Page 81 of The Library of Second Chances
‘That won’t be necessary,’ said Chloe quickly. They had left the car park now, Harry driving, with Mrs Cook and Eric behind them. ‘But yes, please keep an eye on the door. There’s no need to go outside, though. It’s a cold night.’
‘Almost there,’ said Harry, and they turned into the Moorhall neighbourhood. Chloe tried ringing Gwen again, but the phone rang twice before going to voicemail.
They parked outside the house, gravel crunching beneath the tyres. As Chloe stepped out into the cold air, she spotted Joe shuffling towards them, his cane in his hand.
‘No one’s come out of there,’ he reported, looking pleased with himself. ‘What’s going on, then? Are you having a party?’ When he saw Harry, Joe’s mouth fell open and he leaned comically back, his hand over his mouth. ‘Harry Ashcroft!’
‘You two know each other?’ asked Chloe in surprise as the two men shook hands, Harry laughing.
‘I helped him with some repairs a couple of years ago,’ Harry explained, looking delighted. ‘You look well, Mr Richardson.’
‘Everyone,pleasecall me Joe,’ said the old man. ‘Oh, I’m so pleased you and Chloe are friends. Isn’t she lovely, Harry?’
‘Aye,’ Harry grinned as Chloe’s face burned. ‘She’s canny.’
‘Everyone really does know everyone in small towns,’ said Chloe, rubbing the bridge of her nose. It was kind of adorable.
Eric emerged from Mrs Cook’s car. ‘Do you think he’s in there?’ He spotted Joe and quickly hid the glowing book behind his back. Chloe silently prayed Joe hadn’t noticed.
Mrs Cook appeared, looking concerned. ‘So this is where you live, Chloe? What a nice neighbourhood.’ She smiled when she saw Joe. ‘Hello.’
Joe gazed back. ‘Hello.’
Chloe, Harry and Eric glanced at each other, their eyebrows raised as Mrs Cook and Joe stood for a moment, small smiles growing on their faces.
‘I’m Alice,’ said Mrs Cook as she reached out her hand. Joe took it, bringing her knuckles to his lips. Mrs Cook gave a high-pitched giggle more appropriate for a teenager than a woman in her seventies.
‘Erm, I’m going inside,’ said Chloe. ‘There’s something we need to check, remember?’
‘Alice is our boss,’ Eric piped up. ‘She’s divorced, too,’ he added.
‘And, um, Joe is widowed,’ said Harry.
‘You work at the library?’ Joe looked positively charmed. ‘Oh, my goodness. And here’s me buying books for my Kindle. I need to go over there at some point. Do you have the classics?’
Mrs Cook smiled, more composed now. ‘Shelves and shelves of them.’ Was it just the lighting, or had Mrs Cook’s cheeks turned pink?
Leaving the bizarre scene behind, Chloe pushed open the front door of her house, light from the corridor bleeding onto the street. Eric and Harry followed her inside.
TheTVwas blaring, and Chloe was relieved to hear Gwen’s voice, sounding relaxed.
‘Heishere!’ Eric exclaimed when they reached the living room doorway.
There was Gwen, sitting in her usual spot on the couch. The nobleman from the classic book, the man Chloe had met in the library that rainy night, sat in the armchair, ramrod straight. He jumped to his feet when he saw Chloe and gave a hasty bow.
‘It’s nice to see you again,’ said Chloe.
The dark-haired nobleman was wearing a deep-blue tailcoat and polished shoes, his dark hair curling over his spotless collar. ‘It is a pleasure, Miss Chloe.’
Chloe didn’t know how to respond to a bow, so she nodded back at him then said to her sister, ‘Gwen, I’ve been trying to ring you.’
Gwen leaped to her feet too, and pulled Chloe into the kitchen. Harry hastily asked the others to sit, making conversation.
‘I found him standing outside,’ Gwen whispered. ‘He’s going on about some girl. I didn’t know what else to do, so I brought him in. He nearly had a fit when he saw theTVand the speakers. I didn’t dare answer my phone.’ She gave Chloe an apologetic look. ‘Sorry. I shoved it underneath the couch cushion. Didn’t want to spook him.’
‘And switched on theTV? What are you even watching?’ Chloe craned her neck to see.
‘Look, there’s me again.’ The nobleman was pointing at the screen. ‘Though they have the gardens all wrong. Mine are at least twice that size.’
