The Silence Of The Library

I glanced at the large feline at rest beside me. As usual, Diesel had his head on the pillow, turned toward me. He opened his eyes sleepily and meowed twice. “Yes, we are, and Diesel said to tell you hello. Did you just get in, sweetheart?”

Helen Louise chuckled, a warm, throaty sound that made my stomach do an odd lurch. How I had come to love that chuckle of hers. “Yes, I was walking in the door when I heard the phone. I knew it was you.”

“Oh, and not one of your other boyfriends?” I laughed, feeling like a giddy teenager.

“They never call this late.” Helen Louise giggled. “Oh, love, I missed seeing you today.”

“Me, too.” I pictured her dear face, lined with fatigue. She worked so hard at the bakery, but her business was better than ever. “You need another assistant, honey. You’re wearing yourself out.”

“I know.” She expelled a heavy breath, and I heard the exhaustion behind it. “You wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find reliable help. I’ve tried employing students part-time, but the last one never could turn up on time. The one before that was always calling in sick. At least Debbie is reliable and a hard worker.” Debbie Coulter was a young divorced woman who had been working at the bakery for about six months now.

“Too bad you can’t clone Debbie,” I said. Surely there had to be another hard worker somewhere in Athena.

“That would be nice. I’ll simply have to keep looking and pray that someone suitable turns up,” Helen Louise said. “But enough of that. What did you two get up to today?”

I gave her a shortened account of the events of the day, and she listened without comment until I finished. “Mon Dieu, what a mess. I know how you hate all these tense scenes, my love, but something tells me you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

“I wish you hadn’t said that,” I responded wryly. “Teresa and I both are nervous enough as it is.”

“Sorry, love.” Helen Louise sounded contrite. “Remember, though, you can’t control others, especially when they’re intent on causing mischief.”

“I know.” I suppressed a sigh. The problem was, I always had a hard time letting go of my intense desire to make things run smoothly.

Helen Louise chuckled again. “My dearly beloved control freak, try to relax. Do what you can, and let the Good Lord look after the rest.” She paused. “I didn’t realize you knew Carrie Taylor.”

“Not really,” I replied. “She got in touch with Teresa once we posted the information about Mrs. Cartwright on the library website. Do you know her?”

“Only slightly. Her bosom buddy is Melba Gilley, though.”

“Mrs. Taylor did mention her.” I could imagine the knowing smile on Helen Louise’s face. Melba was perhaps the biggest gossip in Athena, and if she and Carrie Taylor were that close, well, enough said, I reckoned. “I’m sure Melba will be on the phone first thing tomorrow, pressing me for details.” I was very fond of Melba, but she could be exasperating.

“Sorry, my dear, but I figured I had better let you know.”

After that we chitchatted for a few minutes, then, hearing the tiredness in Helen Louise’s voice, I admonished her to get some rest. We bade each other good night.

As I put down the phone, I felt a paw on my left arm. Diesel yawned and snuggled up to me. He liked to make sure I stayed close. He might disappear during the night to visit with another member of the family, but he didn’t want me going anywhere without his knowing about it. I drifted off to sleep, determined not to let my brain get caught up in worries over the events of the day.

When my bedside phone rang the next morning, I came out of a sound sleep and fumbled for the receiver. I mumbled a greeting, and an all-too-familiar voice barked in my ear.

“Mr. Harris, Kanesha Berry. Sorry if I woke you up.”

Kanesha, my housekeeper’s daughter, also happened to be the chief deputy in the sheriff’s department. Calls from her never boded well. Suddenly I was more alert.

“Doesn’t matter.” I glanced at the clock—ten minutes after seven. “What’s going on? Is there an emergency?”

“You could say that.” Kanesha sounded peeved—as she often did when she talked to me. “How well do you know a Mrs. Carrie Taylor?”

“Not that well. She’s been helping us at the library with an upcoming exhibit and an event.” I had a sick feeling in my stomach now. “Why do you ask?”

“She’s dead, and it looks like murder.” Kanesha pulled no punches. “She had your home phone number scribbled on a notepad by her desk, where her body was found.”

THIRTEEN

“Dead?” I woke up fast. Beside me, Diesel warbled anxiously. I rubbed his head as I continued. “I can’t believe it. I saw her just yesterday. Twice as a matter of fact.”

“I want to talk to you, but it’ll have to wait until I’m done here. Maybe about an hour. You’ll be at home.” That last statement didn’t sound much like a question, more like a command.