Ink and Shadows(Secret, Book, & Scone Society #4)(55)

“I don’t think a few hours will matter.” Celeste gave her a wan smile. “You don’t need to help in the store anymore. None of you do. I’ll be okay. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Nora enveloped Celeste’s hands in hers. “I’m so sorry.”

Celeste lowered her head, and Nora released her hands and stepped away.

McCabe offered his arm to Celeste. As she moved to take it, she stumbled. McCabe was at her side in an instant. He put an arm around her waist and waited until she was steady on her feet.

“I’ve got you, ma’am,” he said. “I won’t let go.”

When Celeste leaned her head against his shoulder, he murmured gentle words to her, and slowly, he led her to his car.

Nora’s heart swelled with affection for Grant McCabe. He was a good man.

With Sheldon’s green lollipop and her deposit receipt tucked safely in her pocket, Nora continued walking to Miracle Books. She didn’t notice the Halloween decorations in the shop windows or see the autumn leaf garden flags snapping in the afternoon breeze. She was so absorbed in thoughts of a solitary figure standing next to a fresh grave that she didn’t hear someone calling her name.

At the end of the block, a hand fell on her shoulder and Nora jumped.

“Sorry!” a woman panted. “I was calling you, but you wouldn’t turn around. I saw you talking to the lady who lost her daughter. Can you give this to her for me?”

She held out a casserole dish.

Suddenly, Nora recognized the woman. She’d been with Connie Knapp the day Connie had asked Nora to take down her window display.

“You’re Dominique, right? You and my friend, June, are in the same knitters’ group.”

Dominique’s cheeks turned red and she stared at the dish in her hands. “Yes. June’s a good woman.”

Which is exactly how June had described Dominique. And because of that, Nora decided to be civil to this woman.

“My friends and I are having dinner with Celeste tomorrow,” Nora said, accepting the dish. “Will this keep until then?”

Dominique nodded. “Oh, sure. It’s just cheese enchiladas. Nothing fancy.”

“I bet they’re delicious,” Nora said. “What could be better than melted cheese?”

A smile lit up Dominique’s face. “They’re my kids’ favorite. It’s what I make when they’ve had a crummy day.” Her smile vanished, and she pressed her hands to her heart. “I read about Celeste’s daughter in the paper. It’s so sad. I can’t even imagine how much she must be hurting right now. I wish . . .”

Seeing that Dominique was too overcome to continue, Nora said, “You’re right. It’s terrible and she’s really hurting. And since Celeste is on her own now, I hope our community shows its true colors by supporting her. Thank you for your kindness, Dominique. This will mean so much to her.”

Nora was about to walk away when Dominique cried, “Wait!”

Seeing the pained expression on the other woman’s face, Nora asked, “Are you okay?”

“No. I’ve been a fool,” she said. “I can see that now, and I want to warn you. Connie’s group plans to protest outside your store tomorrow morning. They want all the people in town and all the people stopping here before they go to the Highland Games to see the protest. If it goes well, the group will protest the other stores too. They have to stay on the sidewalk though. That’s what the law says.”

Somehow, Nora managed to control her fury long enough to thank Dominique. With a firm grip on the casserole dish, she hurried back to the bookshop.

When she stormed into the ticket agent’s office, Sheldon put his hands on his hips and asked, “Where’s the fire?”

Nora dropped the casserole dish on the counter and said, “Guess what? The Women of Lasting Values Society will be staging a peaceful and public protest on our sidewalk tomorrow. We need to brew an antidote for their poison. Fast.”

“Peacefully and publicly?”

Glancing out the ticket agent’s window, Nora remembered Bobbie referring to Miracle Books as a corner of heaven. Dozens of people had used similar terms to describe the bookshop. They called it a sanctuary. A refuge. A haven.

Nora’s anger faded and she smiled. “Tomorrow, my friend, we shall peacefully and publicly delight, inspire, and amaze anyone who comes to our corner of heaven.”

“Why are you so calm?” Sheldon demanded. Pacing around in small circles, he was anything but calm. “The lynch mob has formed. The pitchforks have been sharpened. Aren’t you terrified of losing this fight?”

Encompassing the shop in a sweeping gesture, Nora said, “No. And you shouldn’t be, either. Look around. We have books as our champions. We’ve already won.”





Chapter 13


Books and doors are the same thing. You open them, and you go through into another world.

—Jeanette Winterson





“You don’t need to help,” Nora told Sheldon. “I can’t live without you this weekend, so you should go home and rest. But before you do, could you make a dollar store run?”

Sheldon started untying his apron. “It’s a fabulous plan, but how will you pull it off in time?”