Page 51 of The Vanishing Bookstore
She looked at the light that was filtering through the curtains and sat up.
‘I’m sorry, not really. I’ve just had a bit of a day.’
‘It’s late, but I thought you would want to know as soon as possible.’
A lead ball settled in the pit of her stomach, and she wanted to end the call. If she didn’t hear him say it then it wouldn’t be true. Katie wasn’t dead, she couldn’t be, it wasn’t supposed to end this way for either of them.
‘How are you by the way?’
‘I’m okay, thanks.’
‘Good, I’m glad. We found your friend Katie.’
Dora sucked in her breath and held it.
‘She was found in an empty shop, unconscious and badly beaten by a homeless guy looking for somewhere to shelter for the night.’
The breath Dora had been holding escaped with a loud sob. ‘Oh my God.’
‘She’s not dead, she’s in a coma and currently in the intensive care unit at St Thomas’ Hospital.’
‘She’s alive, oh thank you. Thank you.’
‘Her parents have been notified, and I believe they are travelling up to be with her. I thought it only right that someone let you know.’
‘I can’t thank you enough. How is Mabel?’
‘Mabel is fine, she’s a tough woman and after two cups of tea she shooed me out of her flat. I’m still going to need you to go through some mugshots and give me a detailed description about the man you thought might have done this. Is it possible to email them to you?’
‘Of course.’ Dora didn’t know what this meant but at least Katie was in a safe place for the time being and Mabel was okay too. Officer McKinley was who he’d said he was and the relief was tangible. He wished her well and ended the call. She raced into the kitchen where Ambrose was putting the finishing touches to a bagel.
‘I have great news, the police have found my friend Katie. She’s in hospital unconscious but she’s alive.’
He jumped in the air and yelled, ‘Yes,’ making her smile. He looked unashamedly handsome in the kind of understated way that a man can when he doesn’t actually love himself more than anyone else.
‘Thank you for this, Ambrose,’ Dora said. ‘For being so nice and kind, I really appreciate it.’
His cheeks flushed a deep red and she leaned across and kissed his lips, a soft, tender kiss that made her heart flutter wildly like a flapping bird’s wings. Shocked, he paused and then kissed her back almost as softly. And then she remembered. The small wooden cabin. The tree outside. The rows and rows of books. The store as it vanished into the woods just like she’d wished it would back in the boat.
33
Sephy glanced at Lenny.
‘It’s not enough,’ Lenny said. ‘We have the binding spell, but we don’t have the power to make it work when we’re all fractured this way. And Lucine is failing fast, she will be lucky to last another twenty-four hours.’
Sephy blinked back a tear and nodded. ‘I know and it never gets any easier. I just wish it was different.’
Lenny reached out and took hold of her sister’s hands. ‘I know, it’s getting harder each time.’
Sephy clenched her hand tight. ‘We should begin our preparations; I’ve gathered most of the things we need over the last six months, but Dora is the main ingredient. I wonder if she’s found the journal yet.’ She stopped for a moment. ‘Are you ready for this to be your last life?’ she asked thoughtfully.
Lenny shrugged. ‘Would that be such a bad thing? Are you not a little jaded with the whole live a life, die, then come back and live another life with the same ending? I know I’m finding it a little repetitive. It wouldn’t be so bad if we didn’t live in fear most of the time and just got to enjoy our time together as a family, like we did so many moons ago.’
‘I don’t know, I find it kind of comforting knowing that when I die it’s not final. That I’ll be back, and we will all be reunited with each other.’
Lenny reached out and stroked Sephy’s cheek. ‘You always were a soppy soul.’
‘And you never used to be so tough.’
