Free Book Lover, The by Maryann McFadden

across the street. She marveled again at how good some of these people were who simply sat on a sidewalk all day with a hat on the ground for tips. And it hit her—was she really any different from him? How many people in the world have artistic ambitions and ever really achieve success?
    “Well, I rang up four books so far,” Kate said, coming up behind her.
    “Better than zero.”
    “We’ve got a little time left, and the rain is over, so let’s think positive, okay?”
    She nodded, then spent the next minutes walking circles around the signing table, straightening shelves, looking at her watch and waiting for David to walk in. With a big bouquet of flowers and a face that begged forgiveness for being late. To buy a copy of her book, as he’d promised, and have her sign it. And finally read it.
    Kate was considerate enough not to bring up David’s absence as she locked up. Lucy gave her a quick hug in thanks.
    “Good luck with the third store. And I’m sorry to abandon you at such an inconvenient time.”
    “I knew when I hired you it wasn’t going to be forever. Besides, aren’t we doing the same thing? Going after our dreams? I’m really glad you’re doing this.”
    “So am I,” Lucy said, and then managed a laugh. “I think.”
    “Don’t do this halfway. You’ve got to give it everything, promise?”
    “I will. I keep thinking of that woman tonight, Laura, who loved the book. And Ruth, the bookseller in New York. If they like it, how many other readers would fall in love with it, if only they had a chance to read it?”
    “Atta girl!”
    Then they turned and walked in opposite directions to where their cars were parked. A moment later, she stopped in front of the guitarist. He wasn’t a kid, probably late thirties or even forty, and she saw a handsome face beneath the beard and the long, straggled hair. He began another slow, beautiful song.
    “You’re an amazing musician,” she said, tossing the pile of bills from her book sales into his hat. He looked up at her and smiled. And she wondered, was this how David saw her?
    It was nearly dark, wispy gray clouds skittering across the sky as she got in her car. She sat there a moment, then hit the steering wheel in frustration. She pulled out her cell and called the house. No answer. Then she called David’s cell, which was turned off. Driving out of the lot she made a right, not toward home, but to David’s office. How could he not have shown up, knowing how important this was to her? This wasn’t like David. But she had to admit, so much about him lately wasn’t like the David she knew.
    Turning onto Cuna Street, she saw the white Victorian up ahead. His office, which was the entire first floor, was all lit up. She was so intent on David, she didn’t notice at first the line of cars parked on both sides of the street in front of the building. As she slowed, she recognized a St. Augustine Police Department Cruiser with the lights off. A black sedan with lettering on the door was from the St. John’s County Detective Bureau. She sat there in the middle of the street, her eyes travelling from the dark, empty cars to the long windows of David’s office, where the shadows of men passed back and forth.
    She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. All she could think of was that eerie voice on David’s voicemail. The soft laughter, the chilling words.
    You’re a dead man, Barrett.

                             5

     
    R UTH PARKED IN THE MUNICIPAL LOT, and clipped on Sam’s leash, and she could swear that Sam was smiling, her tongue hanging sideways out of her mouth. Sam loved spending the day with Ruth at the store.
    First they walked up Main Street to Elaine’s. Ruth was amazed she didn’t even need a sweater today. For early May it felt more like June, and she hoped it would last. It wasn’t unusual to get a frost in Warwick this far into spring. But the flowering pear trees lining the sidewalks in town were a