“A stack of your books, Franny.”
She leaned against the door, slowly let out her exhale as if she could control her breath she could control the jump of fear in her chest. “Well, that’s not good.”
“If it was burned, how do they know they were Franny’s?” Royal asked.
“It’s possible they weren’tallFranny’s titles,” Copeland said. “But…there was enough left of some of the covers it feels…likely they all were. I talked to the librarian. You know Dahlia, right?” he asked Franny.
She nodded. She liked the librarian out in Sunrise. The library was tiny, but they had a lot of information on the Order of Truth, so she had spent some time there researching that book.
“She said all your books that the library carries were checked out the day before by someone who claimed they were new to Sunrise and got a library card. So, we’ve got something to go off of. But it is another threat, and I want you both aware of it.”
“Why the Sunrise library?” Royal asked. “The Bent County library in Fairmont would have more of her books, wouldn’t they?”
“Yes, but if I had to guess, the size of the library worked in the suspect’s favor. No surveillance, minimal security. Dahlia can describe the person who got the library card to us, and she will, but…”
“It’ll be like me describing the kidnapper. It’ll do a fat lot of nothing,” Franny said with some level of disgust.
“Or it doesn’t. We just don’t know.” Copeland glanced at her. “I want you to be aware so you’re always making an informed decision. If you want to come to the ranch, or have Audra—”
“I think we all know and agree that the safest place for me is here with all this security,” Franny managed. “Audra has enough on her plate even with your help, as do all of you. I’m staying put.”
Copeland eyed Royal. “Well, if anything changes, you let me know.”
“Was it a man or woman?” Royal asked, seemingly out of the blue. “The person who got the library card.”
Copeland looked at Royal. There was distrust in his eyes, but eventually he answered. “Dahlia said it was a woman. I’m going to run the information she gave, but I don’t have much hope there. Why?”
“Just need to know who to look out for. Is there going to be a sketch?”
Copeland nodded. “She’s going to come by the police station this morning. I’ll make sure you and Mayfield get a copy of it, and whatever we work up on the ID, even if it’s fake.”
“As soon as you can,” Royal said. “And any other information you get.”
“I will. I need to get into the station. Walk me out, Deputy.”
Since Copeland didn’t say it as a request, Franny felt like she had to step in. Even if she felt a little out-of-body trying to wrap her mind around someone burning herbooks, she had to protect Royal from…whatever Copeland thought he was doing. “He’s not going to walk you out because you’re going to do some ridiculous male law enforcement posturing, and I don’t want any part of it.”
“That’s why we’re going to do it outside.”
“No, you’re not.” She put her hands on Copeland’s chest and gave him a shove. “Bye.”
He scowled down at her, but she watched him relent. “I’ll have those sketches to you as soon as I’ve got them, Campbell. Franny, if anything changes—”
“Bye, Copeland.”
“Bye,” he muttered, and turned on his heel and stalked out the door.
Franny locked the door behind him, then stayed staring at the door trying to breathe through the tears that threatened. She wasn’t going to cry in front of Royal. She wasn’t going to feelhelplesswhen she had all these people looking out for her.
“Well, that’s…not great.” She turned and tried to smile at Royal. “But I guess it doesn’t change much for me. Does it?”
“It’s a step. Every time they do something, there’s a chance they leave clues behind. So, it’s actually good.”
“Good?” She wanted to believe that, but she knew he was mostly just saying it to set her mind at ease.
“Look, Franny, I have a theory. I’m going to work on getting to the bottom of it.”
“Why didn’t you tell Copeland this theory?”
