Page 71 of Live To Tell

Mrs. Eldridge, carrying a stack of large books held against the green sweater embroidered with leaves that she often wears. I stand, offering to help her but she refuses.

The comfortable relationship we’ve built over the years due to my often hiding and studying in the library left us the moment we met in the artifacts room. The woman who’s helped me locate books and information kept something important from me, even when I specifically asked.

And she doesn’t usually approach me.

“Rowan,” she says evenly, not dropping her new officiousness.

“Hello, Mrs. Eldridge,” I reply with stiff politeness.

The librarian places the books on the desk with a thud. “I hear that Julius spoke to you about his sister.”

Oh? How much has Julius told his ‘useful person to know’. “He has. Do you have anything to add that could help us?” I point at the books.

“These? They’re just books I’m shelving. Human.” She turns them to show the spines. Literary books bound in black leather.

“Do you know anything that could help us?” I repeat. “How involved are you in his research?”

And with him. She’s older than Julius—not that I’m judging—but too young to match Madison’s age and place her at the academy around the same time.

“Julius told me about Madison, as people do when they discuss things if they’re in a relationship.”

“And he told you his suspicions?” She presses her lips together. “You’re connected to the tiara. Were you stealing it for Julius? Or someone else?” I continue.

“Nobody stole the tiara from that room, obviously, since the item was returned to Whitegrove the next day.”

I study her for signs that’d help me, but it’s impossible to tell her opinion on any of this conversation. No expression change or fidgeting.

“Speaking of stealing, I know you took your family’s stone from the room that night,” she says in a quiet voice. “And I’d rather not report you for the theft.”

“Theft?” I ignore the prickling anxiety at her accusation. “What about the theft of Violet’s potion?”

“What on earth does that mean?”

“Someone took her potion and placed it in the artifacts room,” I say pointedly.

“I’m not responsible for the items; I merely keep records. There’re often potions confiscated.”

“But this wasn’t confiscated. Somebody took the potion from her room.”

Mrs. Eldridge either has a poker face or she’s telling the truth. “This isn’t a discussion about other items. I’ve no interest in Violet’s hidden illegal potions.”

Does she not know what the bottle contained?

“Who has access to the room?”

“All teachers,” she replies.

Great—wait until Violet hears that.

“Why were you there that night?” I ask. “Inventory check?”

She arches a brow. “I don’t need to answer your questions.”

If Mrs. Eldridge didn’t plan to take the tiara, was she protecting the item? Knew Violet would try to take the tiara before Mr. Whitegrove repossessed it?

She gives me a long look, the silence becoming uncomfortable. “As I said, I keep inventory records. I know you took back your family’s stone, which was confiscated for a reason, Rowan.”

I shrug.

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