Page 15 of Dying to Read

Rarity ate her dinner as she watched the television. Afterward, she cleaned up and took out the trash so Killer wouldn’t be tempted to find his way into it. She wasn’t going to fall into a pit of despair over a man. Even when the man in question was Archer. She pulled out the notebook that Shirley had made for their sleuthing club. Shetook some of the looseleaf paper out and started writing down what she knew about the book mystery. She smiled as she wrote at the top:Where was Alice?

Once she was done with that, she studied the information and wrote,Action Step #1: Check the video with Jonathon to see if he recognizes anyone.She’d copy this page for Jonathon and give it to him when he arrived on Tuesday for the club. If they didn’t have time before, they’d do it afterward, and she’d have someone towalk her home.

She was probably going to have to get used to walking home alone now.

Rarity pushed the image of Archer away and took out a second page. This time, she wrote,Who Killed William Jully?on the top. She already knew two of Drew’s suspects. However, neither man could have done something like that. She wondered if George’s doctors would say that he wasn’t violent. The nurse they’d talked to Friday night said he was kind and always helping others. If a medical person said it, Drew might listen to them. Butwas it enough?

Instead of following that tangent, she wrote what she did know. William Jully had been killed at the nursing home after the group had left with the puppies. Terrance had been in that group. George was inside, yes, but by the time Jully was killed, George should have been asleep. And who was this woman who had died months ago?

Ruth Agee. She wrote down the name, then texted Drew her name and what George had said. He’d know she wasn’t staying out of it, but did he think she would?

She finished making notes and, looking over them, realized she didn’t have any other suspects to send Drew’s way. If Jully had killed Ruth, it would give more motivation to George killing him in revenge. Or for a weird vigilante reason.

Was George helping others by getting rid of a predator? And if Jully was a predator, how wouldthey prove it?

She tucked the paper into the notebook. She didn’t have an action step written down on this page, but Rarity knew her next step. It was time to call in the troops. The Tuesday Night Survivors’ Book Club really was turning into the Tuesday Night Sleuthing Club, asJonathon called it. Or at least they would as soon as they discussed this week’s book and let the nonsleuthingmembers leave.

She glanced at the book on her table. The one she still hadn’t finished. That was what she could do tonight. And having something to do to keep her mind still was helpful.

Rarity couldn’t solve all the problems and mysteries in her life right now. But she could finishWhat Never Happened.And since the book had an unreliable narrator, she could understand the woman’s actions. Even though she would have been off that island before sheeven got there.

What we wouldn’tdo for family.

Rarity left the television running as she curled up with the book and Killer sleeping next to her. Tomorrow she’d finish her house chores and maybe order Italian for dinner. And watch another season ofProject Runway.

If Archer stayed away for a few weeks, she’d be all caught up on the shows she’d missed when they were out having fun.

That sounded bad. Like she wanted a break from her boyfriend so she could watch television.

Right now Rarity didn’t care how she sounded. Even in her head. She had a plan. Besides, Archer had a secret. Drew knew what that secret was, and she was going to find out what it was.

Even if she didn’t have a sheet of paper onthis problem.

Now she had three mysteries to solve.

She focused on the page. They did it in books all the time. One mystery added to the other and sometimes, they all fell like dominos. You solved one, you figured out the missing piecesof the other.

The book was the key. But Archer had been surprised when she’d shown it to him. He truly hadn’t seen the book since before his grandmother hadbeen murdered.

So where had it been hiding?And with whom?

It was time for Rarity to meet Archer’s parents. Even if it was only on paper. If she could figure out their story, maybe that would answer thebook question.

Or at least, she’d know moreabout Archer.

She focused on the book in her hand. The one thing she could do right now. Read.

Chapter 6

By noon on Monday, Rarity had worked out, finished the book for tomorrow’s club meeting, cleaned the house, and finished off her daily to-do list. Now she was looking for something else to keep her busy. She’d hung out with Sam yesterday. Shirley was unavailable. Holly was sleeping since she worked on Sunday and Monday nights. Malia was working the day shiftat the Garnet.

Having two days off only worked if you had someone to do things with. She didn’t want to go to the bookstore. She wanted Katie—and Shirley, when she returned—to think of Monday as their shift. Where they made the decisions. Rarity had made a task list for the day, and she was usually available if something big happened, but other than that, they were on their own.

She decided to treat herself to lunch. She tucked a book in her tote, put Killer on a leash, and walked into town. Carole’s had a small outdoor patio where dogs were allowed, so she headed there. One thing this week had taught her was that she needed to be better at expanding her group of friends, even when she had a boyfriend. Because when Archer was out of the picture, she had a huge hole in her life.

“What can I help you with?” a woman asked after setting down a glass of water and a menu. “Oh, it’s you. I’ll go grab Killer a water bowl and water without any ice.”

The waitress left before Rarity could read her name tag, but the woman had recognized her. Or at least her dog. She decided to have a Cuban sandwich with potato salad and sipped her water. Killer was watching her. “You can have some of my bread if you’re good. No fries today. The vet says you’re alittle chunky.”

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