Page 84 of Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Book
“We both feel particularly bad,” Crystal chimed in, “because it was books she put in that library that brought the two of us together.”
“You don’t say,” Beverly replied. It was starting to get a bit freaky. “Which books, if you don’t mind my asking?”
“Gender QueerandAll Women Are Witches.”
There was no doubt who was responsible for those two classics ending up on Lula’s shelves. “Yep, that was definitely my girl,” she said.
Just then, Beverly caught sight of her daughter and Ronnie coming back from the store, their arms laden with bags. After Lindsay had been arrested, Beverly tried to plead her case with the sheriff. Her daughter was still so young, she’d reminded him, and it had all been a prank. There was nothing truly dangerous in that little library, or else they would have charged Lindsay with endangerment, too. Nobody had been harmed in the slightest. It had all been a joke.
But that’s the thing about jokes, Beverly realized. The fact that they’re funny doesn’t make them any less serious. Lindsay’s little prank had started a chain reaction. The books she’d put in that library had opened eyes, granted courage, and exposed terrible crimes. That’s why they were dangerous—why so many people had wanted to hide them. Lindsay had known all along what they could do.
“Beverly?”
She was pulled from her reverie by the sound of Melody Sykes’s voice. Beverly wasn’t surprised to see the former mayor’s wife. She’d personally called to invite her. “Melody, I am so happy you could come.”
“Thank you for having me.” Melody looked nervous so Beverly laid a hand on her arm.
“Of course! Where are your boys? I hope you brought them. They won’t want to miss out on Wilma’s cake.”
“They’re with Mara at the library. She’ll bring them over in a few minutes. But I was hoping you might be able to do me a favor before they get here.”
“I’ll certainly try,” Beverly told her. “What do you need?”
Melody took in a breath and seemed to summon her courage. “I’d like you to introduce me to Darlene Honeywell. Randy’s never going to apologize, so I figured I should step forward and do it.”
“I’d be glad to, Melody. Can I come find you in a couple of minutes? I got a few things I need to take care of first.”
“Of course! And would you please tell Lindsay that Beau lovedAre You There God? It’s Me, Margaret?”
“I’ll pass that along.”
Beverly stepped up on a bench by the fountain.
“Can I get everyone’s attention for a moment? It’s coming up on noon,” she called out. “I want to thank all of you for coming out to help today. Isaac Wright has a few things to say when the day kicks off. But before we start, I was hoping to see a quick show of hands. You all know about Lula Dean’s library—that my daughter was the one who switched the books. If you don’t know her, that’s Lindsay standing over there by the plates.”
Lindsay, who’d been unloading boxes of utensils, spun around at the sound of her name and offered a little wave at the people who were now staring at her. Since her chat with Delvin Crump, she’d been getting out of bed in the morning. But she still hadn’t quite recovered her old spirit.
“How many of y’all found a book in that library that meant something to you?” Beverly asked the crowd.
Half the hands in the square rose. Beverly’s heart swelled. She’d never been more proud of her daughter.
“If you don’t mind, would you stop by and let Lindsay know how it made a difference?”
Beverly saw Mr. Stempel making a beeline for her daughter andwondered which book it was that he’d found. Bernice and Sam were right behind him. Crystal and Jonathan. The entire Wright family. Delvin and Jeb. Ken, Kari, and Keith Kelly. She had no idea Lindsay had touched so many lives.
Beverly was about to go join them when she saw the first reunion guests arrive—a lovely woman in a lemon-colored dress and long braids, looking slightly lost. Mitch Sweeney, acting as official greeter, met her at the curb.
“Welcome to the Wright-Wainwright reunion,” he said, offering a meaty arm.
The woman stared up at the giant, her eyes wide. Beverly was hurrying to the rescue when the woman let out a girlish squeal.
“Are you Mitch Sweeney?” she gushed, grabbing hold of him. “I absolutelylovedyou as Roy.”
Chapter 34
The Greatest Story Ever Told
Jeb Sweeney touched his thumb to the biometric lock and quietly pulled his pistol from the safe. It was three-twelve in the morning, and someone was in his house. He’d gotten a few nasty messages on Facebook since the incident at Logan Walsh’s house. Nothing that would have worried him a few months back, but now he knew to take trolls more seriously. He crept down the stairs in his bare feet and boxers, fully expecting to come face-to-face with Nathan Dugan or someone just like him.
