Page 37 of As They Are
Wren waved her hand. “The statute of limitations has expired.”
“It most certainly has not.”
“I thought you said the sheriff wouldn’t do anything. Besides, this is Mollie. She can keep secrets.”
I glanced at Mollie, whose eyes fell to her feet. I’d been a witness to Facebook drama that was caused by her letting a secret slip.
“I can keep secretsnow,”she eventually said. “Just not when I’ve had things to drink.”
“Isn’t that why you usually don’t drink in public?” Wren asked.
“I went back on that once and might have spilled a secret of Cain’s to the town gossip. I learned my lesson, though.”
Wren crossed her arms. “I thought you learned it when you got drunk and told a bouncer that your thong was up your ass.”
“Wren!”Mollie hissed. “That stays in thevault.Where no one hears about it!”
“I didn’t hear a thing,” I said, putting up my hands. “In fact, I have no idea what we’re talking about.”
Mollie glanced at me and then back at Wren. “I see why you committed a crime with him now. But next time, you’re taking me.”
“Done.” Wren nodded.
“So, what was it like in there?” Mollie asked.
“Spooky,” Wren replied. “Dusty. But it has a lot of potential. It’s honestly the first time I’ve been inspired in a while.”
“Were any of the books left?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
“There was a desk that Marjorie carved M and H into,” I added. “But that and the mur?—”
Wren shook her head, and I snapped my mouth shut.
“The what?” Mollie asked.
“The mur ... dered body.” Wren tried to cover it up.
“There wasnota murdered body in the library.”
“Well,no, there wasn’t.” She turned to Mollie. “But we’re going with that because you can’t know what it is yet.”
“Rude,” Mollie muttered. “But okay, I’ll let it go purely so Wren can win something. She’s been sad lately, unless she’s with you. I guess you’re the exception.”
“I-I’m just?—”
Mollie stopped my stuttering in its tracks. “You have the final say about the STM grant. Wren trusts you.”
There was a lot to unpack there, but if I tried to do any of it in front of Mollie and Wren, I might explode.
So, I focused on the grant. Back to business talk for me.
“I think it’s worth a shot. They’re usually willing to provide funding promises in writing. The only downside is not knowingwhy it’s so willing to help but ... I think we can both agree the library is worth a little risk, right?”
“We can,” Wren said. “You’ll have to wish me luck.”
An idea popped into my head. “I can give you more than just a wish. Come outside with me.”
