Page 5 of Where You're Planted

“Four people,” Kai corrected.

Tansy did not point out that among the four staff who left was their branch manager, Rashida, leavingherto steer the ship despite her short tenure.

“This whole thing is giving me whiplash,” Marianne complained. She looked like a Filipina Zooey Deschanel, with herthick glasses and bangs and her rotating daily uniform of a color-coded skirt, cardigan, and flats. Today’s color was mango, same as every Monday for the past year. The familiarity edged out some of the nervous energy buzzing through Tansy.

“First, we get sent all over the city,” Marianne went on. “Then our branch is shut down, and now we’re open again but in the gardens? I don’t understand any of this.”

Irma said, “What’s not to get? Tansy saved our butts.”

“Kind of,” Kai amended. “More of a stopgap.”

Marianne threw up her hands, still confused.“If they moved us here, does that mean they’ll renovate our building after all?”

“No,” Tansy admitted, then added, with a pang of guilt at the false hope she couldn’t help but offer, “Not yet.”

She peered down the different paths splitting off like spokes from the fountain where they’d gathered. There was a serious lack of color in the gardens, even for winter. Entire beds sprawled, empty of plants. The large lawn beyond the fountain was brown and patchy.

“Has anyone seen this guy?” she asked, turning back to her friends. “Jack?”

They looked at one another and shrugged.

She checked her phone, even though it wasn’t like he had her number in the first place. She noticed that she’d missed some texts from Charlie, which momentarily distracted her. Briar was with him in Dallas for the last few days of winter break.

Charlie:Everything’s okay but can we talk later?

Charlie:It’s about this hat

Charlie:Not an emergency

She appreciated his assurance that it wasn’t an emergency, butanytext from Charlie when Briar was with him sent her heart into a frenzy.

“What’s up?” Kai asked quietly.

Tansy tucked away her phone. “He hasn’t come yet? He was supposed to meet us at eight.”

Another round of shrugs.

Tansy checked her watch. 8:07. She scanned the paths again and spotted a stone building, which she assumed was the staff cottage the commissioner had offered. “Fine. Let’s go.”

“Who is this Jack person?” Marianne asked, falling into step beside Tansy.

“The assistant director,” Kai answered. “Soon to be the director when the current one retires next month.”

Tansy twisted to look back at Kai, surprised. That last bit was news to her. “How do you know that?”

Kai laced their fingers together and turned their palms out, cracking every knuckle. “I did some recon last night.”

“Stalking, you mean,” Marianne coughed.

“We need to know what we’re walking into here.”

“So, what…you memorized the staff directory?” Tansy asked.

“Only the hot ones. Jack, the current director, a couple maintenance staff…”

Irma quirked an eyebrow. “This Jack fella is handsome?” At seventy-two, Irma still had a robust interest in romance. Her Kindle was set to the largest font size, and Tansy didn’t judge, but she had absolutely blushed a time or two at the explicit passages she saw on Irma’s screen.

“I wouldn’t say he’s handsome,” Tansy muttered.

---