Page 26 of Secrets in the Stacks

“But—” she started.

Drew shook his head. “I’m going inside to do my job. This interview is over.”

The cameraman followed Drew to the door, and then he focused on the image of the door shutting. The camera turned back to the reporter.

“To recap, the city of Sedona is gravely concerned over the murder of a local legend. Tomorrow, I’ll bring you an exclusive on the victim, Catherine Doyle. Her life and her death. I’m Charity Lions, Channel 5 News.”

“Drew’s not going to be happy about her sticking around and poking her nose in everything,” Rarity told Killer as he snuggled closer. Just then, the phone rang. It was Drew. “Hey, it’s the television star. When are you moving to Hollywood to work on crime films?”

“You saw that, huh?” He growled. “She’s determined, I’ll give her that much. Which is why I’m calling you.”

“Me? Why?” She stood and went to the hall closet. She grabbed a dust rag and sprayed it with furniture polish. Then she started dusting off the living room furniture as she and Drew talked. Killing two birds with one stone.

“She’s probably going to go after Darby for an interview. And when she finds out she works for you, that means she’ll be at the bookstore. You may want to tell Darby to stay home for a few days.”

“She can’t just stop her life to stay away from the news cameras. She’ll be fine.” She put the phone down and put it on speaker as she cleaned the end tables and coffee table.

“I don’t know. This woman seems like she’s looking for dirt. Not just who killed Catherine, but more. I’d ask Darby, but I don’t think she’ll tell me, so will you ask her?”

She picked up the phone and sat down. She had to have missed something. “What exactly do you want me to ask her?”

“Catherine’s death wasn’t a random break-in. It’s looking like the guy planned it and came back when he didn’t find what he was looking for. Darby needs to be honest and tell me what her grandmother was into before she died. Maybe one of her causes went too far.”

Rarity laughed. She couldn’t believe Drew was falling down the rabbit hole too. “Seriously? Which group do you think is subversive enough to get her killed? Her knitting club? Her animal rescue work?”

“It could be something else. Like was she involved in the migrant issue? Or the border closings? That’s what I need Darby to tell me. What was her grandmother involved in that got her killed?”

Rarity promised to talk to her. She called and checked in with Sam, but she and Darby were out back grilling dinner, so she kept the call short. She finished dusting the living room, then went out to her front porch to sweep the deck and wipe down the furniture out there.

“I’m happy to report nothing happened to your house last night when you were gone. I was hoping for a bunch of hooligans to break in and give me a reason to call the police, but life on Eleventh Street was all quiet last night.” Terrance Oldman was sitting on his deck, watching her clean.

“Well, that’s good news. I’d hate to have to clean up after a bunch of kids. Especially from a party I wasn’t part of. How are you tonight?” She set her cleaning towel and squirt bottle down on the little table.

“I’m fine. Always looking for some action to get involved in, but like I said, Eleventh Street is quiet. It’s always quiet. Something I thought I wanted when I moved here. Now? I’m beginning to wonder.” He sipped what appeared to be a beer. “But that’s just an old man’s whimsy, I guess.”

Rarity liked her neighbor. His quiet demeanor made his words so much more powerful when he did say something. “I’ve got some soup warming up if you want to come in and have dinner. It’s not much, chicken soup and rolls, but I have a couple of slices of pie for dessert.”

“Thanks, but I’ve got dinner plans with the guys in a few minutes. I’m just glad I got a chance to see you tonight. I have to admit, seeing you and that little dog of yours is the highlight of my whole day.” He held up his phone. “Sorry, I’m being checked up on. I should have already been there.”

“Have a good night,” Rarity called after him as he disappeared into his house. She finished wiping down the deck furniture, then swept the flooring. With that done, the deck was back in shape. She went back inside. She was restless. Something about Darby and her grandmother had her on edge. Sam was there with Darby, though, so she didn’t need to worry. She decided to eat an early dinner, then start a book she’d brought home. It was a new-to-her author, and she liked having new books to recommend. And maybe reading would get her out of this mood.

The next morning, Rarity puttered around the house. She didn’t have to open the bookstore until one, so she did a few loads of laundry while she finished off the book she’d started last night. When that was done, she didn’t want to start a new book. The house was clean. It was too early to go into the bookstore. She needed a hobby. As soon as Darby got settled, Rarity was going to join a club or maybe take up a craft.

She sat at the table and pulled out the inventory list from the Doyle estate. She scanned through the books, making marks on the ones she’d need to look up before setting an opening price bid. On the third page, she found more books by Cheryl Jackson. Signed books in nearly new condition. Another connection to Sedona. She really needed to find out how to reach this woman. She must have been popular with the Sedona book crowd for Catherine to have several of her books signed. She wrote a note on her pad, then went back to the inventory sheets.

Killer barked from his spot on the floor next to her. She looked up from the next to last sheet and groaned. It was already twelve thirty. She needed to hustle if they were going to open on time. She left the inventory list on the table and hurried to change for work. By the time she got there, Sam was sitting outside her shop with an ice cream cone. “That looks good.”

“I stopped by to see if you wanted me to get you one, but I saw you changed Monday open hours.” Sam followed her to the door and held Killer’s leash while she unlocked it.

“How did the time with Darby go? Any issues?” Rarity walked into the store and turned on the lights. Sam followed her in, but when she went to close the door, a male hand blocked it.

“Oh, sorry, I didn’t see you there.” Sam opened the door, and the same man from a few days ago entered the store.

“No, totally my fault. I was hurrying to get in before you shut it. Old superstition like don’t light three cigarettes on a match. Come to find out, that wasn’t a wives’ tale. The problem was the enemy could focus on the matchlight if you kept it going for more than one light.” He nodded to Rarity. “I’ve been thinking about a few of those nonfiction books I saw the last time I was here. I’m going to buy them.”

“Books have a way of convincing us, even when we don’t want to be convinced.” She smiled. Okay, she could deal with a man who was so focused on his books that he came back to buy something he’d seen days earlier. “Just let me know when you’re ready to check out.”

Sam waited for him to be across the store. “You know him?”

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