The Librarian of Boone's Hollow - Kim Vogel Sawyer Page 0,123
and we never saw him leave. He must have sneaked out and gone up the mountain. I was at the wagon this morning with Paw when the miners left, and Burke wasn’t on it. I don’t know where he is.”
Emmett had met the miners’ wagon? Concern smote her. “Did you get any sleep at all last night?”
A soft smile graced his face. “I’ll be fine. We Tharps are tough. Just ask my paw. And I reckon you’ll sleep a little easier when I tell you I know who vandalized the library. It had nothing to do with you, Addie. Or you, Nanny Fay. It was directed at me, but we’ve got it all worked out and it won’t happen again.” He turned his back to them and sorted through a stack of papers on the table.
Addie wanted to ask more, but something in his expression as he’d talked—a blend of pain and relief—held her tongue. Maybe later, if they had a moment alone, she’d dig for more information.
“And there’s this.” He turned and held up several pages the way a warrior held a shield.
She gasped and lunged for them. “My story! Oh, Emmett, you got it back!”
He grinned. “Maw found it.”
Addie scanned the lines of penciled words, her heart dancing in her chest. “Oh, it’s like being reunited with a friend. Please thank her for me.”
“I will.” Emmett sat on the edge of the table and folded his arms. “She also found what she thought was a letter you’d been writing, but she didn’t read it. It’s tucked at the back of the story.”
Addie peeked. Sure enough, her letter to Felicity was there, too. How odd. The story and her letter had been misplaced in different locations, yet apparently, Damaris had found them in the same place. Curiosity built in her chest, and she turned to Emmett. “Where—” The query got lost beneath the tender gaze she found aimed at her. Another question formed. Why are you looking at me the way I imagine Eagle looked at Nanny Fay on their wedding day? But female chatter intruded, and the question remained unasked.
Glory and Alba burst in. Community gossip must not have traveled far yet, because neither said a word about Bettina. They said hello to Addie, skirted around Nanny Fay, grabbed their packs, and headed out the door. The third pack remained on the shelf. Addie stared at it, a fuzzy idea taking shape in the back of her mind.
She edged up to it and placed her hand on it. “Emmett, would you let me take Bettina’s route today? I think I can find all the houses.”
His brows dipped. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? You know how…well…”
“I know. But I might have found a way to endear myself to the people of Boone’s Hollow, and I’d like to at least give it a try.” She lifted the pack and cradled it against her stomach. “Bettina likely needs a day to recover from her difficult night, so I want to go, if you’ll let me.”
He stood unmoving for several seconds, indecision flashing in his blue eyes, but then the sweet tenderness returned, and he nodded. “All right. Go ahead. Bettina’s mule is tethered behind our cabin. If you take him, he’ll help guide you. He could probably deliver the books on his own.”
Both she and Nanny Fay laughed. Addie entrusted her story to Emmett’s keeping, kissed Nanny Fay on the cheek, and scurried out the door.
Bettina
BETTINA TRUDGED DOWN the hill toward town. When she’d seen Emmett last night, she’d been so relieved to be free of them two lawmen she hadn’t thought about anything else. But now, knowing she’d have to face him in the light of day, her insides quivered. Miz Tharp had told her she didn’t need to worry. Still, Bettina wasn’t so sure. Miz Tharp was real nice, but she was a woman. Emmett was a man. He’d never acted anything like Pap, but she’d never acted so all-fired dumb with him before. She might’ve poked his angry spot. Would he holler?
The library door was open, but she didn’t walk right in. She sneaked up next to the stoop and peeked around the corner. Then she whisked back out. Nanny Fay was in there with Emmett. The two of them were sitting at the table, talking soft and chummy. Her palms started to sweat. Bad enough to face Emmett, but if he started hollering and Nanny Fay heard it all, Bettina’d run to