Page 12 of Dying to Read

“Maybe I should get a receipt,” Rarity teased as she retrieved the book. “I’ve never handed over something this expensive.”

“I promise I won’t take off for Mexico. I don’t speak Spanish, and Canada’s too cold for my old bones. Besides, Edith would never leave the grandbaby and I’m not good alone.” Jonathon took the plastic bag and put it, his laptop, and notebook into his tote bag. “Is Archer walking you home?”

“Of course,” Rarity lied. She wasn’t sure why she didn’t want their rocky relationship status to be common knowledge, but she couldn’t tell Jonathon the truth. He’d come back to walk her home. She was an adult, and she knew where she lived.

He’d find out sooner than later, especially since he was hanging around. But not today. She needed the weekend to figure out what she was going to say to her friends. And it gave Archer two days to realize what a mistakehe was making.

At least she hoped hefelt that way.

* * *

Instead of Archer, Terrance showed up at the bookstore as she was closing at five. He looked like he’d been through the wringer. “Can I walk you home?”

“Of course. You didn’t have to come and get me.” Rarity hurried to finish her closing chores and then went in and double-checked the back door lock. It was still locked. She was obsessing about the door, but it was better than worrying until Monday when Katie was back working at the shop. She’d volunteered for the shift as soon as she’d heard about Shirley and George.

“It’s really not a problem,” Terrance said as he picked up a book and read the back of it. “I was coming back from the memory care home. George finally went to sleep after a few doses of his meds. He was worked up.”

“I heard you were there helping. He likes you.” Rarity saw the same flinch on Terrance’s face that she’d seen last night. She clicked the leash on Killer’s collar. “I’m not saying thatin a bad way.”

Terrance reached for the leash, and they went to the front door where Rarity turned off the rest of the lights and then set the security system and locked the door. “I know. I feel like the bad guy because of my feelings for Shirley. I don’t wish George any bad luck, but I can’t understand how God would let him forget someone as wonderful as Shirley.”

“I understand.” Rarity knew that Terrance didn’t have bad intentions. His wanting to help had gotten him in over his head with everything that was going on now. “Please tell me that Drew has another suspect.”

“He declined to share that information with me.” Terrance smiled as they walked. “I even brought up my position as head of the neighborhood watch. Drew wasn’t impressed.”

“He’s territorial like that.” Rarity laughed, sharing the joke. “I feel so bad for Shirley. I hear her daughter came into town.”

“Yes, Kathy was there.”

The shortness of the answer made her glance over at her friend and neighbor. “What does that mean?”

“As I was leaving the nursing home, Kathy cornered me in the parking lot and read me the riot act. She told me to stay away from her mother and her father. She said that I was being cruel todo that to Shirley.” He paused at the walkway to his house. “I would have argued with her, but I realized I didn’t have a legto stand on.”

“I didn’t know Shirley had told Kathy about you.” Rarity had known that Shirley had taken a trip to see her daughter, to clear her head.

“My name came up when Shirley made the decision that she couldn’t see me anymore. She’d told Kathy and asked her what she thought. I guess the girl went crazy on her mother. Telling her she was all but cheating on George. Shirley was crushed that Kathy didn’t support her, but then she agreed that she couldn’t see me again. I’d understand, except Shirley has no life with George. It’s too bad she can’t have a life with me.” He dropped his head and headedto his house.

Later, Rarity stood in the kitchen, staring into the refrigerator and wondering what she was going to have for dinner, when she realized that she didn’t know how Terrance had known that Archer wasn’t walking her home. Rarity glanced out the window at his dark house. He was hurting enough that she decided not to ask him about it tonight.

Instead, she found a quart of frozen soup and some bake-and-serve rolls and started dinner. While the food warmed up, she changed and went out to swim. When she finished, dinner would be ready. Life seemed quiet and routine without Archer. In that way, Terrance and she had alot in common.

As Rarity ate in front of the television with Killer by her side, she wondered if this was her lot in life. Quiet Saturday nights with her dog.It could be worse,she thought as she found a movie she wanted to watch. She could be sitting here without her dog. Now that would be lonely.

Rarity dealt with making a list of chores for tomorrow. She texted Shirley a small note letting her know she was thinking about her and not to worry about the bookstore. Now that Archer wasn’t here, Rarity had plenty of time to cover Shirley’s shifts as well as her own. Thinking about the bookstore, she pulled up the staff shift calendar and made notes in her planner on where Shirley had been scheduled. Mostly, Shirley’s absence wouldn’t affect the bookstore until the next week. Then Rarity would need to work Monday, and Wednesday she’d have another Mommy and Me class to deal with.She wrote down the book they were reading and made a note on Tuesday to plan some sort of activity for the mommy group. Mostly, she thought they liked to get together to talk.

Rarity didn’t know anything about kids, but she did know books. Maybe she’d have them talk about building their child’s library. She liked the idea and wrote that on Tuesday’slist as well.

She checked her phone. No messages. Not from Shirley. And not from Archer. What was keeping him from moving in? What problem was he wrestling with? She knew it wasn’t another woman. They’d had that issue before when Calliope had tried to break them up. Archer had been clear that heloved Rarity.

So what had changed between that discussion and now?

Maybe she’d never know. Besides, Jonathon was right. They had two other mysteries to focus on. Who had killed the angry William Jully, and who had left Archer’s grandmother’s book atthe bookstore.

Rarity remembered the shop had a security camera at the door. Maybe she could go through Monday’s digital file and see if she recognized anyone. Or maybe she’d have Jonathon look at the videos as well. If there was someone who had been involved in the investigation of Marilyn Ender’s death, he’d know. He had been the primary investigator in the case.

Chapter 5

Sunday morning, Rarity was on her way to dress after her swim when a knock sounded at her door. She went and unlocked the door. Sam stood there, decked out inyoga clothes.

---