Page 56 of Dying to Read

When they came out with dog food, two different types of treats, and a new toy that Killer would ignore after the first five seconds of playing with it, she unloaded the cart into her Cooper, then headed to the nearest cart corral where she hefted the tote with Killer inside on her shoulder. She headed over to the Lost Manuscript bookstore, and as she walked, she saw a red Corvette parked in a corner spot out of the way. The car or one like it had been at the store last time she’d visited as well. Was it the same one she’d seen that morning? Or was she just noticing a lot of the same type and color ofcars recently?

Coincidences don’t happen that often.She pushed open the door, and a bell announcedher entrance.

Daisy called from the back, “Welcome. If you need help, I’m back in nonfiction, shelving some new arrivals that came in last week. I’ve got a lot of books on the Kennedy era if you’re a collector or like to read that time frame setting.”

Rarity didn’t answer; instead, she followed the voice to where Daisy was working. “Good morning.”

Daisy turned around, a surprised look on her face. “Oh, it’s Rarity, right?”

“Yes, I own the bookstore in Sedona. Sorry, you already know that.” Rarity picked up a history book from the cart. “Camelot. Everyone wants to know more about the past. Especially when it ends in a murder. Or I guess I should call it an assassination.” She tucked the book under her arm. “I’ll take this one. Hey, speaking of the past, is that your Corvette out here? Midseventies? Right?”

“It’s 1974. Good eye. The first car I ever bought off the showroom floor. My dad thought I was an idiot, but I was making great money as a tax lawyer back then. Had to spend it somehow, right?” She didn’t look up at Rarity, instead focusing on the book shewas shelving.

“It’s beautiful. Funny thing is, I needed to stop at my shop this morning and I thought I saw your car in Sedona.” Rarity stopped talking and let the silence between them work its magic.

“I’ve been here at the shop all morning.” Daisy sorted through the books in the cart. “Can I get you something else, or is that all youcame in for?”

Rarity decided to take a chance and laid her cards out on the table. “Why are you returning the books that were stolen from Marilyn Ender? Were you there that night? I know you and your brother knew Caleb and June Ender. I saw a picture of the four of you together in Caleb’s apartment.”

Now Daisy did look at her. She set the books she’d picked up back on the cart. “I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. Nick’s dead. William, his son, is dead. Caleb’s dying. The only one who would be hurt is my dad, and he doesn’t remember much from day to day. Let’s go up to the front and talk. Do you wantsome coffee?”

“If you want some.” Rarity regretted accepting the offer as soon as the words came out of her mouth. This was where in the books, the killer poisoned the nosy sleuth who was asking too many questions.

The coffeepot had just finished brewing and sat on a table next to a large couch and reading chair. Daisy gave Rarity a cup then filled another. She held the second one out. “We can switch if you’re worried.”

“Do you have a reason to kill me?” Rarity hadn’t seen her put anything in the cups besides the coffee.

“No. I wasn’t involved with the Marilyn incident. I found out about the mess later. I was part of the problem, though.” She leaned in and took a sip of her cup. “The coffee’s fine, I promise.”

Rarity decided to trust her. She sat down and put Killer’s tote next to her. He stuck his head out and watched the two of them. “So tell me what happened.”

Daisy stared into her coffee like it was a portal looking into the past. “What do you think you know?”

“Marilyn Ender wasn’t supposed to be home. The books were rare and valuable so someone broke in to take them, but then Marilyn came downstairs and surprised the thief. And he reacted.” Rarity had decided that this had to be what happened. “But I’m not sure how they knew the house was supposed to be empty. Unless the killer was working with someone, like Caleb.”

Daisy nodded. “Nick and Caleb were friends. Best friends for years, at least before this happened. I was in love with Caleb. I wasn’t happy with my husband; he wasn’t happy. We’d been high school sweethearts and thought we were soulmates. We started an affair, and we were going to run off to New York. Now, looking back, I think we were both tired of being adults. I had a job lined up there. I could have supported us until Caleb found work. But he was proud and didn’t want to live off me. I think Nick was pushing that narrative. Anyway, they came up with this plan. Dad knew people in the rare book community who would buy anything, no questions asked. Caleb would help his mom file the insurance claim, and he and Nick would split the money from selling the books. It should have been easy. That’s always the kicker, right? The acts of chance that throw wrenches into the best-laid plans?”

“How do you know this?” Rarity set down the coffee cup without taking a sip. She wasn’t taking a chance.

“Caleb called me after it all went down. I was already in New York working and finalizing the divorce. He told me that Nick had killed Marilyn and he couldn’t leave June alone. Not with two kids. He was heartbroken and riddled with guilt. He was never the same. He’d call over the years and cry on my shoulder.” Daisy set her cup down and curled around herself as she talked. “I was in love with him. We didn’t need the money from the books. This was all Nickbuzzing in his ear. My brother always was a make-money-quick type. A trait I hear his son inherited.”

“So Nick killed Marilyn that night and took the books. How did you get the books?”

Daisy had her hands clasped together. “I never remarried. I never wanted to trust someone and then be betrayed again like what Caleb did. So years passed. Nick robbed someone else, probably several someone elses, and finally went to prison. He was killed there. William was a baby when Nick’s girlfriend got tired of waiting for him to grow up and remarried. When I came home for a visit after my mom passed a few years ago, I realized my dad was failing. I believe it’s Alzheimer’s, but he doesn’t have a diagnosis, yet. I moved back, started working at the store and cleaning out the house. I found the books in the attic. They were in a box labeled ‘Nick’s stuff.’ It looked like Nick’s writing. I almost dropped it off at William’s house. I thought he might want his dad’s belongings.”

“But with his history, you weren’t sure what was in the box,” Rarity guessed.

A sad smile and a nod answered the question before Daisy did. “Exactly. I found out you were dating Archer and thought since Caleb was doing poorly, maybe getting the books back might help ease his guilt.”

Rarity sat back. With everything that she’d found out, she never thought it would be an act of love. Or what Daisy thought was love. “So why isThe Fellowship of the Ringyou returned not the same book that was on the insurance claim?”

“I know it’s the book that Nick took. Honestly, I think Caleb decided to take advantage of the situation. I know he and Nick got into a fight after Marilyn was killed. Caleb thought Nick had sold the books and blown town. Instead, he’d blown town without selling the books. Maybe he wanted to let things cool off a bit. I never thought my brother would kill anyone. Not until I got that phone call from Caleb. By then, when I called Dad, Nick had left town for a job in California. At least that was the story. I don’t know where he wound up, but I didn’t even know I had a nephew until years later. We’ve never been a close family. Not for years.” She leaned back onto thecouch. “I wanted to make amends for the affair. I’ve never forgiven myself for ruining Caleb’s family.”

Rarity left the bookstore and called Drew on her way to the grocery store. She told him what Daisy had told her. The mystery behind the death of Marilyn Ender and the resurfacing books had been solved, but the man who had killed her, according to Daisy, was dead. The other man involved, Caleb Ender, was nearing the end of his own life. “She’s at the bookstore if you want to gotalk to her.”

“I’m stuck in meetings still. I stepped out to take this call. I don’t want Dad to leave the bookstore until I get that book out of there and safe here at the station. I don’t think anyone is out there looking for it. But in case.” There was a pause before Drew added, “I don’t know how we’re going to tell Archer and Dana that their dad was involved in their grandmother’s death.”

Rarity felt Drew’s pain. “Maybe we could leave that part out?”

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