[Messy, Extravagant, Calmly, Goals, Mistrust]

  “Hello, who are you trying to call?”

  “I’m trying to call you Laura. That was a wonderful job you did clearing your friend's name. You are very good at this. I’m sorry, my name is Tyler Harris”

  Amy is driving past the Hotel Saranac, I see Kai Benoit walking into the front door.

  “I’m the chief of police here in Saranac. You were right to call me stupid or an idiot. But I was wondering if you and I could meet at your store. I know you open at ten. Could I meet you before you open. I won’t take up much of your time I promise, just give me thirty minutes. I have a proposal for you. I need your help and maybe we can help each other. I’m also asking that you delay your article to the gazette until tomorrow afternoon. I know that you have no reason to trust me and your faith in police departments must be at an all time low. But if you call your cousin August, I know he’ll vouch for me. I helpfully entered his number into this burner for you. He has a few more details that I don’t want to speak about on the phone. If you want, invite August to the meeting. Can we please meet?”

  “Sure be at the bookstore at nine thirty.”

  “Great, thank you, Laura. Hold onto that burner in case you decide to help. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

  I hung up. Anais was staring at me and when I didn’t say anything right away.

  “Well, who was that? Who are you inviting over that early in the morning?”

  “That was Tyler Harris, the chief of police in Saranac Lake.”

  “Why are you meeting him? Is he coming to personally apologize for Jones' actions?”

  “He said he needed my help, and that maybe he could help me too. Then he said to call August who would vouch for him. Oh and I saw Kai Benoit going into the Saranac Hotel, we saw Mattias Vitale there at the table with all the men the night we staked it out.”

  “Well it wouldn’t be the first time that religious figures were involved in sex scandals.”

  “No, you are right. I just don’t understand why so many people are enamored with religion.”

  “Not another hippy rant on religion please.”

  “No, I’m just disappointed, is all. Politicians, preachers, police, some days I wonder if we should even step off the property. But on the flip side, we got Faith off the hook and now her life can get back to normal. The collective is safe so some big wins this week and the holiday only a day away. Anais you should come over to watch the fireworks on the lake. Maybe we can have a barbeque, hot dogs, hamburgers and a vegetarian option like Portobello burgers. Willow from Woodstock is coming for the weekend, she is staying with Lucy.”

  When we were back home, I went up and wrote some long notes in Obsidian. It certainly was a busy day. But they all have been busy lately, and I haven’t worked at all in the store for ages. I have a bad feeling that things aren’t going back to normal if Tyler Harris wants to see me something must be up.

  ***

  How have I lost the days when I could sleep till nine forty five, shower, brush my teeth and open the store by ten ish. Then sit in the reading nook actually reading. My eidetic memory hasn’t popped back yet, but aside from my three favorites, I haven’t been able to get in any more re-reads. Really what is the point of owning a bookstore if I don’t have enough time to read.

  When I was an editor there was always time to read. It was a job requirement. I wanted to stop editing, because it was like school, assigned reading wasn’t enjoyable reading. Sometimes you feel like reading Lord of the Rings, sometimes Walden. My first and third favorite books. But when you feel like reading Lord of the Rings but are instead forced to read Walden it goes from my third favorite book of all time to a dreadful chore. When you feel like hiking through the Misty Mountains, being forced to sit in group therapy with Nurse Rachted feels like I’m imprisoned. Even though it is my second favorite book.

  Being forced isn’t the same as pushing yourself. Starting a novel that isn’t clicking for you, but there is something about it, it’s by an author you love. Or the person who shares an exact top ten novel list with you says yes this book is worth it, so you push through. Sometimes you are rewarded with a top ten novel of the year, more often that is not the case. But you won’t discover that it is rare falling in love with a book if you just read one comfort read after another. Diversify, and push yourself. Shower thoughts, if only I had waterproof paper, I could write my Obsidian note of the day as I showered and save time. Clean my mind, as I clean my body, it’d be cool if I could brush my teeth as well in there. Mind, body and teeth cleaned and ready to begin a new day.

  It was nine thirty two as I bounded down the stairs from the second floor into the store. Four people were standing at the front door waiting for me. Anais, her foot tapping a mile a minute, clearly annoyed I’m two minutes late. My cousin August, who I had not called and didn’t expect to see. A man in a t-shirt and jeans that I didn’t know but assumed was Tyler Harris and a woman that I had considered a likely candidate to be the sniper who had shot out my back window, Annette Jones.

  I opened the door and they all filed in just as Amy was walking down the stairs with a tray holding a coffee pot and five mugs, cream and sugar. Amy yelled.

  “Shall we all sit in the reading nook.”

  She carried the tray right to the nook before sitting it down on the coffee table. The rest of us joined her.

  “Laura, I’m glad to see that I’m not the only one that you keep waiting all the time.”

  “Sorry Anais, I didn’t even know you were coming.”

  “Of course I was coming, I wasn’t going to let you face him down alone. But I am surprised that August and Annette are here. Did you call them?”

  “No it wasn’t me, but I wasn’t expecting Amy either.”

  Everyone poured themselves a cup of coffee. This meeting was tense enough, we really should all be having a cup of tea to calm down.

  Harris cleared his throat. “I’m Tyler Harris, the chief of the Saranac police department. First I need to apologize for the actions of former Detective Jones. He was arrested last night after the trial and summarily fired. The current plan if he accepts it is a plea bargain that he pled to driving while impaired. A fine and community service. After that his father and wife have committed him to volunteering at the Lake Placid Fire Department. First as office personnel then if he passes the fire department training, he’ll be allowed to become a fire fighter. Questions? Comments?”

  “So he’s getting special treatment because of his father?”

  “No, Laura he’s not. The standard plea bargain for a driver who blows over the legal limit first time offense is driving while impaired. If he took it to trial and lost it would be driving while intoxicated and he could do one year. But without a breathalyzer test it is just as likely that he’d walk scott free. If he takes the plea he has a hefty fine, loses his license for six months, community service plus alcohol abuse classes.”

  “Okay that sounds fair, but it doesn’t make up for the fact that two innocent women were traumatized by him.”

  “You are right, but when I hired him, I needed him. We have a problem in my department. A mole, anytime I make a move against the escort ring that is operating in the Waterwhole and the Saranac Hotel. They know about it in advance. I needed someone from the outside that I could trust to try and root out whoever it is. Even though August warned me that Jones was useless or worse, I still hired him to root out the ring and not to report to anyone but myself. I didn’t expect him to start his first day. We hadn’t even gone over the little I knew of the ring. By the time he arrested Faith, falsely, it was out of my hands and was handled entirely by the assistant district attorney. Last night after the trial I called the Fire Chief here in Placid, and assured him that not only was Faith innocent but that she would be receiving a check from the town if she agreed not to sue for false arrest.”

  “So then this little intervention is just to make me reconsider the article I’ve written about the corruption between the County Executive, Sheriff and you two chiefs.”

  “This isn’t an intervention, this is an offer of help and a request that you help us in turn. Whoever shot out your back window, we believe is related to the escort ring. August called me the day it occurred, former Detective Jones didn’t shoot at you, he was in our filing room. Ever since he arrested Faith he was restricted to the building. I have video of him misfiling old case notes if you’d like to take a look at it, along with security footage of the fire house. Annette was in the office while you were being shot at. August told me you gave him very detailed information about how the escorts are run at the hotel and it is quite different then what happens at the bar. If when this team up has accomplished it’s goals I won’t ask again that you not publish what information you have. I want to catch whoever shot at you and catch the people behind this ring. Those two goals in that order are my priority whether or not you agree to help us. I do not want to ruin a lot of young women's lives in the process.”

  “What do you mean by ruining a lot of young women’s lives?”

  “The usual way to get to the top man is to arrest the low level offenders and work your way up the chain of command. What that means is a lot of people who are just doing what they have to to survive get arrested and have their lives ruined if they already haven’t been. I’m not entirely selfless here. I don’t want a flood of prostitution charges showing up in the gazette, it’d look bad for me and also for the town. But just for once I’d like to see justice done the right way, cut off the head and the body goes away on its own. Plus after I get the head, I’ll find the snake that managed to slither into my department.”

  “Annette I wouldn’t think that you’d like to be in the same room with me, let alone my store. Why are you here?”

  “Look, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. I don’t like hippies, it’s bad enough when they are young but old hippies are the worst. You just can’t stand that the world has moved on without you. But I was hired by the Saranac Police department thus I do what my chief wants me to do. If you decide to help, which I already advised my chief that you wouldn’t. I will be your point of contact with the SPD.”

  “Nice reverse psychology there, Annette.”

  “Thank you, but I still find it highly doubtful that you will help. You see yourself as an outsider and wouldn’t readily agree to help the ‘man’ unless there was something in it for yourself or your friends. As we really have nothing to offer except to look into your shooting, which we are legally obligated to do anyway. I say that you won’t help.”

  “Annette, you strike me as a very quid pro quo girl. What are you getting out of this?”

  “I’m getting a decent career which will look great, when Ben’s father finally hands over the reins of county government to me. Voters love a tough on crime candidate here in Essex county. What shows you hate crime, service in a police department.”

  “Don’t you have to pass the police academy before you can become a cop or are you just following in your husband's nepotic footsteps?”

  “I was number one in my class in the police academy, where do you think I met Ben.”

  “Then how did you wind up at the volunteer fire department?”

  “My father in law, in his infinite wisdom, deemed it’d be more manly for Ben to be PD and more diversified if one of us was FD and one PD. If he had just admitted his mistake after Ben was fired from the sheriff’s office, none of us would be seating her right now. But like father like son, they decide that the way to fix a stupid decision is to double down. Second mistake, let’s double down again. But now, Ben is out for good. No police department is going to hire him with a dwi on his record. It doesn’t matter if his name was Trump, he’s done as a cop. So it is finally my turn. So are you going to help just to prove me wrong?”

  “Cool your jet’s Batwoman. Anais, Amy and I need to have a chat in private.”

  We walked over to where the marginalia books were stored. I pulled out the two books with the three clues. I handed the warning to Anais and the two clues that the escort had provided to Amy. They both read the marginalia as I pointed it out to them, then they swapped books and read the other clue/clues.

  “What do you two think?”

  “Laura, I’m in if you are, but nobody threatened me,” said Amy.

  “You are going to do it no matter what we say anyways so why ask?”

  “Because I value your opinion, Anais.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Wait, was it the warning that triggered your decision about the foundation and you never told us?”

  “No Lucy found the warning while we were setting up the foundation. It was only after we had it set up that she told me about it. No, it was the shot itself and how I’d kick myself when I was dead for not doing it in time. The world is a dangerous place. I should have done this years ago. So should I help them?”

  “Yes and also show them the marginalia. But don’t let them take the books. If the shooter comes back in and the book is missing, he’ll know you handed it over to the cops and the shooter might come out shooting.”

  “Yeah, I wasn’t going to give them the books anyway. Lucy would be crushed, losing the marginalia.”

  I took a picture of each of the three clues. Also of my reply to the plea for help and we went back and rejoined the others. Lucy was opening the store. It must be ten o’clock, or she’s early. She wanted to pitch a new idea for the store this morning.

  Then we went back over and sat down. And I began.

  “If we agree to do this, information is a two way street. I don’t want to hear any, I can’t comment on an open investigation brush offs.”

  “Agreed,” said Harris.

  I looked pointedly at August and Annette.

  “Yes, Yes, we were just letting Tyler answer for all of us.”

  “Then what do you know so far?”

  “We know that SPD has been compromised. We know there is an escort ring working out of a bar and a hotel. We have the names and pictures of some of the low level escorts. The high end escorts, we have their pictures but haven’t been able to find out just who they are. Yet.”

  I handed them the phone, with the clues and the reply.

  “You haven’t heard back yet?”

  “No I just wrote it yesterday morning so maybe the person hasn’t been back in yet, or maybe I spooked them. But you saw her first note. I would imagine that is true, because if they are operating in the hotel it would be trivial in any other bar. The three of us will go to the bowling alley tonight. We’ll bowl and then go into the bar for a drink after bowling and see what we see. But I also want your word that the girls who are being forced to do this won’t be charged and if the young woman who is writing to me comes to me you’ll protect her.”

  “Yes we’ll protect her, it might mean being protected here in Placid, because I truly don’t know who to trust besides anyone who is in the room.”

  “I don’t care where she is protected as long as she is safe.”

  “We’ll protect her, as far as we know there haven’t been reports of violence or threats except for the ones you have received and the shot out window in your car.”

  “Annette work out with Laura how to contact each other. August and I will leave first, separately just in case anyone is watching the store. We should buy something, just in case it’ll look like we are here for a legit reason. Any recommendations, Laura?”

  “Sure for August, All Systems Red by Martha Wells. What genre do you like Harris?”

  “Adventure I guess.”

  “Then try the Doc Ford novels, Sanibel Flats by Randy White is the first in the series, it’s in the mystery section.”

  Harris and August went off looking for their books.

  “I’m not buying a book.”

  “Why not, can’t you read?”

  “Funny, I only read non-fiction and only on my ereader. So I have all of my notes and highlights in one place.”

  “Figures.”

  “What figures?”

  “That you only read non-fiction. Do you do anything for fun or just read for improvement?”

  “Learning something is fun.”

  “Learning about people is more fun.”

  “Maybe I’m reading psychology and sociology books, then I will be doing both.”

  “Is that what you are doing?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Alright do you want to give me your number to stay in contact, Annette?”

  “I’ll give you my number but just for emergencies. We’ll meet at the library at twelve sharp.”

  Anais let out a bark of laughter. Annette and I both looked at her until she said.

  “Laura will arrive anytime after breakfast and probably before one, but you’ll never see her at noon sharp.”

  “Make an effort, Laura. If you are not going to take this seriously, I’ll just tell Harris you are unreliable.”

  “Reliable enough to get your husband fired from two jobs.”

  “Ladies, ladies we’re all on the same side. Now Laura wears a lot of hats and can’t always get to where she needs to be in a timely manner. We already gave you three clues, while you guys only knew that you had a mole and a problem. We need each other, hippies and Republicans can work together, if it means we get some girls out of a dangerous situation.”

  “Fine, I’ll see you at the library around noon, tomorrow,” Annette said.

  “Alright, I’ll be, no it’s not open tomorrow is the fourth of July, we’re having a barbeque. Come to that if you like.”

  “I can’t bring Ben here.”

  “No you can’t because Monique will be at the barbeque and he terrorized that poor girl, she thought she was going to prison for the rest of her life for a murder she didn’t commit.”

  “Fine, I’ll meet you Saturday in the library, if you need anything tonight I’ll be in the fire house till eleven.”

  With that she left.

  “I don’t trust her,” I said.

  “You don’t have to, she wants to be a politician, she’ll do whatever it takes to advance that career. Just trust that.”

  “I have to go up and start dinner if we are going bowling.”

  “I’ll be here at eight sharp. I may start going to the library at noon, just to see what another person thinks when you keep them waiting.”

  “Very funny Anais, I’ll see you tonight.”

  Lucy was taking a video order when I arrived at the register. So I puttered around until she was done.

  “Guess what Laura, Willow has a window for your car.”

  “She has? Where did she get it?”

  “A local junk yard, the owner is a customer of hers. Guess how much?”

  “Fifty or sixty dollars?”

  “Nope, a paperback mystery of his choice. Apparently the guy is a huge mystery fan, he made Willow take it out on her own after he showed her how. Then he threw in the rubber gasket and sealer we need to put it in. Willow told me what to do about getting all the old glass out, so I’m supposed to do that today. I just need a screwdriver and pliers plus the leather gloves we have in the stockroom. If you want I can go and do it now before it gets busy if you want to watch the store.”

  “I thought you wanted to pitch me an idea for the store?”

  “Three idea’s actually, one is going to take awhile so maybe I could talk to you and maybe even Bianca about it tomorrow.”

  “Why Bianca, isn’t it a store thing not a collective thing?”

  “No it’s definitely a store thing, but I thought a writer’s perspective would be good, especially one who knew about money.”

  “Okay but you have tomorrow off, it’s the fourth of July.”

  “Yeah, I know you invited Willow and I to a barbeque but I was going to come over in the morning and talk to you and Bianca about my idea. It won’t cost anything, only one of my ideas will cost anything and we already made a profit on it.”

  “Alright, go fix my car and I’ll watch the store.”

  What I really planned on doing was getting my copy of Pride and Prejudice from my bedroom and sneaking off to the reading nook. But by the time Lucy had gathered all the tools she need and the vacuum to get any stray pieces of glass that I missed the other day. Another video sale was coming in. When I had finished pulling books for the order for Lis, to ship.

  A real live customer came in then two more came in and before I knew it. It was three o’clock and Lucy was lugging everything back inside and Lis was coming in to begin her shift.

  “Hi Laura, Lucy, did you ask her?”

  “No not yet, I was busy getting glass out of the car.”

  “Ask me what?”

  “My third idea, it’s about that small unused room up front on the right.”

  “That’s not a good place for books, it’s just too secluded. We don’t have a problem with shoplifting, but putting books in there would just be asking people to steal them.”

  “No, I want to start a Table Top Roleplaying Bookclub and that would be the perfect place to hold it.”

  “Like a second book nook? Why not just use the one with the beautiful view of the lake. That room overlooks the parking lot. That’s why I didn’t build the book nook in there to start with.”

  “The book nook is great for reading and for book clubs but for RPGs, you need a real table, you are constantly writing things and rolling dice. We have a folding table and folding chairs in the stock room. I measured and all that stuff would fit perfectly and it’d be perfect for playing a game without disturbing customers or even if another book club was using the reading nook there would be plenty of space. More foot traffic, more sales.”

  “Well when you put it that way how can I say no. It’ll need to be cleaned up.”

  “I’ll have it done before I go home.”