She all but growls at me. “What about you? You’re a gangster. When is he going to lock you up? I’m not talking about for fun either.”
“All right.” Shep makes the time-out sign with his hands as best he can without spilling his cocoa. “Bowie is just looking out for your best interest. She’s right. These men are trouble. It’s best to get out now before you’re in too deep.”
She shrugs. “What’s the worst that can happen? I end up with a bad ex?”
“You end up on the run from the feds and the mob.” I nod her way. “Or you get an extended stay at a correctional facility. That’s the worst that can happen.”
She narrows her eyes my way. That clear look of irritation she’s sporting lets me know she is not amused.
“I happen to look good in orange. I’ll take my chances.” She looks to Shep. “So what’s next on the agenda, Hot Stuff?”
His lips curve as he looks my way. “I was thinking we could decorate my tree.”
Stephanie tosses a hand in the air. “And just like that, she gets a marriage proposal.”
Shep’s phone buzzes, and he glances to the screen with a frown.
“It looks as if we’ll have to reschedule our tree-trimming party.”
“What?” I squawk with disappointment while trying to peer over at his phone. “I was just about to pull out the fresh anise cookies I made this afternoon.” And my ring finger.
“Mmm,” he moans as his eyes ride up and down my body, and I’m sort of hoping he’s hungry for something extra. “I won’t be missing out for long. I should be back in about two hours. There’s some new evidence Nora wants me to take a look at.”
Stephanie sneers over at him. “Nora? As in your ex-fiancée?”
Shep presses out a forced smile. “Nora as in my current co-worker.” He lands a kiss to my lips before pulling back and frowning at me. “Don’t get into trouble while I’m gone.”
“Hey, you keep saying that to me. What makes you think I’d get into trouble?” I call out after him as he heads for his cabin.
“I’ve met you, Bowie,” he shouts back. “Trouble is your middle name.”
Stephanie elbows me in the ribs. “Why in the heck didn’t you insist on going with him? He’s off to see his ex. And you’re interested in the case. You could’ve kept an eye on those two.”
“I don’t want to keep an eye on those two. I trust him. Besides, I’ve got other places to keep my eyes—like, say the public library. It’s only seven. They close at eight. I’ve got to get a move on.”
“What are you going to do at the library? Question a suspect?”
“Nope. I’m going to snoop around Holly Wright’s office to see what I can find.”
“There’s no better snoop than me. I’m coming with you.”
“I didn’t think I could stop you.”
She starts pecking away at her phone.
“Steph, who are you texting?” A slight rise of panic infiltrates my voice.
“Tilly. She’ll never speak to us again if we try to break and enter without her.”
“You’re so right,” I say. “Tell her to wear sensible shoes. There might be some running involved.”
The Starry Falls Public Library is lit up like a Christmas tree on this dark and snowy evening. Tilly said she’d meet us here, so Stephanie and I do our best to sneak in undetected by any of the librarians. Lucky for me, there’s no sight of Kaila anywhere to be had.
The twinkle lights that festoon the checkout counter blink in and out of turn. The poinsettias are so red and vibrant they almost look fake, and that ceramic Santa standing proudly on the counter looks as if his toy bag needs to have its candy cane supply replenished.
It looks as though they’ve added some Christmas stockings with each of the librarians’ names on them. Four stockings. That must mean four librarians. And ten bucks says they’re not all closing up shop tonight.
“Shoot.” Steph snaps her fingers as if in deep regret. “Remember the last time we did something like this? We had fried chicken. I knew we were missing a key ingredient. Let’s go back.”
“Are you crazy? The library closes in fifteen minutes. Let’s go find Tilly. We can get fried chicken afterwards.”
“She’s right over there with Regina.”
“Oh good.” I stop cold as soon as my mind takes a moment to process that last part. Both Tilly and Regina are clad in black—most likely Regina’s go-to morbid look, but for Tilly it more or less signifies mischief is afoot. “Gah! Why is Regina here?”
“I don’t know.” Steph leads us in that direction. “Maybe she likes naughty books, too?”
Or maybe Regina likes to be plain old naughty. I’m thinking it’s the latter.
Tilly waves once she spots us. “Did you bring the fried chicken?”
I tick my head to the side. “Why would I bring the fried chicken?”
Regina gasps. “Is this another Operation Fried Chicken?” Her dark hair has a life and body of its own, and don’t think for a minute I’m not envious. “And none of you bothered to call me?”
“Why would we call you?” I whisper as I bring my finger to my lips. “They’re going to close the library soon, and if we want to get locked in after-hours we need to get lost, now.”
The four of us go our separate ways, and I find a nook in the back corner where they keep boxes of old magazines and flick through a few before they announce they’re closing in a few minutes and that all books should be brought up front.
One by one the florescent lights overhead flicker off until there’s just a couple of rows left, dimming things down to the equivalent of a nightlight. The click of heels saunters toward the exit, and I tiptoe in that direction and watch as a couple of women head into the foyer, before leaving and locking
