Page 52 of Moonshine and Magnolias
The female driver.
“Holy shit.” It all made sense.
Hal bolted up and leapt to Rob’s computer. He angled the monitor so he could see. “What? What did you find?”
Now it was Rob’s turn to pace. The movement helped him solidify his idea. “Maybe Uncle Louis left behind a treasure that wasn’t of value to anyone but him.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Maybe he left behind a woman.” Rob pointed to the screen. “The driver. Maybe she was his angel.”
“That’s your brilliant idea?” Hal straightened up and shook his head. “Everything we have on Uncle Louis says he was all about the job. Even the journals he had left here. He never had time for a woman. That’s why he never married. That’s why the Angels Eyes have cursed the Upshaw men. Because Uncle Louis was supposed to bring home whatever it was.”
Rob closed his eyes and pictured the diaries he’d read as bedtime stories his entire life. Aside from lamenting losing the greatest treasure on earth, their uncle’s history revolved around the work he did for the government. But he always expressed a need to go back to Georgia. “Maybe he would have if he hadn’t been killed.”
The historical society docent poked her head into the room. “Closing time, gentlemen.”
“Can I get a printout of this article?” Hal asked.
“Well…” the pretty blonde bit her bottom lip. “All print jobs were supposed to have been sent to the printer fifteen minutes ago. Did you hear the announcements?”
“No.” Hal shoved his hands in his pockets and bashfully scuffed his foot along the ground. “Sorry.”
It took a supreme amount of effort for Rob to keep his eyes from doing three-sixties in his head. Hal’s golly-gee routine was often used to get some poor woman to do something she wasn’t supposed to do. And it was working on Blondie like it worked on most everyone else.
She gave Hal a quick once-over. “Tell you what. I’ll let you print out the whole paper if…” her voice trailed off.
“If?” Hal prompted.
“If you tell me why it’s so important when you buy me dinner tonight.” She flashed him a wicked grin that lit up Hal like a three-alarm fire.
“You got it.” Hal looked at her badge. “Anita.”
She moved to the computer and entered some commands. “I’ll have it ready for you when you come back upstairs.”
Hal waited until the woman left the basement. “I sent other things to print before we met up. We can go back to your coffee shop and read them until dinner.”
Great. Hal picked now to take initiative. Rob followed his brother upstairs where he picked up the extra print outs and made arrangements for the two of them to meet Anita. The woman looked disappointed when she realized she wouldn’t have Hal to herself, but Rob planned to remedy that as soon as he could.
It didn’t happen. Hal kept Rob out until the sky had darkened and the moon crested the hills. By the time they were back at the Hall, it was nearing ten. Going down to the library would seem like a booty call. But he said he would be there, so there he went, bringing along his spiral notebook. Wendy had put thoughts of a book back in his head, so at least he had an excuse if someone else saw him.
The library was empty.
Damn, he knew he was too late.
He tapped the notebook against his thigh. Wendy was always making notes and scuttling around the Hall, working on something or setting up for an event. So maybe she’d be in her room, or maybe she’d be in the office.
No one impeded his progress across the lobby and down the hallway. A faint glow emanated from under the office door, and he gently rapped his knuckles on it.
There was a moment of silence, followed by Wendy’s business-like tone. “It’s open.”
She sat in the antique chair, wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a pink top like she was planning a day outside. Hair up in that damn ponytail. The desk was covered in papers, her laptop holding a place of honor in the middle.
She glanced up when he entered, then down again before holding tenuous eye-contact. “You’re up late.”
For someone who wore confidence like it was tailor-made, a glimpse at her vulnerability made his breath quicken. “I would have been down here sooner. Hal kept me away for too long going over his research.”
He should stay by the door, to give her space when he admitted his deceit, but his feet led him to the guest chair.
