Her features relaxed. I thought she was going to shake her head, but she didn’t.
“It’s a tough go, you know? Medical school is really hard,” she said.
“Right, but students should never be asked to do things against their will. I know you know that, but I’m beginning to wonder if there’s something happening that’s made you, and possibly others, lose sight of it. I understand you being upset about the murder, but I wonder if there’s more going on. Things happening behind the scenes that might not cause murder directly, but might lead to it indirectly.”
“Nothing’s happening,” she said only somewhat unconvincingly.
I looked at the newspaper she’d set on the table, its fold wrinkled from her grip.
“Rena, you can talk to me if you need to,” I said. And then I followed up with my own lie. “You know what? You can tell me anything, and if you want me to keep it from the police I will. Just tell me, if that’s what you want.”
She looked at me, and tears filled her eyes. For a moment, I saw relief and gratitude, but then she thought too long, or she realized I was lying too, and she blinked away the tears and the moment.
“Thank you, Delaney,” she said too politely. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She stood. “And thank you for the breakfast.”
She stood and took the newspaper with her, but left behind the mostly full coffee cup and the completely untouched muffin.
I knew how she felt. I wasn’t hungry either.
I cleaned up the table and then bade Bruno a distracted goodbye.
“Take care of yourself, Delaney,” he said as I left.
Feeling much different than I had during my time alone in the shop yesterday, I was glad to finally be heading back to work.
* * *
“It’s best tae just ignore it all,” Rosie said right as I came through the bookshop’s front door. “It will pass.”
She stood behind the desk holding the newspaper. Her reading glasses were perched on the end of her nose and Hector was in the crook of her arm. He sent me a tiny bark of support.
“I see you’ve read it,” I said.
“Aye.” She shrugged and put the dog on the ground.
He ran to me, and I grabbed him, then lifted him to my face.
“I can’t believe she twisted our brief encounter into something like this,” I said as I let the dog kiss away some of my stress.
“She’s an irksome one tae be sure, but it will pass, Delaney.”
“Oh, Rosie, I hope so,” I said.
“It’ll be fine, lass,” Rosie said as Hector pushed himself a little harder into me.
I was grateful for Edwin’s call earlier. I’d spent too many moments over the last year wondering about my job security—not because I’d done a poor job, but because I’d overstepped my bounds or discovered secrets that weren’t meant to be discovered. I didn’t think the article was in itself something I might be sacked for, but it was just another piece of straw to be thrown on the haystack.
Even my secretive boss might someday have his limits.
The shop’s phone rang. In the quiet, the sound was extra shrill and ominous. I wondered if we’d get calls or complaints all day because of the article.
“The Cracked Spine, how can we help you?… Aye.” Rosie’s eyebrows came together over her nose-tipped glasses. “One moment please.”
Rosie covered the mouthpiece and quietly said, “It’s for ye. A gentleman who says he works at the medical school. Says ye talked tae his wife on Saturday.”
“Dr. Eban?” I said as I placed Hector onto the desk and reached for the phone.
“He didn’t give his name, but ye might want tae think a wee bit before taking calls this morning.”
She was correct, of course, but I couldn’t resist.
“I’ll talk to him.” I cleared my throat and took the phone. “Dr. Eban?”
“Aye. I heard you stopped by my office on Saturday tae ask me about some books. My wife told me.”
“I did.” Had he put together the facts that we’d met Friday night and that I was standing in the bookshop next to where one of his medical students had been killed?
“I’m in my office this morning if you’d like tae come by. I’d love tae see the books. She said they were some of the illustrated volumes from the Sydal Society.”
“That’s correct.”
“I’d be intrigued. I can come tae you if that would be easier,” he said.
It would have been much easier, but I didn’t want Dr. Eban inside the bookshop, particularly today.
“No, I can bring a couple of them to you. Anytime this morning okay?”
“Fine. I’ll be in all morning. If I’m not in my office, I’ve just run tae grab some tea and will return shortly.”
“I’ll be by soon.”
As I hung up the phone I wondered: Had he put the pieces together in his head? How would he react when he saw me?
There was only one real way to find out.
“I’m running an errand,” I said. “I’m sorry, but I think this is important.”
“Um. Okay,” Rosie said as Hector sat and whined at me. “Where are ye going?”
“The medical school—Dr. Eban’s office specifically,” I said as I made my way to the stairs. “Don’t worry—I won’t talk to anyone without leaving the door open.”
I hurried over to the dark side, happy for the distraction from another wave of nerves and self-pity.
The warehouse was cold, but comforting in its homey way. I spied the message from Birk and said aloud, “I’ll call this afternoon,” before I grabbed the box with the books, took the top one on the stack, and placed it into a transparent protective sleeve. One would be plenty for him to look at.
I double-checked the scalpels, and the treasure chest. Everything was where I expected. As I locked the door, my cell phone buzzed in my pocket.
I dug for it as I made my way up the stairs, but didn’t see who was calling until I’d walked through the doorway to the other side.
“Hey,” I said to Rosie, “I’m—”
But I didn’t finish
