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Paige asked Scott to drop her off at the bookstore. She wanted to check on Casper and make sure he had enough food and water.
While they drove, she filled her brother in on the contents of Aunt Nora’s will. She knew he was more excited about the Mustang than he let on. He reined in the wide smile pretty quickly and fixed a concerned expression on his face instead. “What are you going to do about Beachside Books?” he asked. “I know Aunt Nora said she had been struggling lately to keep it afloat. So many people just read books online these days.”
She patted his arm. “Congratulations on getting the car,” she said. “I know you love it. It’s okay for you to be excited even though my life is a total mess right now. I lost my aunt and just inherited a failing business that my cousins want me to give them a cut of. Lucky me.” She gazed out the window as Scott steered back toward downtown. Finally, she said, “I just don’t know about the store. It’s a lot to think about at once. I don’t want it to fade into obscurity or not be a bookstore anymore, but what about Italy and my novel?”
Scott nodded but didn’t say anything. He and Sarah had supported her desire to travel abroad and write her book, but they’d often expressed a desire to have her return home to Comfort Cove.
The rest of the ride passed mostly in silence. Paige’s thoughts swirled like crazy as she considered the store, her novel, Italy, and Aunt Nora. Scott must be thinking about things too, like the Mustang and the investigation into their aunt’s death. Paige wondered fleetingly if Sarah would object to the car being in their garage. He couldn’t leave it at Aunt Nora’s place—their cousins would probably sell it for extra cash.
“Hey, how about we hit the car rental place?” Scott spoke suddenly, pulling Paige’s thoughts back to the present. “I bet you’d like to be a little more independent.” He glanced at her, and his eyebrows rose a fraction. “Since you’ll be here for at least a little while longer.”
Paige grudgingly accepted that he was right. She’d need to stay for Aunt Nora’s memorial service, anyway, and now she was going to have to figure out what to do about Beachside Books before she could go anywhere. She nodded, and Scott pulled into a lot filled with cars. Ten minutes later, Paige came out with the keys to a Jeep Wrangler.
Scott chuckled as he walked around the bright red vehicle. “What do you need this for?” he asked finally. “It looks like it could climb mountains or two-track through a rainforest.”
“I don’t know. I kind of always liked them. They make me think of adventures I’ll probably never have. I figured since it’s a temporary vehicle, I might as well splurge. Plus, they charged me the same as they would for a compact car because they didn’t have one available. Since I can’t afford much, it’s a win-win.”
“Okay, well, enjoy. I’m heading back to the station. I’ll see you at home tonight for dinner. I heard tales that Sarah was going to try and make a fake roast chicken out of tofu.”
Paige couldn’t keep a grimace from contorting her face at the thought. She watched Scott drive away and then climbed into the Jeep, backing carefully out of the driveway and heading toward the downtown area. She was happy to find a spot to park right in front of the bookstore.
She used a key Scott had given her and let herself in. All the same emotions and memories hit her as when she and her brother had entered it earlier. The burnt coffee odor had dissipated, and it smelled mostly like old books again. Paige wandered in, found a light switch, and tossed the keys on the checkout counter. She hugged herself. It was a bit chilly in the room. Time to find the thermostat and adjust the air conditioner. As she headed toward the back where she figured the controls were probably located, Paige’s eyes swept every corner of the store. Each spot held memories of time spent with Aunt Nora.
Had someone really killed her? How else does one get poisoned? Unless it was an accident. Paige still had trouble believing anyone could dislike her sweet aunt to that extent. The thought made her feel even colder than she already was.
Once she’d gotten the air conditioner adjusted, Paige decided to look through the most recent cash register transactions. Maybe there’d be some clue as to who the last customers were. On the way back to the front of the store, her attention was captured by a glass case that stood against the room’s wall to her left. She stopped to peer inside, and it caused a smile to spread across her face. Copies of To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby sat inside. Small tags in front of each one announced they were signed, first edition copies.
Paige’s breath caught in her throat as she studied the rare books. Their covers were tattered, the colors faded, and she knew there were better copies in the world. They might not bring top dollar, but the tomes were still incredibly valuable and special. Gazing at To Kill a Mockingbird caused Paige’s mind to flash back to when she read it in eighth grade. She’d found it troublesome, and discussions with the teacher hadn’t done enough to satisfy her. When she had shown up at Beachside Books, sullen, Aunt Nora had sat down in the nook at the rear of the store with her and a copy of the book.
In her almost magical way, Paige’s aunt had gently wrestled from her the cause of her moroseness. The two had spent the rest of the afternoon discussing, between customers, some of the disturbing concepts in the book. Though she’d left the store that evening with a slightly dimmer view of human nature, Paige had felt supported and satisfied in her own life.
Paige shook her head, trying to make the vision continue. But the memory faded, and her attention was captured by a third book behind the case’s glass doors. It was sort of wedged back behind the other two, standing on end. There was no triangle of paper sitting in front of it to report exactly what it was or how much it would cost to buy. The book was covered in well-worn brown leather; it was obviously old. Paige leaned in closer to the glass to see the book better. A shadow fell across it, but she could just see the outline of a ship with many sails embossed on half of the front cover. She reached for the knob on the glass door to pull it open, but it wouldn’t budge. She’d have to keep an eye out for the key as she sorted through everything in the store and got it all in order.
She turned away from the case and wondered what to do first. She’d been planning on looking at the cash register receipts, but maybe she should leave that for Scott. After all, there was still an investigation going on, and that might be something the police department would want to do.
A meow caught her attention, and she remembered Casper. He was sitting at the foot of a staircase that Paige knew led up to a small attic storeroom. She hadn’t been up there in well over a decade, but as a child, she’d visited it a few times when her aunt had gone up to get something.
“What’s up, Casper?” she crooned to the kitty. She moved toward the foot of the staircase, and the white cat greeted her with a forceful head bump into the leg and a little purr. Paige bent down to scratch his ears and smiled at him. “Are you hungry? I’ll get you some food in a few minutes, I promise. Just let me head up and refresh my memory on what the attic looks like. I want to get a handle on how much cleaning and organizing needs to happen up there if I’m going to try to sell this place.”
The cat cocked his head at her and didn’t answer. He also didn’t follow her up the stairs, and glancing back at him, Paige could almost convince herself he disapproved of her trip to the attic. “What?” she asked. “I said I’d feed you when I come down. You won’t starve before then.” She made it to the top of the stairs and reached out to grab the knob.
As soon as her hand touched the metal, a huge clatter rang out from the other side of the door. It sounded as though something heavy had hit the ground in the attic. Paige squealed and jumped into the air. She turned and fled back down the stairs, slowing down only long enough to scoop up Casper as she sprinted toward the front door.
In the back of her mind, Paige knew she was being silly. There was probably a mouse or squirrel in the attic that had been spooked when she came up the stairs. A god-awful mess probably waited for her behind the closed door. She should march back up, chase the critter out, and get started on the cleaning and disinfecting.
Instead, Paige set Casper in the passenger seat of the Jeep and jogged back to shut the lights off in the shop and lock the door. Her heart still pounded faster than normal. She muttered to herself as she headed back to the car, “Come on, Paige, don’t be silly. What are the odds Aunt Nora’s murderer is hiding in the bookstore attic?”
“What’s that, dear?”
Paige’s head snapped up. She was alarmed at the nearby voice because she hadn’t seen anyone. In front of the bakery, Lucy stood on the sidewalk, looking at her expectantly. When Paige gave the woman a confused expression, she stepped forward. “I’m sorry. I thought you were saying something to me.”
“Oh! I’m sorry, no. I was just talking to myself, really.”
Lucy sniffled a few times and chuckled. “You know what they say about those who talk to themselves, don’t you?”
“That they’re kind of crazy?” Paige guessed.
“That’s it! Of course, I don’t buy into that at all. I think it’s a sign of intelligence, really. You have a lot on your mind right now too.” Lucy glanced at the bookshop and her forehead wrinkled slightly. “You ran out of there kind of fast,” she said in a more hushed voice than before. “Everything all right inside?”
Paige’s eyes followed Lucy’s and then traveled, almost of their own volition, up above the sign to the attic window. She peered at it, almost wondering if she’d see a shadowy figure gazing back at her. But there was nothing. “Yes, everything’s fine,” she answered cheerfully, dragging her eyes back down to the baker.
“Your aunt was really such a ‘special’ person,” Lucy said, jarring Paige both with the abrupt change of subject and her use of air quotes.
Paige only nodded in response, her mind racing to switch gears and catch up.
Lucy’s eyes were full of mischief now. “Yes, indeed. Quite. You know, she told me several times that you were ‘special’ like her.” She’d done it again with the air quotes. Paige fought the urge to back up a step or two.
“Are you?” Lucy asked.
“Am I what?” This conversation was getting harder for Paige to follow by the second.
“Special like Nora,” Lucy said, with a tone that sounded like she was explaining something simple to a small child. She still studied Paige closely.
“Um. Aunt Nora was really one of a kind,” Paige stammered. She moved half a step toward the Jeep and reached for the door handle. “It was nice talking to you,” she said, “but I’d better get going now. My sister-in-law will be expecting me for dinner.”
Lucy’s intense scrutiny finally faded, and she giggled. “If you need some real food after you have Sarah’s meal, I’ll be open until six. Actually, maybe you should just take a sandwich with you now. And one for your brother.”
“Yes, you’re probably right,” Paige said. “But I guess I’ll take my chances tonight. Thanks anyway.” Paige jumped into the rental car and shut the door behind her. She’d started out trying to get away from whatever made the thudding noise in the bookstore’s attic and now felt like she was trying to escape from the eccentric bakery owner. She gave Lucy a tiny wave as she backed out of the parking spot.
Once she was driving down the road, she glanced in her rearview mirror at Lucy. The woman still stood on the sidewalk, and she was looking up at the attic window. A small chill caused Paige to shiver even though it was hot in the Jeep. “What is up with that strange lady, Casper? What did Nora tell her?” Her eyes slid to the white cat curled up on the passenger seat. His ear twitched a millimeter as though to acknowledge her question, but then he closed his eyes, refusing to give up anything he knew.