Proof of Murder (Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery #4) - Lauren Elliott Page 0,57
because she couldn’t even get out of her driveway.” Martha resumed her sweeping with renewed vigor.
Addie bolted past her shop door and burst through the door of SerenaTEA. “Serena!”
A red head popped out of the back room.
“What are you doing today?”
“Not too much by the look of it. Why?” Serena dried her hands on a towel as she came out of the back.
“Do you want to play hooky with me and go to the Hill Road House yard sale?”
“Not really. I have no intention of going anywhere near that place and don’t think you should be either, considering.”
Addie waved off her friend’s look of concern. “Not to worry. The charges are going to be dropped. At least I hope they are.”
“I didn’t mean because of that. I meant because of her.”
“Who, her?” Addie’s brows bumped together.
“Kathleen Gallagher.”
“Serena, don’t be silly. There are no ghosts in that house.”
“Then how did someone get into the library, kill that woman, and then steal those books?” She crossed her arms. “Answer me that one, Miss Smarty-Pants.”
“That’s why we have to go there today. I need to talk to Blake. He told me other things have disappeared from there, too, over the last months, and I want to check a couple of things out.”
“Well, you can count me out. I won’t set foot in that creepy old house.”
“But that’s the beauty of the yard sale. You won’t have to go in the house. Come on, please.” She gave Serena some puppy-dog eyes and even clasped her hands together in supplication.
“Okay,” Serena heaved out a breath. “Anything to make you stop that pitiful begging. Also, under no circumstances am I going in that house. Do. You. Understand?” She set the towel on the counter. “I was kind of curious to see what deals I could find anyway, but didn’t dare go by myself.”
“That’s the spirit.” Addie grinned. “What time can you get away?”
“Elli will be in anytime now. So whenever.”
“Great, I’ll let Paige know, and then I’ll meet you out back.”
“Sounds good.”
Addie paused, her hand on the doorknob. “Martha just told me parking is at a premium around the house. Do you trust Paige or Elli to drive your jeep so one of them can drop us off?”
“What’s wrong with your car?”
“I don’t have it. Simon drove this morning.”
Serena’s eyes popped wide open, and a grin covered her freckled face. “You finally had a sleepover with him?”
“No.” Addie’s cheeks burned. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. But could one of them drive your jeep, please?”
“Yeah, sure. Elli drives it for deliveries all the time.” She cupped her hand in her chin and leaned across the counter. “But I want the full details of last night in exchange for this.”
Addie ignored her friend’s remark and hustled next door to tell Paige her plan for the day. Her young assistant was seated at the counter reading the morning newspaper. Addie glanced around the empty shop and waved off her employee’s jump to action. “It looks the same in here as the street does.”
Paige stared at her blankly.
“Like a ghost town,” Addie said with a chuckle. “And speaking of ghosts, since it’s so quiet around here today, Serena and I are going to head over to the yard sale at Hill Road House for a while.”
“You actually convinced her to go with you?”
“Yes, she’s adamant about not going inside, but I won her over when I promised she could stay in the yard.”
“Yeah, I guess the yard is probably free of wandering spirits.”
Addie muttered to herself about foolishness all the way to the back of the shop, and stopped short as she passed the last row. From here she had a clear view to the local history book section on the back corner of the far wall. “Paige, why are all these books on the floor?”
“What?” Paige skittered up to her side and peered down the row. “I . . . well . . . I don’t really know.”
“We were both pretty exhausted when we closed up yesterday. I guess we just missed seeing this before we left.”
“But usually I do a quick store inspection after I come in.” Paige frowned at the books scattered on the floor.
“Did you this morning?”
“I did what I do every day: I came in, went to the back, turned off the alarm, hung up my sweater, if I have a lunch I put it in the fridge, and went to the bathroom. Then I head out front and set up the