Read Online Killing Katie (An Affair With Murder) (Volume 1) by B.A. Spangler - Free Book Online
Authors: B.A. Spangler
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the teller at the bank had said when placing it beneath the thick safety glass and sliding it forward. I hesitated a moment, wanting to make sure that I was doing what I wanted to do, and then placed it in Nerd’s hands. I cringed when he crumpled it into a ball and stuffed it away in his pocket.
“What’s first?”
NINE
W HEN THE SUN had dipped low enough to reach through the library’s window, I knew that I’d overstayed my time. At best there was twenty minutes of sunlight remaining in the day. I was never late. Never.
“Damn!” I blurted. “What time is it?” I didn’t bother waiting for an answer. The clock on the wall peered at me as if I’d broken a vow. I focused, but I couldn’t find the hour hand, and for a moment I thought the clock must have stopped. But both of the clock hands were pointing straight down, as if indicating where my heart should be. My mouth dropped. I jumped up from the table and gathered my things in a rush. I could feel Nerd staring, curious at my reaction.
Oh to be young and free, I thought with a sentimental recall. There was just no knowing what you have until it is gone forever.
“I’m late. Really late!” I said, blurting the words.
“Library is going to close soon, anyway,” he offered and began to gather his things. He didn’t recognize my urgency. Why would he?
“Do we need to do anything here?” I asked, motioning to my screen. “Should I shut it down?”
“Nothing to shut down, just need to close a few things,” he answered, not bothering to look up. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it.”
He said a few other things about not needing to shut down, but I only heard mumbles as I raced to the large double doors. On my way, I offered a brief wave to the librarian. She stabbed the air with her hand, seeming to be surprised by my attention.
“I hope you find that job,” she said in a breeze as I passed the counter.
“Still looking,” I answered. “I’ll be back in a day or two.” She nodded as I punched at the door’s brass handle. A second set of doors waited on the other side, leaving me momentarily in a quiet bubble to gather my thoughts and tidy my coat. With the sun nearly gone, the day had turned frigid. I put on a hat and scarf. I never liked the autumn chill, preferring the warmer side of cozy whenever I could. The bubble moment also gave me time to think up an excuse for being so late. I hit the second door and tried to clear my mind.
The outside air washed over me like a draft of cool wind. The sidewalks teemed with people hurrying around me. Car horns blared and traffic was stopped up and down Main Street. The sounds and sights were a world away from the tranquil quiet of the library and filled my head with busy congestion. It was the beginning of the evening and the ending of a workday, and everyone was in a rush to be somewhere else.
“Shit,” I mumbled, looking at the rows of bumper-to-bumper cars and thinking that there’d be no point in rushing.
The air had become crisp in the fading day, and the afternoon shadows stretched long, dark fingers to touch the coming night. The sun was about to vanish, and I had no idea how I was going to explain where I’d been.
I wasn’t just a little late, I was more than two hours late. I glanced at my phone and saw that I’d missed a few phone calls from Steve and a half-dozen text messages—all of them asking where I was. My heart jumped into my throat, beating hard. My skull pounded.
I glanced up at the library’s pitched roof, studying the stony, curved shingles, and tried to understand why my stupid phone hadn’t worked inside. The only thing I could think to do next was to go home. I quickly thumbed an apology, tapping the screen, texting as I walked to my car. My phone’s screen told me that my text was delivered and that it had been read. I stood in front of my car door and peered at my reflection. A humid cloud escaped my lips, and I half-expected to see a monster
“What’s first?”
NINE
W HEN THE SUN had dipped low enough to reach through the library’s window, I knew that I’d overstayed my time. At best there was twenty minutes of sunlight remaining in the day. I was never late. Never.
“Damn!” I blurted. “What time is it?” I didn’t bother waiting for an answer. The clock on the wall peered at me as if I’d broken a vow. I focused, but I couldn’t find the hour hand, and for a moment I thought the clock must have stopped. But both of the clock hands were pointing straight down, as if indicating where my heart should be. My mouth dropped. I jumped up from the table and gathered my things in a rush. I could feel Nerd staring, curious at my reaction.
Oh to be young and free, I thought with a sentimental recall. There was just no knowing what you have until it is gone forever.
“I’m late. Really late!” I said, blurting the words.
“Library is going to close soon, anyway,” he offered and began to gather his things. He didn’t recognize my urgency. Why would he?
“Do we need to do anything here?” I asked, motioning to my screen. “Should I shut it down?”
“Nothing to shut down, just need to close a few things,” he answered, not bothering to look up. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it.”
He said a few other things about not needing to shut down, but I only heard mumbles as I raced to the large double doors. On my way, I offered a brief wave to the librarian. She stabbed the air with her hand, seeming to be surprised by my attention.
“I hope you find that job,” she said in a breeze as I passed the counter.
“Still looking,” I answered. “I’ll be back in a day or two.” She nodded as I punched at the door’s brass handle. A second set of doors waited on the other side, leaving me momentarily in a quiet bubble to gather my thoughts and tidy my coat. With the sun nearly gone, the day had turned frigid. I put on a hat and scarf. I never liked the autumn chill, preferring the warmer side of cozy whenever I could. The bubble moment also gave me time to think up an excuse for being so late. I hit the second door and tried to clear my mind.
The outside air washed over me like a draft of cool wind. The sidewalks teemed with people hurrying around me. Car horns blared and traffic was stopped up and down Main Street. The sounds and sights were a world away from the tranquil quiet of the library and filled my head with busy congestion. It was the beginning of the evening and the ending of a workday, and everyone was in a rush to be somewhere else.
“Shit,” I mumbled, looking at the rows of bumper-to-bumper cars and thinking that there’d be no point in rushing.
The air had become crisp in the fading day, and the afternoon shadows stretched long, dark fingers to touch the coming night. The sun was about to vanish, and I had no idea how I was going to explain where I’d been.
I wasn’t just a little late, I was more than two hours late. I glanced at my phone and saw that I’d missed a few phone calls from Steve and a half-dozen text messages—all of them asking where I was. My heart jumped into my throat, beating hard. My skull pounded.
I glanced up at the library’s pitched roof, studying the stony, curved shingles, and tried to understand why my stupid phone hadn’t worked inside. The only thing I could think to do next was to go home. I quickly thumbed an apology, tapping the screen, texting as I walked to my car. My phone’s screen told me that my text was delivered and that it had been read. I stood in front of my car door and peered at my reflection. A humid cloud escaped my lips, and I half-expected to see a monster
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