Read Online The Last Word by Ellery Adams - Free Book Online

steeled herself against possible disapproval and kept her gaze deliberately fixed upon the woman behind the counter. Olivia didn’t dare glance in the direction of the reference desk. That had been her mother’s desk, her mother’s blue swivel chair, her mother’s perfume clinging to the flyers and bookmarks and summer reading lists. If Olivia turned, she might be haunted by the sound of a tender whisper or a sweet smile.
    “Livie?” A woman’s voice inquired softly. “My gracious, after all this time!”
    Olivia knew her instantly. “Miss Leona. I can’t believe it’s you!”
    The older woman chuckled, hiding her mirth behind her hand. “Well now, I haven’t been a ‘miss’ for decades, dear. I’m Mrs. Fairchild, but since I’ve known you since you were in diapers, you can just call me Leona.”
    Olivia was amazed that Leona was still working at the same library after all these years. She’d been younger than Olivia’s mother and had aged gracefully. Now in her midfifties, Leona’s bright blond hair had become a darker, more muted shade, like the beach at twilight. She had laugh lines radiating from the corners of her gull gray eyes, and her figure was fuller, but she carried her extra weight well on her tall frame. Unruffled by Olivia’s scrutiny, she gazed at the daughter of her old friend with a frank gentleness unchanged by the passage of time.
    To Olivia’s extreme annoyance, she suddenly felt shy and uncertain in the librarian’s presence. Not only was Leona one of the few townsfolk who’d known her as a child, but she’d also been privy to the intimate thoughts and secret longings of Olivia’s mother.
    “Is it okay for Haviland to be here?” Olivia whispered.
    Grinning, Leona reached out and stroked the poodle. “As long as he doesn’t lift his leg on the periodicals, it’s fine by me.” Her smile disappeared. “I know it wasn’t easy for you to come in, but I believe your sweet mama would have expected you to be a regular patron. There wasn’t a day that went by when she didn’t try to find you a special book or ask the other librarians for advice on how to instill in you a lifelong love of reading.”
    “She succeeded in that goal,” Olivia said and noticed a look of satisfaction settle on the librarian’s face. “I’d like to sign up for a library card, but I’m also here on a research mission. Do you have a few minutes to spare?”
    Leona took Olivia’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “For you? I have nothing but time.”
    After listening to a single sentence, the librarian cut Olivia’s request short. “How strange! Mr. Plumley wanted information on the same house.” She lowered her voice until it was barely audible. “Tell me. Is it haunted? I don’t recall a single episode of violence occurring in that house, and there are no records documenting anything unusual about the people who lived there, but something must set that house apart. Within one month, a bestselling author and the long-absent daughter of my dear friend and colleague are seeking information on the same property.” She put her hands on her hips. “I suggest we trade information. You show me your cards and I’ll show you mine.”
    Olivia hadn’t expected the librarian to be so plucky, but she liked her all the more for it. She raised her hands in surrender. “I’ll come clean, but what I’m about to say is for your ears alone.”
    Leona led Olivia and Haviland into the staff room. She poured two cups of coffee, set them on the table, and offered the poodle a bowl of cool water. “Nick Plumley said he was conducting research for his sequel to The Barbed Wire Flower . You’re read it, haven’t you?”
    Brandishing the hardcovers she had tucked under her arm, Olivia said, “Yes. I thought it was a compelling story.”
    “Me too.” The librarian poured a generous splash of milk into her coffee and, seeing no spoon handy, stirred it with a plastic straw. “As you know, the novel is based on a