we do have a lot of newspapers.” She opened the front of a glass case and handed Katie a pile of yellowed papers tied with a ribbon. “These are some of the most historically significant papers in Evergreen’s history containing information about the people who started this town. Look at that. So old and beautiful.”
Katie took the delicate bundle into her hands. The size was small, so unlike the papers of today, and the paper brittle with age. She cradled them in her palms, afraid to damage them.
“The local paper has never been digitized, but we’ve got everything on microfiche. You could go through those archives if you don’t find what you’re looking for.”
“Okay.”
“And then we have things like this.” Nan pulled a black top hat from the curio cabinet. It had to be at least fourteen inches tall, decorated with holly along the band, and on top, a bright red cardinal rose from a snowy branch. “A hat from the very famous Evergreen Hat Factory.” She gently placed the hat upon her head and posed. “It was our first industry. Which changed, of course.” She lifted the hat as if a hundred memories flooded her mind. With a sigh she placed it back into the case.
The thrill of story angles filled Katie’s head. “You know, I think there might be a good article here.”
“You are a reporter.” The voice came from the doorway. Ben stood with his arms folded. Story hour had ended, and by the way the vein in his neck was pulsing, he didn’t look particularly pleased.
“Oh, well, um—” She handed the papers back to Nan and went over to him. “It’s sort of hard to say.”
He shook his head. “Except for on the train, you said you weren’t writing about Evergreen. So?”
“Because on the train, I wasn’t.”
His expression didn’t soften, and that big sigh he just let out could’ve blown out thirty candles in a heartbeat.
Is he mad? Do I really need to defend myself on this? He’s got to be teasing. “But with all the Christmas goings-on, and this rumored time capsule—”
“You should see our choir,” Nan said with excitement.
Ben flashed Nan a bit of a glower, and proceeded slowly. “It’s just that these reporters, they show up in town and then they write these articles that make us all look like we’re—”
“Here we go again.” Nan placed a hand on Katie’s arm. “My grandson is very protective of Evergreen. And I keep telling him, Evergreen is a town that takes pride in what it is.”
Ben dropped his chin to his chest, shaking his head. Just as he took in a breath to speak, the front door flung open.
A teenage boy rushed inside. “Hi, Ben! Hi, Mrs. Baxter!”
“David. You’re early.”
“I came to tell you something. Carol wanted to know if you were okay to have today’s meeting at the Kringle Kitchen so she can see Allie off?”
Ben didn’t seem to really like the idea of the change. “It depends. I don’t know if Nan can spare me.”
“Of course I can,” Nan said. “Go off to your stuffy old historical society meeting.”
Katie’s ears perked at that comment. This might be just the break I need.
“Bring back pie too.” Nan rubbed her hands together. “Would you? Please and thank you?” There was mischief in the tiny woman’s eyes.
“Of course,” Ben said as his grandmother headed back around to sit at her desk.
“Historical society, huh?” Katie moved closer to David and Ben. “Can I come along?”
“It’s pretty much members only,” Ben interjected.
What was so secret about Evergreen that they couldn’t let her listen in? “I see.” But not one to give up so quickly, she turned to David. “Do you know how one becomes a member of the Evergreen Historical Society?”
“Yeah!” With no hesitation, he spilled the beans. “Just go to the meeting.”
“Ah-ha!” Katie beamed, giving Ben a two-can-play-at-this-game look.
“We’ve been trying to get more people to participate all year,” David said.
“Great.” She walked toward the exit. “Lead the way.”
David held the door for her.
“Great,” she heard Ben say with a lot less enthusiasm from behind her.
She stopped and took two quick steps back inside the library. David waited for Ben to move, but he just stood there. “Are you coming?” Before giving him half a chance to answer, she poked at him a little saying, “I don’t want to be late. I hear there’s pie!” She hurried out the door, hoping he’d follow, which he did. When Katie glanced back, Nan waved with a knowing smirk.
Chapter Six
Ben,