Page 45 of The Perfect Obsession
“Okay, let him know I’ll be there in five minutes.”
She knew that with each of the prior murders taking place in victims’ homes, along with the supposed security at the library, Sinclair was probably safe there.All the same, when she pulled back onto the street, Jessie punched the gas.
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
Jessie jogged up the steps of the library, trying to remind herself not to overreact.
Riley Sinclair was almost certainly fine.She was in a secure building.She’d been warned to stay alert, as had the library guards.And since she was a year younger than all the victims so far, she might not even be a target of the killer.
Just before she entered, Jessie briefly allowed herself to take in the majesty of the Los Angeles Public Library.Built in the 1920s, the building’s exterior was Art Deco, featuring multiple reliefs on the façades.Maybe someday she’d give herself some time to really appreciate the place.But not today.
She caught sight of Officer Devery, who was waiting for her at the security checkpoint.He waved her over.
“Hi, Ms.Hunt,” he said, nodding at the guard manning the metal detector.“I’ve already spoken to Mr.Peele.He’s authorized us to pass through and given me directions to the Children’s Literature Department, which Riley Sinclair runs.You ready?”
“I am,” Jessie said.
They passed through a side gate next to the detector, and Devery led the way up the escalator to level two.As she looked up, Jessie could see multiple additional escalators going to higher floors.
Once there, Jessie allowed herself a second to take in the massive atrium at the far end of the hallway.Suspended from the ceiling were two giant pieces of art that doubled as chandeliers.They headed back down the corridor in the other direction, which opened into a mammoth rotunda.Looking up at the ceiling, Jessie marveled at the elaborate stenciled motifs.The walls were covered with enormous murals.
Off to the right was the Teenscape room, which she assumed housed young adult fiction.The Children’s Literature Department was to the left.
“I know I shouldn’t be excited,” Devery whispered in the echoing rotunda.“But checking on the safety of a possible target of a serial killer is way more interesting than taking a report from a jaywalking dude who got a broken wrist when a car mirror clipped him.”
“I’m actually hoping this isn’t too exciting,” Jessie said.“I’ve had my fill for the day.”
Devery looked a little sheepish at hearing that, but said nothing.She suspected he was wondering if he’d hurt his chances of eventually joining HSS with the comment.
“Don’t worry about it,” she added.“I get where you’re coming from.”
They headed to the Children’s Literature department, passing through the glass and iron-grilled doors before approaching the main desk, where a young man with thick glasses and scruffy blond hair stood, smiling broadly.
“We’re looking for Riley Sinclair,” Jessie whispered.“We’re with the LAPD.”
“Wow,” he said in apparent awe.“She’s been getting a lot of love from you guys all day.I never realized that Riley was such a big deal.”
From his comment, Jessie suspected that the guy didn’t know the reason Sinclair was getting all the attention.Otherwise, he probably wouldn’t have been so giddy.
“Yes,” she said, “where is Riley now?”
“Um, I think she might have gone home,” he said.
“No,” Jessie insisted nervously.“She was supposed to wait for a guard to escort her to her car.And the guy downstairs, Peele, would have told us if that had happened.”
“Hold on,” the librarian said.“Let me check with our senior librarian, Paulette.I was on a break until a few minutes ago, so I might be out of the loop.But she’ll know.”
Jessie tried not to let apprehension get the best of her as he waved to an older woman with gray, purple, and blue hair, who was reading to a group of toddlers seated in a circle on a colorful carpet.
“Hold on one moment, children,” Paulette said to the group.“I’ll be right back.While I’m gone, I want you to think of the question you’d most like to ask Little Nutbrown Hare if you met him.”
Paulette walked over, looking annoyed.When she arrived, her tone was hushed but irritated.
“Jimmy, you know that unless it’s an emergency, we never interrupt Storytime.It’s hard to keep kids this age engaged, especially with interruptions.And I only have ten minutes to finish the book before we close up.What’s the problem?”
Jessie bit her tongue, rather than pointing out that if there was an armed police officer in their workplace, maybe thiswasan emergency.
“Sorry,” Jimmy said.“But these folks are with the police.They’re looking for Riley.I said I thought she went home.Is that not right?”
