“No. I have more questions,” Konstantin said as he stood, but he flicked the device off and the disappearance of the hologram seemed to help Ilya. “What were you doing down here?”
“What?” Ilya squeaked.
“You are not an archivist, nor even a librarian. So what were you doing this deep in the archives?”
Of course, the Garin had noted precisely where we were—information most likely gleaned from the plaques affixed to the ends of the bookshelves. I should have expected such keen observation skills. Still, it impressed me. Hold on, that was a damn good question. I looked at Ilya expectantly.
“Lord Timofey was conducting some research into my lineage,” Ilya said. “I was to meet him that day to discuss his findings, but he never showed up. I went looking for him.”
“Lineage?” Konstantin peered at the books. “Was Lord Timofey carrying his research when you found him?”
“No, Sir.” Ilya met Konstantin's stare. “Granted, I didn't search his pockets, but he wasn't holding anything. No books or even a notepad.”
“And did you notice anything unusual about him or this area?”
“Beyond the fact that he was dead and there was blood everywhere?”
“Yes,” Konstantin said, “beyond that.”
Ilya frowned, his gaze flicking around the floor, then the shelves. “Not that I—hold on. This could be nothing.”
“What?” Konstantin's stare sharpened.
Ilya went up to a shelf and ran a finger over the spines of the books. “Someone has moved these books to make the shelf appear full when,”—he wedged his hand between two books and pushed them apart, shoving until the entire shelf's worth of books slid outward in both directions. It left a large gap. Ilya stepped back and waved at the hole. “That was how it was when I found Lord Timofey.”
Konstantin examined the books to either side of the gap. “Birth records.” He looked over at me. “Do you keep a record of every Larch born?”
“I . . .” I scowled at the gap. “I think so. But I'm the wrong person to ask. We should consult an archivist. One who specializes in genealogy.”
“Um, that was Lord Timofey,” Ilya said.
My stare shot to his. “We have no other genealogists?”
“It's not a position that requires a lot of work unless someone like me asks them to conduct some research. I believe Lord Timofey did general archival work most of the time.”
“But surely someone will know about his work with the birth records?” Konstantin asked.
“Perhaps the Master Librarian,” Ilya said. “Shall I fetch him?”
“Yes, thank you.”
Ilya hurried off as Konstantin and I returned to our inspection of the books. I pulled out the book on the right end of the gap and flipped through it. Konstantin did the same with the one on the left.
“My book starts at the year 1650 and goes to the present,” Konstantin said. “There are many empty pages in it.”
“Mine begins with the year 1850.” I flipped forward.
“Are they out of order?” Konstantin looked from the last entry in his book to mine.
“To be in order, my book would have to be shelved within the pages of yours.”
“Yes, good point.”
Before I could examine the last entry in my book, Ilya returned with the Master Librarian.
“Please, do not handle those books!” Master Andrei waved an imperious hand at us.
“This is a murder investigation; I'll handle whatever the fuck I want,” Konstantin said.
