working the lilacs. “He doesn’t want to tangle with Mrs. T.”
“Clearly, he’s observed all four in the library.”
Jim looked up at Casper. “Have we seen anyone suspicious around the library? Cleaners?”
Casper shook his head. “Two Brazilian women.”
“Maintenance people?”
“Walter, who’s in his late sixties,” said Casper. “Not that that rules him out.”
“Except for Steve Bronski, the library staff is all women. What about Steve?”
“He’s been in Florida the past two weeks.”
“Painters? Carpenters? Electricians? Plumbers? Roofers? Booksellers? FedEx or UPS drivers?” Jim unclasped his hands. “Landscapers? Pavers? Who?” He jerked his head at the library building behind them. “The atmosphere in there is so thick, you could cut it with an ax.”
“Who the hell is making those calls?” said Casper.
Jim said, “I don’t intend to quit the group simply because of this growing hostility.”
Casper sat down on the step next to Jim and tossed the grass stem he’d been chewing off to one side. “You mentioned electricians. You know, LeRoy Watts’s wife, Sarah, heads the library trustees. Watts Electrical does a lot of work here at the library, right?”
“Right,” said Jim. “LeRoy Watts is here several times a week, working all over the building. He must know who’s here regularly, have a feeling for what’s going on. What do you say we enlist his help?”
“See if he can shed some light on this?” said Casper.
“Very funny,” said Jim.
“Let’s talk to him,” said Casper. “He’s a great guy. I’m sure he’d love to help us get our hands on the bastard who’s making the calls.”
A red Chevy turned into the library parking lot. “This your wife?” asked Jim.
“Right on time. How about having supper with us? We can drop off my wife, go on to Watts Electrical, and have supper after we talk to him. He’s usually open late.”
“I want to get home to my daughter,” said Jim.
“Another time, then. We’ll invite Lily.” Casper started down the steps. “I wouldn’t mention this to the girls.”
“Women,” Jim corrected.
C HAPTER 14
Shortly after Casper’s wife picked up her husband and Jim, Alyssa arrived at the library. “Sorry I’m late. A moped accident on State Road.”
“Already?” asked Jessica. “The season hasn’t even begun yet.”
Alyssa slumped into her usual seat and took out her knitting. “It was a guy with his eight-year-old daughter on the back.” She shook her head. “He skidded on a patch of sand and went into a tree.”
“Are they all right?” asked Reverend Judy.
“The father’s in pretty bad shape. They medevaced him to Boston. The little girl was hysterical.” Alyssa pulled out a length of yarn and jabbed her needle into a stitch. “She’ll probably be okay, at least physically. Skinned hands and legs. They’d never been on a moped before. They didn’t have a clue about how dangerous mopeds are.” She knit fiercely. “I had to come here tonight, even though I’m late. Get my mind off the accident.” She looked around. “Where are Jim and Casper?”
Jessica, sitting next to Maron, replied. “Casper’s wife picked him up early and they gave Jim a ride.”
“We’re being unfair to them,” said Reverend Judy. “There’s no reason to believe either one is the caller.”
“Casper made a joke about anonymous phone calls,” said Maron. “It’s not a joke.”
“It’s certainly not a joke. But that’s his usual way of trying to lighten a serious situation.”
“Girls!” said Fran. “We’re on deadline. We can’t let anything sidetrack us now.”
“Four of us are getting calls,” said Jessica. “Maron and me, now Roberta and Cherry. Casper thinks he’s so clever with his snide remarks.”
Alyssa was silent. She looked down at the set of typed instructions in her lap and moved stitches along the needles, apparently counting.
Fran said, “Your kelp looks wonderful, Alyssa.
“Clearly, he’s observed all four in the library.”
Jim looked up at Casper. “Have we seen anyone suspicious around the library? Cleaners?”
Casper shook his head. “Two Brazilian women.”
“Maintenance people?”
“Walter, who’s in his late sixties,” said Casper. “Not that that rules him out.”
“Except for Steve Bronski, the library staff is all women. What about Steve?”
“He’s been in Florida the past two weeks.”
“Painters? Carpenters? Electricians? Plumbers? Roofers? Booksellers? FedEx or UPS drivers?” Jim unclasped his hands. “Landscapers? Pavers? Who?” He jerked his head at the library building behind them. “The atmosphere in there is so thick, you could cut it with an ax.”
“Who the hell is making those calls?” said Casper.
Jim said, “I don’t intend to quit the group simply because of this growing hostility.”
Casper sat down on the step next to Jim and tossed the grass stem he’d been chewing off to one side. “You mentioned electricians. You know, LeRoy Watts’s wife, Sarah, heads the library trustees. Watts Electrical does a lot of work here at the library, right?”
“Right,” said Jim. “LeRoy Watts is here several times a week, working all over the building. He must know who’s here regularly, have a feeling for what’s going on. What do you say we enlist his help?”
“See if he can shed some light on this?” said Casper.
“Very funny,” said Jim.
“Let’s talk to him,” said Casper. “He’s a great guy. I’m sure he’d love to help us get our hands on the bastard who’s making the calls.”
A red Chevy turned into the library parking lot. “This your wife?” asked Jim.
“Right on time. How about having supper with us? We can drop off my wife, go on to Watts Electrical, and have supper after we talk to him. He’s usually open late.”
“I want to get home to my daughter,” said Jim.
“Another time, then. We’ll invite Lily.” Casper started down the steps. “I wouldn’t mention this to the girls.”
“Women,” Jim corrected.
C HAPTER 14
Shortly after Casper’s wife picked up her husband and Jim, Alyssa arrived at the library. “Sorry I’m late. A moped accident on State Road.”
“Already?” asked Jessica. “The season hasn’t even begun yet.”
Alyssa slumped into her usual seat and took out her knitting. “It was a guy with his eight-year-old daughter on the back.” She shook her head. “He skidded on a patch of sand and went into a tree.”
“Are they all right?” asked Reverend Judy.
“The father’s in pretty bad shape. They medevaced him to Boston. The little girl was hysterical.” Alyssa pulled out a length of yarn and jabbed her needle into a stitch. “She’ll probably be okay, at least physically. Skinned hands and legs. They’d never been on a moped before. They didn’t have a clue about how dangerous mopeds are.” She knit fiercely. “I had to come here tonight, even though I’m late. Get my mind off the accident.” She looked around. “Where are Jim and Casper?”
Jessica, sitting next to Maron, replied. “Casper’s wife picked him up early and they gave Jim a ride.”
“We’re being unfair to them,” said Reverend Judy. “There’s no reason to believe either one is the caller.”
“Casper made a joke about anonymous phone calls,” said Maron. “It’s not a joke.”
“It’s certainly not a joke. But that’s his usual way of trying to lighten a serious situation.”
“Girls!” said Fran. “We’re on deadline. We can’t let anything sidetrack us now.”
“Four of us are getting calls,” said Jessica. “Maron and me, now Roberta and Cherry. Casper thinks he’s so clever with his snide remarks.”
Alyssa was silent. She looked down at the set of typed instructions in her lap and moved stitches along the needles, apparently counting.
Fran said, “Your kelp looks wonderful, Alyssa.
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