me, I reasoned. I was a conscientious employee. I was always on time, and I almost never got sick. I had never yelled at a member of the public, no matter how I’d been tempted-especially by parents who dumped their children at the library in the summer with instructions to amuse themselves for a couple of hours while mommy and daddy went shopping.
So why was I worried? I lectured myself. I was just seeing the down side of being involved in a criminal investigation. It was practically my civic duty not to mind being the object of police scrutiny.
I wondered if I could reasonably be considered a suspect in Mamie’s murder. I could have done it, of course. I’d been home unobserved for at least an hour or more before I left for the meeting. Maybe one of the other tenants could vouch for my car being in its accustomed place, though that wouldn’t be conclusive proof. And I supposed if I could have found a place that sold Mrs. See’s, I could have mailed myself the candy. I could have typed the label on one of the library typewriters. Maybe Detective Liggett had been getting typing samples from all the machines! Though if the samples did match the label, it wouldn’t be proof that I typed it myself. And if the sample didn’t match, I could have used another machine-maybe one in my mother’s office?
Now the murder of Morrison Pettigrue was another kettle of fish entirely. I had never met Mr. Pettigrue, and now never would. I hadn’t known where he lived until one of the other librarians had told me, but I couldn’t prove either of those things, now that I came to think about it. Ignorance is hard to prove. Besides, if he’d been killed late Sunday night after the abortive last meeting of Real Murders, I had no alibi at all. I’d been home alone feeling sorry for myself.
However, if by some miracle the killing could be proved to have occurred during the hour we were all together, we’d all be cleared! That would be too good to be true.
I was so busy trying to imagine all the pros and cons of arresting me that I bumped into Sally Allison, literally. She was looking at the books on needlework, of which the library had scores, Lawrenceton being a hell of a town for needlework.
I murmured an apology. Sally murmured back, “Don’t think about it,” but then she stayed glued to her spot, her eyes all too pointedly on the titles in front of her. The past couple of months, Sally had been a frequent patron of the library, even during what I supposed were her working hours. I didn’t think she came to check out books, though she did leave with some every time. I was convinced she was checking on Perry. I wasn’t surprised after what Amina had told me. Sometimes Sally didn’t even speak to her son, I’d noticed, but eyed him from a distance, as if watching for some sign of trouble.
“How’s your mother, Roe?” Sally asked.
“Just fine, thank you.”
“Gotten over your scare about the candy? I didn’t get to ask you last night.”
Sally had called both Mother and me for an interview when she’d read the police blotter after the candy incident. Mother and I separately had been as brief as was congruent with courtesy, we discovered later when we compared notes. I thought my name had been in the paper enough recently, and Mother thought the whole incident too sordid to discuss. (Mother also, in her career-woman mode, thought an attempted poisoning would be bad for business.)
“Sally, I wasn’t scared, because I didn’t know then and I don’t know now that someone was actually trying to hurt me or my mother. I’m going to say frankly, Sally, that you’re my friend and you’re a reporter, and I’m not sure recently just who I’m talking to.”
Sally turned to face me. She was not angry, but she was determined. “Being a reporter on a small newspaper doesn’t mean I’m not a real reporter, Roe. You’re a Teagarden, so what happens to you is doubly news. Your mother is a very prominent woman in this town, and your father is a well-known man. The owner of our newspaper will not keep this police gag order agreement much longer. Does that answer your question? Lillian’s coming. Have you read this book on bargello?”
I blinked and recovered. “Now, Sally, I can’t sew on a button. You’d have to ask Mother if you want to know about needlework. Or Lillian,” I added brilliantly, as my co-worker wheeled her own cart past the other end of the stack.
Lillian, whose ears are as fine-tuned as a bat’s, heard her own name and turned in, and right away she and Sally were embroiled in an incomprehensible conversation about French knots and candlewicking. A little sadly, I returned to my shelving. When I was no longer news, I wondered whether Sally would decide she was just a friend again.
When I looked at my watch and discovered it was four o’clock and I was due to get off at six, I realized I’d better think about what I was going to wear to the Carriage House with Robin. He had mentioned picking me up at seven, which gave me a scant hour to get home, shower, redo my makeup, and dress. Reservations had been no problem; Tuesday was not a heavy night at the Carriage House, and I’d told them 7:15. Now I had to decide what to wear. My dark blue silk was back from the cleaner’s. Had I ever taken the matching sandals to be repaired after I’d noticed the strap coming loose? Desperately I wished I had bought the black heels I’d seen at Amina’s mom’s shop that morning. They’d had bows on the back of the heel, and I’d thought they were ravishing. Would I have time to run by and get them?
Gradually I became aware that someone was humming on the other side of my stack with a droning, bee-like monotony.
It could only be Lillian. Sure enough, when I pulled out a veterinarian’s “humorous look at life with animals in and out of the house” which had been thrown in with the 364’s, Lillian’s round face was visible through the gap.
“I think we should be earning more money,” Lillian said sulkily, “and I think we should be
“Sam Clerrick? Nights?” I said foolishly, not knowing where to begin with my questions. Lillian had been a big Sam Clerrick fan before this moment, to the best of my knowledge. Mr. Clerrick seemed intelligent and tough to me, but I was reserving judgment on his ability to manage people.
“Oh, you haven’t heard,” Lillian said with pleasure. “What with all the excitement in your life lately, I guess you haven’t had too much time to pay attention to ordinary everyday stuff.”
I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. “Lillian,
Lillian wriggled her heavy shoulders in anticipation. “You know, the Board of Trustees met two nights ago? Of course, Sam Clerrick was there, and he told them that in his view staying open at night hadn’t been tried sufficiently four years ago, when it was such a flop-you remember? He wants to reinstate it for a time, with the present staff. So instead of being open one night a week we’ll be open three, for a four-month trial.”
Four years ago Lawrenceton had been a smaller town, and remaining open more than one night a week past six o’clock had only resulted in a higher electric bill and some bored librarians. Our one late night was a token bow to people who worked odd hours and couldn’t get to the library any other time. Business had been picking up on that night, I thought fairly, and in view of Lawrenceton’s recent population boom, another try at night opening was reasonable. Still, I felt mildly perturbed at the change in my schedule.
On the other hand, it was hard to regard my job as the most important thing in my life lately.
“How’s he going to do it without increasing staff?” I asked without much interest.
“Instead of being on two librarians at a time, we’ll be on in teams of librarian and volunteer on an open night.”
The volunteers were a mixed bunch. Mostly they tended to be older men and middle-aged to elderly women who really enjoyed books and felt at home in a library. Once they’d been trained, they were a godsend, excepting the very small percentage who’d taken the job to see their friends and gossip. That small percentage soon got bored and quit the program, anyway.
“I’m game,” I told Lillian.
“We’re going to find out more about it officially today,” Lillian went on, looking disappointed at my mild reaction. “There’s a staff meeting at 5:30, so Perry Allison’s going to relieve you at the circulation desk. Hey,” and Lillian looked at her watch obviously, “isn’t it time for you to get down there now?”
“Yes, Lillian, I see that it is,” I said with elaborate patience, “and I am going.” We took turns on circulation as we did on almost every job, since the staff was too small for much specialization but definitely full of individuals who didn’t hesitate to make their preferences known. I was darned if I was going to scurry downstairs because Lillian had looked at her watch, so I continued, “I’m willing to give night hours another shot. More time off during
