Jenna says, “The hit woman’s frame-up apparently didn’t stick.”
The newscaster continues, “Angelos’s release comes on the heels of another development in the case. Police released video footage of Judge Wood the day before his body was found in an industrial area of Chestertown.”
An image of Ben paying for gas and a bottled water at a gas station appears on the screen. “The judge was caught on the security camera at a gas station in Chestertown, ending speculation that he had been carjacked and taken there.”
The screen flips to another image of Ben, this time in a building lined with bookshelves. “That same afternoon, the judge was captured on video at the Chestertown community library. Police are asking anyone who may have seen Judge Wood that day or has any additional information to contact them at the number on your screen.”
Nico considers this. Why the library? Ben used to spend a lot of time there, but why now? He pictures Ben lugging an armful of books into his room at Savior House. Then it hits him: “Boo Radley,” he says, aloud.
Jenna gives him a quizzical look.
“Ben’s law clerk gave Donnie a message from him.” Nico stops. “Ben referenced a character from a book. She said, ‘The proof is with Boo Radley.’”
“From To Kill a Mockingbird?” Jenna says.
Nico thinks so, nods. “He gives a message about some book after he was at a library.…”
“Maybe he left something hidden in the book or something?” Jenna says, as if thinking aloud.
“It can’t hurt to check it out.”
Jenna doesn’t answer but instead grabs the motorcycle helmet and charges outside, Nico on her heels.
CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE
Nico’s holding on to Jenna’s waist as she races the motorcycle through the streets of Chestertown.
She chivalrously offered him the helmet and he didn’t refuse. Her hair flows in the wind like she’s some kind of superhero. She kind of is, he thinks. And he’s glad she’s here. She inspires confidence.
He doesn’t know what happened to her—where life took her after Savior House. Perhaps it was the military or some other field training, since she seems unflappable. She has mentioned her family, but she’s otherwise been vague about her past.
Fifteen minutes later, they pull into the empty lot of the Francis L. Rizzo Library. Nico remembers going to the library on that day he doesn’t want to think about, Ben insistent they needed to go.
They go inside and the place still smells the same, aged paper and printer’s ink. The building is old, but well cared for. To the left is the kids’ section. Beanbag chairs dot the floor and face a bulletin board covered with cutout letters that say: OUR BOOKS ARE BETTER. A poster with the Cat in the Hat says: READ. To the right are rows of bookshelves and smaller bookstands displaying hardcovers and audiobooks. Straight ahead, a librarian sits at a reference desk.
Jenna makes a beeline for the reference computer. She taps on the keyboard, finds what she’s looking for, and points to the call number. She then leads Nico to one of the shelves, passing the library’s current patrons: an elderly man reading a newspaper at one of the tables and a homeless guy asleep in a lounge chair.
Jenna runs her fingers along the books and stops. She pulls two books from the shelf, both copies of To Kill a Mockingbird. She hands one to Nico and starts flipping through the pages, examining the spine, looking for a note tucked in or message written inside. Nico does the same thing with his copy.
They do this until both come up empty.
“It was a long shot,” Jenna says.
“I thought we were going to find something. I mean, he was here. And Boo Radley. What else could it mean if he wasn’t referring to the character?”
They return the books to the shelf and approach the reference desk. The librarian—a thirtysomething woman with dimples and sparkling eyes—looks up from her paperwork. “Can I help you?”
Jenna takes the lead. “I hope so,” she says, smiling. “We’re doing a podcast about the murder of Benjamin Wood, and we understand he visited the library, and we hoped you might be willing to talk to us.”
She regards Nico. “Are you on that show with the miners?”
It’s not like Nico to get flustered, but the librarian is gorgeous. At first he thought she looked like one of those perky Pilates women, but he notices she has tattoos sleeved on both arms. Famous literary quotes and images, by the looks of them.
“That’s me.” He grins.
“My brother’s a big fan of the show,” she says. “I’m not much of a reality TV person, myself, but I’ve watched a few episodes with him and those coal miners—well, they’re characters.”
“You have no idea,” Nico says. “Maybe we should send your brother a selfie?” He widens his mischievous smile.
Her eyes light up. “That would be hilarious.” She’s already tapping on her phone.
Nico takes the phone, turns around, and takes the shot of the two of them. He examines the photo and is surprised that the librarian has her tongue sticking out like the guy from Kiss and is making the sign of the horns with her hand. A pose only a big brother would appreciate.
He returns her phone and she looks at the shot. “Oh, he’ll love this. Thank you.”
Nico says, “So, we wondered if you remember anything from the day Judge Wood visited the library.”
“Like I told the FBI agent, I didn’t even see the judge that day.”
“You didn’t see him at all?” Jenna asks.
“I wish I had. But no. The FBI apparently tracked the judge’s phone here. They asked for our security camera footage.” Her eyes move to the cameras mounted on the ceiling.
“We saw the video of the judge on the news. Have you seen it?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Do you know where he was in the library, what section?” Nico turns and gestures around.
The librarian hesitates. “We don’t give out information on customers—what someone chooses to read is their own business. But I suppose it’s okay to tell you where he was since the video’s been made public. He was in the back there.” She points to the far corner away from the shelves.
They thank her and walk over. The section has a sign that reads: DELAWARE COUNTY PROPERTY
RECORDS. There are stacks of large ledgers and books that look like boundary plats and other land archives.
“What do you think he was doing over here?” Nico asks.
Jenna shakes her head like she hasn’t a clue. “I mean how often would anyone be looking through this stuff? Most records are probably available online.” She walks over to a large bound volume that’s on top of a reference table. She opens it and flips the pages absently. It seems like a complicated dead end.
Still, she flips through the volume slowly, stopping at a page that’s bookmarked. The makeshift bookmark is a scrap of paper someone has folded into a five-pointed star.
“This is Carver Street. That’s two blocks from Savior House.”
Nico stands next to her. He picks up the bookmark.
Jenna has a flash of a memory of Ben at the library, a group of folded stars on the table where he was reading.
The memory is confirmed when Nico puts his finger on some writing on the star: