, Rarity unclipped his leash, letting him run to one of his favorite humans.
“Of course I do. Even if we sold out, there are still the tables to get back. Maybe I need to get a bookstore van just in case I lose my boyfriend.”
He shrugged. “As long as there isn’t an active search going for a new one, I’m fine with this being a permanent gig. Picking up your booth remains, that is.”
“Almost a nice save, dude.” Katie stood from packing up the picture books. “I thought you were going down on one knee.”
“Believe me, I’ve got more swagger than to do it at the end of a festival in an empty booth in front of you all.
Especially when we’re all tired and hungry.
She might say no.” Archer grabbed the box and put it on the dolly he’d brought in.
He winked at Rarity. Then he stacked three more and headed out the door.
“Just wait until you see the fireworks.”
Darby and Katie looked at each other, then at Rarity. “He’s kidding, right? Or do you have something to tell us?”
“He’s messing with you. No plans have been made.” She put Killer into the wagon along with the register and stuff from the table they’d used as the point of sale. “Now let’s get these tables cleared off before Jack shows up.”
“Too late,” he called as he came into the tent. “Wow, Archer wasn’t kidding. You guys are slow at packing.”
“We had a lot more stuff in our tent than you did,” Darby countered.
With Jack’s help, it didn’t take them long to finish shutting the booth down. Rarity’s bookshop was the first stop, and they got the boxes and tables unloaded and into the store in record time.
Shirley glanced around at the book boxes.
“And this is why you need me here tomorrow. I’ll get the books all returned to their shelves before I go home on Monday.
We had quite a bit of walk-in traffic this morning.
We sold out of the Pike book. They’re doing a memorial screening of his new film tomorrow night.
It was supposed to be a dark night where people could regroup, but now they have this fundraiser for his charity at the theater. I bought tickets for the group.”
“Put an invoice in and I’ll reimburse you.” Rarity met Archer’s gaze. “We’ll have to change our date night plans.”
“It’s still dinner and a movie, just not the movie I’d planned.” Archer put his arm around her and kissed her neck. “I’ve got to go. Jack has a date.”
When Archer was out the door, Jonathon came over, his laptop bag packed. “I’m ready to go when you are.”
It didn’t matter how many times she’d explained to the men in her life that she didn’t need a chaperone to find her way home, when something happened, like Pike’s murder, she apparently became unable to walk alone.
Now, she just accepted it. They weren’t going to change anyway.
“Give me a couple of minutes to tie everything up. Darby? You have people with you tonight?”
“Me, it’s me.” Katie raised her hand. “I’m staying over one more night. Then Malia and Holly are taking over Operation Darby Number One.”
“To be clear, I hate that name,” Darby added.
Katie giggled. “We know. That’s why we called it that.”
“Be careful, I’ll banish you from the pool if you don’t be nice.” Darby grabbed her backpack. “Anyway, I’m staying home today. We’re doing fajitas for dinner if you want to come by.”
“Kathy’s taking me for dinner since she’s leaving tomorrow. She wants to talk about her father and the future. She’s worried I’m going to be broke and will have to live with her.” Shirley smiled as she picked up her purse. “She thinks that’s why I work.”
“It’s not, right? I could increase your pay rate and hours, if you need them.” Rarity hoped she hadn’t been underpaying Shirley. Especially since she did so many book clubs and now author visits. She was essential.
“I’m going broke too,” Katie said as she and Darby raised their hands. “If Shirley doesn’t want the pay raise, split it between us.”
“You two are fine,” Rarity said with a laugh as Shirley shook her head.