Jeopardy in January Read online

  JEOPARDY IN JANUARY

  A Calendar Mystery

  CAMILLA CHAFER

  Jeopardy in January

  Copyright: Camilla Chafer

  Published: January 2018

  ISBN: 978-1-909577-16-9

  The right of Camilla Chafer to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

  Visit the author online at www.camillachafer.com to sign up to her mailing list and for more information on other titles.

  Contents

  Copyright

  Synopsis

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Mailing list sign-up

  Sneak Peek: Fear in February

  Other books

  Jeopardy in January

  Sara Cutler loves her job as head librarian of the public library, an integral part of the historic heart of the picturesque mountain town, Calendar. The combination of old books, quirky clientele, and endless reading is nothing less than perfection for Sara. So when she discovers a body in the rare books section that threatens to destroy her quiet existence, along with the imminent demise of the library, Sara vows to find the killer.

  She never expects to receive any help from Jason Rees, the handsome, big city developer whose only objective is to get rid of the library. Sara assumes he is counting on the murder to serve as the final death knell his firm needs to demolish the library. However, that doesn’t prevent him from falling head over heels for the very woman with whom he’s clashing.

  When news arrives that the dead woman was nothing that she appeared to be, the whole town is instantly enthralled by the concept of having an actual jewel thief in their midst. Even more puzzling is: where did she hide her stolen treasure?

  All Sara must do to save the library is simply solve the murder, find the hidden jewels, and convince herself not to succumb to the one man she would rather see run out town. It doesn’t take long before she realizes that amateur sleuthing isn’t as easy in real life as it is in the stories she loves to read.

  Chapter One

  "I'm going to save this library if it's the last thing I do!" I declared, raising my fist emphatically in the air. I looked around at the empty library. Unfortunately, my rallying cry wasn't exactly drawing in the troops, unless the troops consisted of me and my colleague, Bree Shaw.

  "Okay, but are you going to save it while wearing the Supergirl outfit? Or do you plan to go home and change first?" asked Bree. She wrinkled her nose as she looked up at me and shook her head.

  Looking down at the shiny blue leotard, red mini skirt and long, red boots edged in gold, I winced. I knew I looked ridiculous. Standing on a chair, my fist stretched to the ceiling, I continued trying to rally Bree at the end of a very long day. It was a special day for Calendar Middle School: a visit from the Superheroes-in-Fiction day. I insisted we both dress the part and instantly regretted it. January weather wasn't suited to shiny Spandex.

  With a long sigh, I lowered my fist as I climbed down. "I think I might change first," I said, trying to ignore Bree's stifled laughter. "But I definitely intend to come up with a successful plan. The town needs this library. We can't let them take it away!"

  "They aren't exactly taking it away," Bree pointed out. With her hand on the chair I was stepping down from, she waited until both of my feet were on the ground before tucking it under the antique desk that served as the hub of the library. The desk had probably been there as long as the library. It may even have been older and I loved it. The intricately carved legs and old runners that held two very deep drawers, along with the lightly scratched cherrywood top that saw countless books pass over it during the decades of service, had become a fixture. It even had my name, Sara Cutler, proudly printed on a metal strip above my job title: Librarian. I didn't love the desk quite as much as I loved the library because the old building was something else indeed.

  One of the first buildings to be established in Calendar, the library had an interesting and unique history. Beautifully built, it had two floors, and still retained the original, carved double doors. Above the entry was a circular window that beamed in light through the stained-glass depiction of a book held by childlike hands. Inside was the most stunning, wrought iron spiral staircase. I once bravely mounted the banister and slid all the way down. The walls held shelf after shelf of old and new books, with dozens of freestanding racks in between. It was literally stuffed with a large variety of reading material.

  Upstairs was reserved for the non-fiction and a small rare books section, many tomes bequeathed from local residents for the pleasure of new generations. Downstairs belonged to the fiction, and a large square was separated by a partition and dedicated purely to children's books. The children's section was peppered with low tables and little, wooden chairs, as well as a stack of soft, colorful, seating mats, their covers crocheted by the Calendar Craft Club.

  The library was as beautiful inside as it was outside. Set onto a large corner plot, it boasted a large, rambling garden. Over the years, it had become a favorite spot for teddy bear picnics and summer book clubs.

  Unfortunately, the size of the plot was now part of the current problem. It cost a large percentage of the library's small funds to maintain the garden as well as the building, and it was also a very attractive lot to outside investors. Several building development offers had been previously knocked back by the town council... until now.

  "I know they want to move it but they... they simply can't!" I spluttered loudly. I tried to imagine the library being bulldozed and replaced with a cul-de-sac of cookie cutter homes. "Everyone loves the library!"

  "Don't look now, but that guy doesn't," said Bree. She gave a small nod of her head toward the front doors. "I better check the children's section," she added as she moved away quickly.

  I noted the draft when the doors opened but ignored it. Now I saw they were closed again to the cold, snowy weather and my stomach dropped. The man in front of the doors had a sprinkle of snow on his short brown hair and expensive wool coat with the collar turned up. He definitely didn't endorse my desire to save the library. No, Jason Rees wanted to relocate all of the books into a faceless, character-less building on the other side of town, and knock down the library, so he could build a tract of non-descript homes on the prime real estate.

  I watched him open the door again before he shook his umbrella outside. When he closed it, I saw him press it firmly as if he'd only just noticed the door’s tendency to stick in the colder months. Looking around as if he were visiting for the first time, he left the umbrella in the antique stand by the door. I had no doubt that he already knew where the stand was and had come here merely to assess the area.

  If he actually came here for that, it probably meant he was also checking to see if I were working
.

  I couldn't blame him. After all, Jason Rees and I didn't get off to the best start when he arrived two weeks ago. He glibly informed me the library was closing before my boss even had a chance to tell me. My cheeks still burned every time I recalled my reaction. I told him to get out while yelling at him loudly, and then I called my boss. She listened to my complaint about the “city upstart” before she confirmed the news. It turned out to be the worst day of my career! The past two weeks only continued to become difficult. Jason stopped by several times, either with architects or the foreman, or to deliver more unpleasant news. I couldn't fault him for his good manners, and effortless charm, but the nicer he got, the more irked I became.

  Turning away, I searched for something to busy myself with, wanting to appear as if I hadn't already noticed Jason. I picked up a couple of books and added them to the trolley, which Bree would later return to their proper shelves. When he didn't approach my desk after a couple of minutes with my back turned, I couldn't resist stealing a quick glance over my shoulder.

  Jason wasn't there!

  I turned all the way around, frowning as I scanned the room. Where the hell was he?

  Eyeing the grandfather clock — a gift to the library from an elderly patron more than forty years ago – I saw there was only ten minutes until closing time. I really didn't want to spend that time looking for Jason. It would have been a lot better if he just approached my desk, told me the day’s awful news regarding the library, and then got lost. Preferably, straight into a torrential snow shower; one that would stop the moment I stepped out of the library!

  "The children's section is all cleared up," said Bree. She added a small stack of books to the trolley. "I also passed out a pamphlet to everyone to encourage them to join the library if they haven't already."

  "Great! The kids all received their bookmarks too?" I asked.

  "Yes, for the third time, and I gave each of them a program of events. That way, they can include their families too for all the upcoming events you organized. I think the summer family book club will be quite popular."

  "Good thinking, Bree," I praised her.

  "So what did you-know-who want?" she asked, pulling a face.

  "I have no idea." I looked past Bree to the umbrella stand. Yep, his umbrella was still there, and dripping obnoxiously. "He didn't come over to see me. I'm not sure where he is now."

  "Do you want me to find him and show him the door?" Bree asked helpfully. She tried to appear as defiant as she could while wearing a Winnie-the-Pooh plush costume, complete with hood and ears. I wondered how that fitted in with the superhero theme but Bree insisted Pooh was a hero (of sorts) and besides, all the kids liked it.

  "No, it's okay, I'll do it. You can go home though if you want. It looks like the snow might have lessened a little bit and I don't think anyone else will venture in today. Plus, the weather report said we’re due a rain storm that will wash away the snow so the weather might get nasty very soon. I'll show Jason to the door and lock it behind him."

  "Don't let it hit him on the ass on his way out," Bree advised me as she wriggled out of the costume before wedging it into a plastic bag. Reaching under the desk, she grabbed her purse, and waved as she walked over to the coat rack by the door and picked off her thick, winter coat. She slipped out the door quickly and pulled the door closed.

  I looked around, sweeping as much of the library with my eyes as I could from the desk. There didn't appear to be anyone else in the building. Then I heard the sound of footsteps crossing the upstairs floor. Jason was definitely still here; and for some unfathomable reason, he was upstairs.

  I switched off the computer — Jason definitely hadn’t come here to borrow a book — and while it powered down, I grabbed the keys from the drawer. I went over to the front door, flipping the lock so no one else could wander in and prevent me from escaping home. After a day on my feet, I planned a relaxing evening, comprised of dinner for one, a hot bath, and a good book. The only obstacle that stood between that and me now was Jason.

  I headed for the staircase, wondering what he was doing up there. Probably admiring the view of the gardens and calculating how many homes he could squeeze onto the lot.

  The second floor had a horseshoe shape, and the three sides held iron railings that enabled people to look downstairs, while the fourth opened onto the staircase. On a bright, sunny day, the stained-glass porthole window cast a pretty pattern on the stairs. Today, however, was almost non-stop snow and the dark sky was filled with clouds.

  The upstairs layout allowed me to very easily see people no matter where they were, and as I ascended the staircase, I was grateful. It could save me some time today. Jason was standing in front of the rear windows with his back to me and looking out into the dim light of the garden. I instantly concluded he must have been surveying the lot while working out his profit and loss in acquiring the land and selling the subsequent homes to prospective residents, or whatever nefarious means property developers followed.

  "We're closing now," I called out when I was only a few feet away.

  Jason turned, his face looking blank before he blinked, and I wondered if I surprised him. One glance at the expensive watch peeking out from under his navy cashmere sweater was enough for me to deduce it was probably worth more than two, maybe even three, months of my salary. Landmark demolition and subsequent property development must be a lucrative business. "They already told you?" he asked without preamble, fixing his blue eyes sternly on mine.

  "What?" I frowned.

  "That a date has been set."

  "Wait... what?" I frowned harder.

  Jason produced an envelope from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed it to me. The flap wasn't stuck so I inserted my thumb and flipped it open before pulling out the single sheet of folded paper. I scanned it quickly, my frown only deepening further.

  "What is this?"

  "It's an eviction notice, and part of the agreement of the pre-sale negotiations. My firm sent me here to serve it on behalf..."

  "I can see that!" I snapped, cutting him off rudely, but I didn’t care. "It says we have to pack up and be out in two weeks! The building isn't even sold yet!"

  "The landlord shared the details of the most recent building inspection with my firm. The roof is showing obvious signs of leakage and the windows need replacing. The garden is neglected and overgrown. They can't afford to keep this place up any longer so they're shutting it down until the escrow closes and they’re no longer responsible."

  Rage shook me. "You can't do this!"

  "It's already been done. Listen, Sara, I'm really sorry. I know this library means a lot to you but we made a deal and Calendar will get a new library, a much better one." The hopeful smile faltered.

  "We want this library." My utter shock rooted me to the spot.

  "Why? It's just a building."

  "It isn't just a building!" Taking a deep breath, I was well aware that I should have been shushing myself and not raising my voice. "Look around," I said, sweeping a hand through the air, wondering if Jason could even see what I saw. "You seem to think this is just an old building. I see a living history, the beating heart of this town! Almost every single resident has entered this library at some point in their lives. Old people that came here as kids are now bringing their grandkids. We advance literacy in the community. We host events and provide books to seniors. We keep the population entertained and inspired. It isn't just a useless building! And not something you can sacrifice and tear down just to throw up another bunch of faceless, generic houses."

  "They won't be faceless or generic! And besides, Calendar needs new homes," Jason added quickly. "It's a beautiful town so consequently, lots of people would love to raise their families here. They need to live somewhere."

  "I know but not where this library stands."

  "The sale is still going through." Jason glanced back at the garden and I thought I glimpsed something sad, almost regretful, in his eyes. No! I must have been m
istaken. Jason Rees was an unfeeling property developer. He didn't care about old buildings, or even new ones. All he cared about was profit. Arguing with him any longer was a waste of my breath.

  "I still have two weeks, right?" I inquired.

  He nodded. "Two weeks. We'll send someone to help you with all the packing and moving. That's included in the deal too," he said, his voice gentler. I expected him to be harsher.

  "But we have two weeks," I pressed. "And then the library will be sold?"

  "Yes."

  I smiled, remembering what I said to Bree only twenty minutes ago. "I'm going to save the library," I valiantly told him, pushing my shoulders back and standing up as tall as I could. Jason might have been a tall man, and easily six inches taller than me, but I endowed myself with stature and presence.

  Jason's lips quirked into a smile as he raked in a long look from head to toe and back up again. I saw a smile quivering at the edges of his lips. "Sure, Supergirl," he said, stepping around me and making for the exit.

  I frowned at his comment, only realizing what he meant when I looked down. My costume! I groaned as I smacked my palm against my forehead. How embarrassing! Not only did he fail to see why the town needed the library but he also assumed I must be pretty pathetic too. Bree was right! I should have gone home and changed first. At least, it might have spared me that humiliation.

  After I heard the door bang shut, I followed Jason's path downstairs, stomping on every stair out of annoyance. Snatching my winter coat off the rack, I switched off the lights on the panel by the door and stepped outside, pulling the door shut. I had to do it once and then again, which resulted in a bang because of its nasty habit of sticking in cold weather. I locked it with the old, heavy key, which I then deposited in my pocket.

  Zipping my coat over my costume, I shivered. The snow grew heavier throughout the afternoon and barely let up. The brief reprieve of a few minutes ago apparently was over. "I should have kicked Jason out and left with Bree," I muttered to myself. Instead of being cozy in my thick jacket and knit hat, I fully expected to feel like a drowned rat by the time I got home. At least the pleasure of a hot bath and a good book while I soaked still awaited me.