The picture was a profile view of a young girl, barely beginning to look like a teenager. A scarf covered her hair.
“That doesn’t tell me much,” I said.
“I know. I think that’s why we kept the picture. If we ever wanted tae print a picture, this would still keep her identity pretty well hidden.”
Rosie and Hector joined us. I held the phone toward Rosie.
“You know what Sophie and Rena look like. Is there any chance at all that one of them is Dr. Glenn’s Lily?”
“Lass, that picture doesnae tell me much at all,” Rosie said.
“Anything else?” I said to Bridget.
“I’m waiting right now,” she said. “Why is this so important? Sophie and Rena are two women in Mallory’s building, right?”
I nodded but didn’t expound. I saw her eyes light up though. This could definitely be a big story.
I said, “I think if Lily was in town, it would be more likely that Dr. Glenn truly had resurfaced, and Lily could help the police find him. No matter what, he’s a killer on the loose.”
“And you think you might know someone who used tae be Lily?” Bridget asked.
“I’m not sure, but it feels like a good guess.”
“Sophie or Rena?”
Bridget’s phone rang as I avoided the direct question. I glanced at the number before I handed the phone back to her. I didn’t recognize the caller.
“Hey,” she answered.
Rosie, Hector, and I observed her on the call, even after she sent us a look that said she’d rather we wouldn’t. It was a quick call.
“I just got sent another picture.” She scrolled on her phone and then held it out to me.
This one was of Lily and Dr. Glenn. She was younger than in the first one, but there was more of her to see, even in black-and-white. She was adorable, with a long brown ponytail, a button nose, and big eyes I was sure were blue. The hat on her father’s head convinced me even more. His head was turned slightly to the left, as if he had a crook in his neck like Rosie had mentioned. But it was the hat combined with the partial profile that made it all become clear.
It had been on Saturday that I’d seen Lola on campus, allegedly meeting people to work on a group project. She’d met a man outside a building and they’d hurried inside. He’d worn a knit cap and had a profile almost identical to that of the man in the picture. I hadn’t registered that he’d seemed older because I hadn’t looked that closely, but now I wondered if he wore the hat to cover gray hair. As I thought some more, I wondered if I’d noticed a strange angle to the man’s neck. Had it been a little crooked?
It made so much sense. Lily couldn’t handle medical school, just as her father hadn’t been able to. He’d faked it, and she was just doing whatever she could to be around it.
“Oh dear,” I said.
“What?” Rosie and Bridget said.
“Let’s call the police,” I said. “I know who Lily is, and I’m sure Dr. Glenn has returned.”
THIRTY-THREE
“Inspector Pierce, I know I’ve been … This is Delaney. Call me as soon as you are available. I think Dr. Glenn has definitely resurfaced, and I think a woman named Lola who lives in the same building Mallory did is actually Lily, Dr. Glenn’s daughter.”
I hesitated before I ended the call. Bridget, Rosie, and Hector watched me with wide approving eyes, but it certainly felt strange to say such things, particularly in a message form. I looked at the picture on Bridget’s phone again. Yes, I was sure. I hung up.
I’d been about to call Inspector Winters when Tom and Gaylord walked into the shop.
“Delaney, you’ve been talking tae the police,” Gaylord said.
I didn’t point out that technically he probably couldn’t represent me anyway.
“Actually, I just left a message for Inspector Pierce,” I said.
“Delaney.”
I shook my head. “None of that matters now. Come on, let us show you what we’ve got.”
Tom and Gaylord joined Bridget and me at the back table. Rosie and Hector watched the front of the store, and I happened to catch Edwin and Hamlet leaving through the front door with the customer. Edwin was doing everything he could to get away from Bridget. I’d get them together later. Besides, she knew her story was already big without him.
I told everybody everything. I didn’t leave out one thing I knew. Bridget took notes on paper, not on her hands or her arms. I was sure she was having visions of Pulitzer.
Gaylord, his mouth slightly agape, shook his head. “My goodness.”
“I know, it’s crazy, isn’t it?” I said.
Tom jumped in, “Aye, but I’m still curious about the books and why the phone number Rena gave you is disconnected, as well as the email you read.”
“Me too, but at least I know she’s not Lily. Well, I’m almost certain. I think there’s so much more to what’s been going on with Sophie, Rena, Mallory, Lola, and all the doctors. The important thing is to find Mallory’s killer. Dr. Glenn has resurfaced, I’m almost one hundred percent certain. He must have killed Mallory.”
“Because she didn’t want tae live with his daughter?” Bridget said, seemingly thinking out loud. “No, that wasn’t it. He’s just a killer. He had access.”
“But why outside the bookshop?” Gaylord asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe Mallory just came exploring based upon Dr. Eban’s question about the scalpel, and he followed her. The dark close would be an appealing place to commit murder if you had murder on your mind,” I said.
“But … the affair that your friends seemed tae know about, between Dr. Glenn and Mallory?” Bridget said.
“I don’t know, maybe they were wrong, or scared. Or, if there was an affair, it was Dr. Glenn’s way of trapping his victim,” I said. “I don’t think there was anything between Mallory and Dr. Eban. I think Conn Clacher overreacted to
