Rarity stared at her bookseller. “I didn’t realize you even knew how to shoot.”
“Back home in Kentucky, we learn early. Mostly for hunting and protection from bears. I never shot at anything but targets, but I was better than my older brother. His hand shakes when he shoots,” she said as they arrived at the bookstore. “Don’t get me wrong, my folks are caring people. They just wanted me and my sisters to be able to protect ourselves. It’s a mean world out there.”
As Katie went into the bookstore with the wagon and Killer, Darby and Rarity shared a shocked look, then smiled. “You learn something new every day,” Rarity said as she held the door for Darby.
“I know who I want to invite to my police-mandated sleepovers now,” Darby joked as they entered the bookstore and saw the group watching them.
“Now what,” Rarity said as she shut the door behind them.
“So Drew was here,” Jonathon started. “But there was a problem.”
“Someone shut off the security cameras about noon on Friday. So there was no way to know who came in.” Shirley finished his sentence. He stared at her. “What? You don’t even work here. This is something I should tell her, not you.”
Jonathon nodded then added, “Fair enough, but I can tell you that he’s going to check out all the surrounding shops to see if he can see who might have walked out of the bookstore after attacking Mason.”
“And it also means that my date for tonight has been canceled,” Sam added to Jonathon’s report. “So who wants to go to a screening or two with me tonight?”
Rarity raised her hand. “I’ll go. Archer is busy with Jack getting ready for tours starting Sunday afternoon when the festival ends.”
Darby glanced at Katie. “Are you staying over?”
“Sure, but Jared wants to go to all three screenings tonight. You can come too,” Katie offered.
“No thanks. I hate being the third wheel.” Darby took out her phone and nodded. “Besides, it looks like I have plans. Malia’s coming over now and we’re ordering in pizza and having a pool party. Holly will be there until she has to go to work, but the rest of you are invited. I’ll set up a schedule for my babysitting while they’re at the house. If there are any gaps, I’ll let Rarity know.”
“You’re taking this well,” Rarity observed as Darby texted Malia back.
“I’m just glad that Drew believes me. I didn’t feel that way when I reported Roger, the guy I dated briefly in Scotland.” She looked around the group. “Who’s walking me home and staying there until Malia arrives? Katie has to go meet up with her movie man.”
Jonathon stood. “If we’re done here, I can walk you home. Rarity? Do you need to be walked home too?”
“Sam can walk with me to drop off Killer and then we’ll walk to the theater. No one’s after me, so don’t worry.”
Jonathon pulled her into a hug. “I worry about all of you. Especially when I’m home with Edith. You all need to move to Tucson so I can keep better track of you.”
“Okay, Dad. Stop hovering,” Shirley teased. “I’ll walk with the girls since I’m heading to Terrance’s. He’s making me dinner.”
With the night’s plans made, they talked about the morning and who would be where. Jonathon and Shirley would be in the store. And Katie, Darby, and Rarity would return to the booth with a few more books. Then at eleven, Shirley would close the store and she and Jonathon would arrive at the booth to help tear it down and move the unsold books back to the store.
“I’m thinking about closing the store on Monday. You all deserve a day off.” Rarity leaned her head back. “I know I need one.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to open for a few hours. Kathy will be leaving to go back home, and I hate saying goodbye to that girl. She acts like she’ll never see me again.” Shirley held up her hand. “I don’t need a second.”
“But I need to write, so if you don’t mind, I’ll meet you here.” Jonathon stood. “Are you ready, Darby? I have a dog to feed.”
“You know you can bring him here,” Rarity mentioned as they were walking out the door.
“Romeo likes Drew’s couch too much. All he wants to do is watch movies and take walks with me. Drew walks too fast for him. I swear, I adopted a couch potato, not a dog. He doesn’t even play fetch.”
Rarity walked around the store, checking the back door, rechecking the security system, and even walking through the bathrooms. When she came out, Sam and Shirley were waiting at the door.
“Everything okay?” Sam asked as she held Killer’s leash.
“I hate the fact that someone was in the store and knew enough about it to find the security system and know how to turn it off,” Rarity admitted. “It makes me feel vulnerable. Even though I wasn’t the one working the store the last three days. I worry.”
“Worry seems to be the word of the day. Kathy’s worried about her dad and me. Drew’s worried about Darby. Jonathon’s worried about everyone.” Shirley stepped outside and waited for Rarity to lock the door. And then smiled when Rarity double-checked the lock before dropping her keys in her pocket. “And you’re worried about your staff and the bookstore. Matthew 6:34 says, ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’”
“Thank you, Pastor Shirley,” Sam teased.
