Hook’s back stiffened, but he recovered quickly. He spun around with Marsha still pressed against his side. Hook shoved Marsha away from him. She gasped and stumbled toward the bookshelf and then to her knees.
A blade glinted in Jack’s right hand. “Wasn’t last time enough to make you want to stay tied up? For your own safety, of course.”
Blackened words squeezed out from between books on the shelves before dropping to the floor and circling Hook’s boots.Sneak. Ashes. Swept away.
Hook’s eyes narrowed, and he repositioned his hand to where his sword should have been sheathed, but thankfully Crusoe had taken it. “I have fitting plans for you, mate, but not tonight.”
Hook sprinted toward Jack and knocked him out of the way. His heavy boots slapped against the tiles until he was gone. Marsha pushed herself up off the floor and gawked at them. Jack met Stella’s gaze, and then he ran off, shouting at Hook.
Ariel appeared at Stella’s side and gripped her best friend’s hand. “Did Jack have a knife?” she whispered.
“Wh-where did he go?” Marsha stuttered.
Stella and Ariel hurried down the aisle and helped Marsha to her feet as she wobbled on her heeled sandals.
“Where did that man go?” Marsha asked again. “Why would the library let someone like that in?”
“I’m sorry, Marsha,” Stella said. “This is a public building, and we’re not allowed to turn people away. However, we can report troublemakers. That man was here earlier as... an impersonator, but he has a drinking problem, so we asked him to leave. I guess he came back because he was angry. I’m so sorry he manhandled you. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
Marsha shook her head. “Drinking problem. I understand that.” Her gaze traveled to her husband, who scowled and walked toward them. “He’s awful good-looking, though. Such a waste of a good face. You think he could work through his issues with some counseling?”
Stella’s brow wrinkled. “I suppose.” Did Marsha sound hopeful, as though she could have a future with Hook?
“Marsha,” Tim said, reaching for his wife. “Are you okay?” He pulled her into his arms and crushed her against his chest. “Wheredid that man go? We need to call the police. He could have hurt someone.”
Stella jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. “My friend went to catch him. I was telling your wife that he’s a disgruntled impersonator we hired earlier to entertain the children, but it didn’t work out. I’m sorry for all the trouble. I hope this won’t tarnish your devotion to book club.”
Tim released his grip on Marsha so he could look at her face. “You sure you’re okay? Let’s get you home.” He smoothed his hands down her stiff hair, which sounded like he was petting prickly grass. Then he slipped his arm around Marsha’s shoulders. “You can’t control everyone,” he said to Stella. “It’s not your fault, but I hope you’ll follow the proper procedures and let the police know about this. He’s not the kind of man who should be wandering around town.”
Stella puffed out her cheeks and exhaled. “Definitely not. And next time you come to the library, you leave the booze at home.”
Tim’s eyebrows lifted, and Marsha snorted into his shoulder. “Understood,” he said as he and his wife walked away.
Stella wanted to rush after Jack, but surely he could handle himself. The library meeting space was a mess. “I need to clean this up. You don’t have to stay, Ariel. I can call you later.”
“No can do,” Ariel said. “You’re not getting rid of me until I know what’s going on here, and why would I leave you to clean up this mess alone?”
“Vicki’s here—”
“I found everyone and apologized,” Vicki said, “except for the people who were already spinning their tires speeding out of the parking lot.” Her red hair was wilder than ever and her expression showcased her exhaustion. “We’ll need to do damage control for the ones who got away.”
“Why don’t you go home, Vicki?” Stella said. “I’ll handle cleaning up.”
“You’ll call the police, right?” Vicki persisted. “I saw Jack run off after that man.”
“Outside the library?” Stella’s concern returned.
Vicki shook her head. “Down in the archives, but the police, yes? You’ll call them and have them apprehend the Hook impersonator?”
Stella nodded, even though she had no intention of calling the police. “I’ll get the library put back together, and I’ll find out who was at tonight’s meeting and reach out to them personally. You go on home.”
Vicki shuffled her blue flats against the tiles. “I’m really sorry about tonight. I don’t agree with you keeping him tied up in the archives, but I can see why you did. I wish his employer had come sooner. You’d think they would have taken you seriously and picked him up already.”
“If only,” Stella said.
Vicki patted at her unruly hair. “See you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Vicki.”
