Read Read It and Weep (A Library Lover's Mystery) for Free Online

taking our break!” Beth shouted across the room. She and Heather bolted for the door before Lindsey even had a chance to nod her approval.
    “Wait for me,” Perry said. Then he glanced at Lindsey and added, “I’d better go for moral support—you know, if Heather doesn’t get in, she might need consoling.”
    He, too, dashed out the automatic sliding doors before Lindsey could say a word. She glanced over to where Milton and Ms. Cole had been standing. He was whispering to her, but she was shaking her head.
    Lindsey had no doubt that he was encouraging her to go and check the list, but Lindsey knew that, short of a fire, Ms. Cole would never leave the library during her shift, and even then it would be under duress.
    “Go, Ms. Cole,” she said.
    The lemon looked at her and then opened her mouth to speak. Lindsey had no doubt that it would be to tell her that Lindsey’s predecessor, Mr. Tupper, never let staff run out of the building in mid-shift. Lindsey decided to cut her off.
    “I said, go. This is not negotiable,” Lindsey ordered, and nodded her head in the direction of the door.
    Ms. Cole gave her a brisk nod and hurried out of the building with Milton beside her.
    Lindsey glanced around at her small library. It was practically empty, as many of the patrons had bolted out the door in the wake of Robbie’s announcement.
    “Well, you certainly know how to clear a room,” she said. “I’ll give you that.”
    Robbie gave her an alarmed look and asked, “Do you think this bodes ill for my career?”
    He looked so genuinely concerned that Lindsey put her hand on his arm and said, “No, I was just joking.”
    He glanced down at her hand on his arm and back up. Then he grinned.
    “Oh, you are a trickster,” she said and took her hand away.
    “Of course, I am,” he agreed. “I’m Puck.”
    He assumed a dramatic pose and then bowed.
    “And I’m your understudy,” a voice said from behind Lindsey. She turned to see her other library page, Dylan Peet, standing behind her looking at Robbie with awestruck wonder.
    “Dylan, you’re in the show?” Lindsey asked. “That’s wonderful.”
    “I’m playing First Faerie,” he said. “Ms. La Rue said that I’m to study the part of Puck, too, in case Mr. Vine is unable to perform.”
    Robbie looked his understudy up and down with one eyebrow raised. They were nearly the same height; Robbie had an inch or two on the youth. They had the same fair coloring and green eyes, but where Robbie’s hair was a reddish-blond, Dylan’s was more of a deep auburn.
    Robbie walked slowly around the young man as if examining him from every angle. Lindsey suspected he was doing it to test the boy’s nerves. Finally, Robbie stopped in front of Dylan.
    “I think you’ll do nicely,” Robbie said. He held out his hand and they shook. “We can run lines together, if you like.”
    “It would be an honor, sir,” Dylan said, looking like he might faint.
    “Dylan, why don’t you get a drink of water?” Lindsey suggested. “Then I’m going to need you to start the shelving, as we’re running behind.”
    “On it,” Dylan said with a grin that rivaled Robbie’s in charm.
    As he went into the back room, Lindsey turned back to Robbie. “Don’t corrupt him.”
    “Me?” Robbie clapped a hand to his chest as if he were mortally wounded.
    “Yes, you,” Lindsey said. “I know your type.”
    “Oh, really?” he asked. “And what type is that?”
    He resumed his position against the counter and looked as if he was planning to stay awhile. Much as Lindsey enjoyed bantering with him, she really needed to get back to work. She had a weekly report to write, and there was a presentation she had to pull together for the library board.
    “We did it!” Beth yelled as she danced back into the library.
    “Shh!” Lindsey and Robbie said together. Then they ruined it by looking at one another and laughing.
    “Peasebottom at your service,” Beth said.
    “Mustardseed reporting