“What?!” Robbie looked insulted.
“She is a town employee and as such I can tap her research resources for help with my cases, but you, you’re noth—” Emma broke off, clearly thinking better of her word choice. It was too late. The damage was done.
“Nothing?” Robbie asked. He sounded outraged. “I’m nothing?”
“That came out harsher than I meant,” Emma said. “But in regards to your relationship with this office, yes, you are nothing but a regular citizen who we promise to protect and serve, and that is all.”
“Well, I guess there is nothing more to be said.” Robbie stood and strode out of the office, slamming the door behind him.
“That went well,” Emma said. She sank back into her chair and pressed her fingers to her temples.
“He’s butt-hurt now, but he’ll get over it. He always does,” Lindsey said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t really think about the position I was putting you in when I let him tag along.”
“It’s okay,” Emma said. “He just brings a level of global scrutiny with him that I can live without right now.”
“Understood,” Lindsey said. “Okay, I won’t take up more of your time. I just have a question.”
Emma raised her eyebrows. Lindsey took this is as a go-ahead-but-I-may-not-answer-you sort of look.
“Two of the houses that were robbed belonged to the Elrichs and the Gundersons,” Lindsey said. She watched Emma’s face to see if she made the connection. Emma looked confused. So, that was a no. “Who were the other houses?”
“Why?”
“Because Judy Elrich was Candice Whitley’s best friend and Benji Gunderson was her boyfriend,” Lindsey said. “That’s two families who had people close to Candice that were robbed. Who were the others? Do they have the same connection?”
Emma blew out a breath. She had the look of someone who had just found the last piece in a five-hundred-piece jigsaw puzzle.
“The Mercers and the Larsens,” Emma said.
“Oh, wow,” Lindsey said. “The parents of the student who worshipped her.” She frowned. “But I don’t know the Larsens.”
“Sure you do,” Emma said. “James and Karen Larsen. He’s the principal of the high school.”
“How long has he been principal?”
“For as long as I can remember,” Emma said.
“Then he could have been the principal when Candice taught there, which would mean he was her boss,” Lindsey said. “And there’s our connection.”
“Not only a connection,” Emma said. Her eyes glittered. “Now we have a suspect list.”
Lindsey left the chief’s office after receiving a stern warning from Emma to stay away from the case. Yeah, right. She wondered if the chief even heard herself when she talked. How could Lindsey possibly ignore what Nancy Drew would certainly call The Case of the Overdue Library Book?
She pushed out the front door and found Robbie waiting on the front steps for her. He was picking the leaves off of the mountain laurel bush beside him and shredding them between his fingers. His hair was mussed as if he’d run his hands through it repeatedly, obviously before moving on to thrashing the shrubbery.
“You okay?” Lindsey asked as she sat down beside him.
“She dismissed me,” he said. “I thought we were friends, comrades in arms, crime busters. Obviously I was mistaken.”
“Well, you are, as she said, a celebrity civilian.”
“That didn’t hurt as much as being called nothing,” he said.
“I don’t think she meant it that way,” she said. “She was referring to your relationship with the police department.”
“How do you as a librarian outrank me?” Robbie asked. “I am an international star of the stage and screen. And you’re just . . .”
“Nothing?” Lindsey asked with a small smile.
Robbie shook his head. “I would never call you that.”
Lindsey blew out a breath. He was clearly still hurt. She wondered if there was anything she could say to make it better. Probably not, but she had to try.
“Listen, I do research for Emma, and I’m employed by the town as well. It gives us a cooperative relationship,” she said. “Whereas you as an actor—”
“Oh, please, save the spin on this pep talk where you give yourself investigative credentials. I know you, love. You are an avid reader of a mystery series about a bunch of Arizona cupcake bakers who solve crimes—as if that’s even possible,” he snapped.
Lindsey was out of patience. He could pick on a lot of things but not her choice of reading material.
“Do you want to know what she said or not?” she asked.
“Of course I do,” he said.
“Fine. Then curb your attitude,” she said.
“Sorry,” he said. “I’m just not used to being dismissed. It’s a bit of a shock to my ego.”
“I thought one of the things you liked about me is that I am immune to your fame,” Lindsey said. “Isn’t that true about Emma as well?”
“I do like that about her, about both of you,” he said. “But whereas you’re easy and pleasant to be with, she irks me and winds me up.”
“Is that a bad thing?” Lindsey asked. “It sounds like she challenges you.”
“But that’s what is weird,” he said. “No one ever challenges me. I pretty much always get my way.”
“Well, get over it, Watson, because Emma is never going to cater to you,” she said.
Robbie looked thoughtful, as if he wasn’t sure what to make of this new development.
“Of course, you’ll have to adjust if you’re still planning to help me,” she said. “If you want to sit and pout, well, I can’t help you with that.”
Lindsey rose from the step and started walking back to the library, leaving Robbie no choice but to follow if he was still interested in helping her.
“You mean it?” he asked. “You’ll still let me help even though the dragon has cut me loose?”
“Why not?” she said. “With that celebrity status of yours, you might be able to get people to talk to you who won’t talk to me.”
“Such as?” he asked.
Lindsey told him about the other burglary victims. Robbie was suitably impressed by the fact that their theory was correct and all four burglary victims had a relationship with Candice Whitley.
“I think I could manage that,” he said as they entered the library. “So, what’s our next move?”
“I’m not sure yet,” she said. “Let me think on it tonight and I’ll be in touch.”
“So, that’s what you’re doing tonight? Thinking?”
“Not entirely. I’ll also be eating dinner with the crafternoon gals,” she said.
“Just girls?” Robbie asked. Then he frowned. “No water boy joining you? What exactly is going on with you two? Are you or aren’t you a couple?”
“Good-bye, Robbie,” Lindsey said. She opened the door to her office just enough to squeeze through and then quickly closed it.
“If you learn anything good, I want a full report,” he said through the door. “No matter how late!”
Lindsey shook her head. After witnessing the back and forth between Robbie and Emma at the police station, she was intrigued by their response to each other. Emma was usually blunt but with Robbie she was even more so, and Lindsey got the feeling it was so she could keep him at a distance. Hmm.
There was more going on there than either one of them realized, Lindsey was sure of it. She had no doubt that having Robbie help her with this case was going to prove very interesting.
• • •
The Blue Anchor looked like it was hemorrhaging people as the outside patio overflowed with customers wanting to enjoy the cool evening air and the half-priced drinks during the extended hours of the First Friday happy hour.
This wa
s when being crafternoon buddies with the owner came in handy, Lindsey observed as Mary had two busboys drag a table from inside out onto the pier for Lindsey and her group.
Violet and Nancy arrived just after Lindsey. Nancy brought Heathcliff on his leash. Once he caught Lindsey’s scent, he almost strangled himself in his effort to get to her. When she was close enough, Nancy let him go so he could charge his person. Lindsey bent down and hugged him close, which was no small feat as he wriggled and wiggled with excitement.
Ian popped out of the back door of the restaurant with a big chewy bone for Heathcliff. After Heathcliff licked his chin, Ian gave him the treat and Heathcliff settled himself at Lindsey’s feet, as all was perfect in his world now.
It was agreed that a large bottle of wine was in order and Violet was generous with her pours as she filled their glasses. Since Mary was working and Charlene was anchoring the late-night news in New Haven neither of them could join the group, but Beth was due to arrive as soon as she changed out of her artist’s outfit and locked up the library.
“Lindsey, I heard you and Robbie were at the town hall this evening and then the police station,” Nancy said. “So, what gives?”
“Spending time with my friend Robbie?” Violet asked. “Do tell.”
“There’s nothing to tell,” Lindsey said. She paused to take a healthy sip of her wine. “He fancies himself the Dr. Watson to my Sherlock and we were following up on some leads about the library book.”
“The one Candice checked out on the day she was murdered,” Nancy said. “I really don’t think you should get involved in that.”
Violet looked at her with one eyebrow raised. “You do know you’re talking to Lindsey, right?”
Nancy sighed.
“You don’t need to worry,” Lindsey said. “Emma has already warned me away from the case.”
“Because you’re known for taking orders so well,” Violet said.
“What does Sully have to say about this?” Nancy asked. “You know, about the case and your spending time with Robbie?”
“They’re not dating,” Violet said. “Sully has no say in who she spends her time with, right, Lindsey?”
“Yeah, sure,” Lindsey lied.
Now she felt bad. As much as she liked keeping her private life private, she took no pleasure in lying to her friends, even if they were just lies of omission. She glanced toward the entrance to the patio to see if Beth was anywhere in the vicinity to help her out.
Instead, she saw Sully striding through the crowd headed straight for them. She felt her heart hammer in her chest at the sight of him and she had the sudden urge to flee the scene like a criminal. What if he said or did something that gave them away? Then her friends would know she’d been fibbing.
As if he sensed her panic, Sully caught her gaze and grinned. He didn’t slow down or change course. He just kept striding toward her with that look. It was a look that said they were a whole hell of a lot more than friends.
Suddenly, Heathcliff sensed Sully’s presence and, with a happy bark, he picked up his chewy and ran at him.
Lindsey had never loved her dog more. Not that she wasn’t thrilled to see Sully—she was—but she feared that, caught off guard, her feelings for him would be clear for everyone to see, even him, and she wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet.
While Sully stopped to lean down and give his buddy Heathcliff some love, Lindsey took the moment to take a breath, regain her composure and suck down a big gulp of wine.
“Easy, girl,” Violet said. Her dark brown eyes were twinkling and Lindsey got the feeling that she knew Lindsey was flustered.
“Hi, Sully,” Nancy called with a wave. “What brings you here, other than the food?”
She looked pointedly at Lindsey and just like that Lindsey’s newly won calm fled into the night like a thief with the family jewels.
Sully stood up and Heathcliff resumed his spot at Lindsey’s feet. Sully looked right at Lindsey and said, “I came to see my girl.”
He gave her one heartbeat to deny it, but she didn’t. Instead she felt a grin burst out of her from within and she tilted her head up to meet his gaze. Then he leaned down and kissed her in front of everyone.
“Well, it’s about damn time,” Nancy said.
“Amen,” Violet said.
When Sully stepped back, Lindsey was dizzy and her ears were ringing. How did he do that?
He pulled up a vacant chair and sat next her, sliding his fingers in between hers.
Both Nancy and Violet looked unsurprised and Lindsey frowned.
“Wait,” she said. “Did you two know?”
“Oh, honey,” Nancy said. “Did you really think you had anyone in town fooled?”
“Honestly,” Violet said. “You light up like a firefly whenever he’s within a hundred yards.”
“Plus, those sleepovers fooled no one,” Mary said as she stopped by the table with a basket of bread and butter. She snorted. “The morning I saw him driving you home and you actually ducked down below the dash. Hiiiiilarious.”
Lindsey drained her wineglass. Well, at least she didn’t have to feel guilty anymore.
“Hey, boss.” Charlie Peyton, Nancy’s nephew and Lindsey’s downstairs neighbor, stopped by their table. “Ladies.”
“Hi, Charlie,” Lindsey said. She could have kissed him she was so happy for the diversion. “Did your band play tonight?”
“Over at the bakery,” he said. “Now we’re doing a set here. You should come in after you eat.”
“Will do,” Lindsey said.
She went to raise her hand to knuckle bump him, forgetting that she was still holding hands with Sully. Charlie’s gaze caught sight of their entwined fingers and he went wide-eyed.
“Are you two . . . Are you a . . . Are you two dating again?” he asked.
Sully let go of Lindsey’s hand and put his arm around the back of her chair before he answered. He looked at Lindsey as if gauging her consent. She nodded, and he said, “Yes.”
“Well, all right, all right, all right!” Charlie pumped a fist. “I knew you two were made for each other.” His gaze was caught by someone at the far end of the patio and he added, “Just like those two.”
They all turned to see who Charlie was looking at. Lindsey blinked.
“Is that . . . ?” Violet’s voice trailed off.
“Beth and Aidan?” Nancy asked.
“I believe at the moment they are Princess Zelda and Link,” Lindsey said. The only reason she knew this was because Beth was wearing her purple vest over a white dress. Also, she seemed to have pointy ears on, as did Aidan, who was dressed in a green tunic over green pants and brown suede boots.
“And they look like elves, because . . . ?” Sully asked.
“They are planning to host a gamers’ prom,” Lindsey said. “I bet they are giving their costumes a test drive.”
“They look . . . nice,” Charlie said as if he was struggling to come up with an appropriate adjective.
“Nice?” Mary asked. She clasped her hands over her chest. “Look at them. They’re adorable.”
Then she started to cry. Not little happy tears, or delicate little sniffles—oh, no, these were great big watery, shoulder-shaking sobs.
Sully stood and put his arm around her and pulled her close. He looked at Charlie and jerked his head in the direction of the restaurant, clearly indicating that Charlie should go and get Mary’s husband, Ian.
“Oh, hey, don’t cry,” Aidan said as they joined the table. He snatched his green Robin Hood hat off. “See, it’s just me.” He glanced at Beth and whispered, “Usually, I only scare the real little kids who think I’m the Jolly Green Giant and I’m going to make them eat their vegetables.”
“Mary, are you all right?” Beth asked. She patted Aidan’s arm to reassure him that it wasn’t him.
&
nbsp; “I’m f-f-fine.” Mary sobbed.
“No, you’re not,” Sully said. He shook his head at her. “But you will be in about six months, give or take.”
Mary gasped. “How did you . . .” She whirled on Lindsey. “You told him!”
“I didn’t, I swear,” she said.
“You knew?” Sully asked Lindsey.
“I guessed,” she said. “A while ago, actually.”
He grinned at her like he expected no less, which made Lindsey warm from the inside out. He wasn’t even mad that she hadn’t told him.
“Guessed what? What’s going on?” Beth asked, confused.
“She’s going to have a baby,” Aidan whispered.
“You know, too?” Mary cried. She started sobbing again and Sully pulled her closer and let her sob all over his shirtfront.
“I figured,” Aidan said. “My sister got wound up like this a lot when she was pregnant.”
“I am not wound up!” Mary protested.
“Oh, please, you’re clearly hormonal,” Sully said. “I knew it the day you got on the radio when Ian was out on the water taxi and you demanded that he bring home pierogis and fudge sauce. I didn’t say it then but I’m saying it now—gross.”
“What’s wrong? What’s the matter? Are you okay, Mary?” Ian came tearing out of the restaurant.
“She’s fine,” Sully said. “Just hormonal. Congratulations, by the way.”
“She told you,” he said. “Thank God. I didn’t think I was going to be able to keep it in much longer.” He cupped his wife’s face and looked into her eyes. “Are you all right, darling?”
She smiled at him through watery tears. “Yes, they were just so cute. They hit me right in the feels.”
She pointed at Aidan and Beth. Ian glanced at them and grinned.
“They are that,” he agreed. “Now I have to steal the limelight before I explode.”
He pulled out a chair and climbed up on it. Sully handed him a water glass and a spoon, which Ian tapped repeatedly to get the crowd’s attention. As people turned in their direction, their voices dropped in volume as they speculated about what was happening. Ian shouted over the whispers.
Better Late Than Never Page 12
