Over the mug, she said, “How’s the wife this morning?”
“You just had to go and spoil it,” he grumbled. “Martha’s doing fine. She works at the library.”
He pronounced it “lie-berry”.
That gave Sadie an idea. She needed something to do for an hour while she waited for her things to charge.
“How do I get there?”
“Drive down to the main lights, turn south and it’s two blocks past the Esso on your right hand side.”
“Is it okay if I leave these here to charge?” she asked, indicating the laptop and cell phone.
“Sure, I’m here ’til midnight. No one’ll touch ’en.”
A waft of cool air made her shiver. Behind her, someone had entered the pub. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw a bald man veering down the hall to the washrooms.
She turned back to Ed. “Thanks. I’ll be back in an hour.”
“Take as long as you like.”
As she headed outside, the lyrics of Pretty Woman trailed after her from the jukebox. Ed’s gravelly voice sang along. He sounded just like his sister. And just as bad.
Sadie drove to the ‘li-berry’. In the almost empty parking lot, she slid into a spot by the door, next to a dented maroon-colored Cadillac with a vanity plate that read BUKS4U, which could have meant bucks for you or books for you.
She rolled her eyes. “Ten bucks says that’s Martha’s car.”
Hinton Public Library held a modest collection of books and the walls displayed a montage of colorful posters, painted by the town’s children, no doubt. The far right corner held a cozy children’s nook with fluffy pastel pillows and low bookshelves. Overhead, a lifelike toy bat hung from the ceiling. A breeze—maybe from an open window—sent it fluttering the moment Sadie stepped inside. She stared at it and her mouth quivered.
“Can I help you?”
Sadie turned. A smartly dressed woman in her sixties rushed toward her, a stack of children’s picture books in her arms. The woman was pleasantly rounded in a grandmotherly way, with curly gray-black hair that framed a plump face, hazel eyes and a cheerful smile. Attached to a silver chain around her neck, a pair of glasses rested against her chest. A nametag on the lapel of her jacket read, ‘Martha V’.
“I’m in town for the day,” Sadie explained. “And thought I’d check out your library, Martha.”
“Well, let me know if you need anything, Miss… uh…”
“Sadie O’Connell. I’m—”
The woman just about dropped the books. “Not Sadie O’Connell, the author!”
Sadie winced. “Actually… yeah, the author.”
Martha’s chin dropped. “Good grief! I didn’t even recognize you. You look—” The woman caught herself, beamed a bright smile, then motioned Sadie to a table in the corner. “Can I get you a coffee or anything?”
“Thanks, but I think I’m all coffee’d out. I was just at your husband’s pub.”
Martha set the books down and settled into a chair. “Please, have a seat, Miss O’Connell. Are you feeling all right? You look a little under the weather.”
Under the weather was an understatement, and Sadie knew damned well that the woman was being polite.
“I haven’t been sleeping well.”
“That’s dreadful.” Martha folded her pudgy hands primly in her lap. “So what brings you here?”
An appointment with death, Sadie wanted to say.
“I’m staying in Cadomin for a while.”
A swift smile lit up the woman’s face. “You know, we don’t get too many authors of your status around here. Would you consider doing a reading?”
A reading was the last thing Sadie wanted to do. That meant socializing with people, lots of smiling and no time to finish Sam’s book.
“I’m sorry, but I’m just passing through. I have a… deadline to meet.”
Martha’s smile drooped. “Maybe later then. In the summer, perhaps. Wait! How long are you staying?”
“Not long. Another month maybe.”
“Well, if you change your mind…”
I won’t. “I’ll let you know.”
“So what can the Hinton Public Library do for you?”
Sadie shrugged. “I’m trying to kill some time while I wait for my laptop and phone to charge. They’re over at Ed’s.”
Martha rose gracefully. “Well, how about I give you a little tour, then? We have some historical memorabilia here that might interest you.” She slid her glasses over her nose as they reached a wall of photographs. “This is our history wall. Hinton became a real settlement when the Grande Trunk Pacific Railroad passed through over a hundred years ago. Then in 1931, the Hinton mine opened. Ten years later, Hinton was a ghost town. Until 1955, when the first pulp mill went in.” She paused, breathless. “Am I boring you?”
“Not at all.”
And that was the truth. History had always fascinated Sadie, and it often found its way into her novels.
Martha tapped her mouth with one finger. “You’re staying in Cadomin, you said?”
“At Harmony Cabins.”
“How wonderful. Ed’s always fretting about his sister being out there by herself. Well, if you don’t count those men in the other cabins. It’ll be nice for Irma to have another female around.”
Sadie’s attention drifted to a photo of a cave. “Is this nearby?”
“Cadomin Cave, one of the major sights in these here parts. It’s not too far. Just follow the signs on your way back to the cabins. It’s well marked.”
Sadie sighed. “My son would’ve loved it.”
“Unfortunately, it’s closed. Can’t go in until May, or you’ll disturb the bats and kill them.”
“Kill them?”
“If they wake up too early in the spring, they’ll starve to death,” the woman explained.
Sadie moved on to the next set of photos. Many were restored black and whites with curled edges, illustrating the progression of the town’s development. In some of them, hardworking farmers plowed fields of barley and hay.
“Agriculture always was very important in this area,” Martha continued. “It still is. Many Hinton families have been farmers for generations.”
Farther down, a row of women’s portraits graced the wall.
Sadie nudged her head in their direction. “Who are they?”
“All of our librarians.”
“How come you aren’t up there?”
“I’m just a volunteer,” Martha said, looking disappointed.
Sadie patted her arm. “I’m sure you’re much more than that.”
She studied the portraits, admiring the artists’ techniques. It was interesting to see the progression of fashion styles and facial expressions. In the earlier paintings, the women stared straight ahead, unsmiling. Halfway down, that changed.
But it was the portrait on the end that made her pause.
The woman in it looked vaguely familiar. She sat in a green plaid wingback chair, her pale blond hair swept up into a loose bun. She had a half-smile on her face, but it didn’t reach her vacant blue eyes.
Martha cleared her throat. “Did you know Carissa?”
“She looks… familiar. I think I’ve seen her recently.”
“That’s not possible.” Martha’s response was quick, almost breathless.
“No, I’m sure I’ve met her. Somewhere.”
“She’s passed on.”
“Passed on?” Sadie caught sight of the mournful expression in Martha’s eyes. Dead, you idiot. Like Sam.
“Yes. Four years ago.”
“Hey, you wouldn’t happen to have any of my books here, would you?” Sadie asked, adroitly changing the subject.
“Of course we do,” Martha replied proudly. “We have all of them. It was Carissa who discovered you, when she went to the city the year before she died.” She waddled over to a bookcase and pulled a hardcover from the shelf. “Here we go. Deadly Diamonds. It’s one of my favorites.”