“Nell, there you are,” Irene said. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I have to give another interview about the burglary over at the library. I was hoping to speak to you before I go.”
“Of course,” Nell replied. She looked pointedly at Francis. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and followed Irene away to a spot beside Swann’s big bay window.
“How are you doing?” Irene asked.
“I’m all right,” Nell replied. She paused. “How . . . is the library?”
Irene sighed. Even beneath her expertly applied makeup, Nell could see her exhaustion. “The media won’t let up. And now that this might not have just been a burglary and the tragic death of one of our guards, but also a premeditated crime against one of our most cherished scholars—” She took a breath. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Something he said to me a long time ago.”
“My father?” Nell asked.
Irene nodded. “The day he was hired, we had the most unsettling conversation. At the end of our meeting, just before he walked out, he told me that if something strange ever happened to him, I should suspect foul play. He refused to explain himself further, and after that, everything was fine. He worked here for decades without incident, and never brought it up again. I had forgotten about it, until the break-in.” She leaned closer. “Lieutenant Cabe told me that his investigators finished going over your father’s phone log for the last few months, to see if there might be anything there. Did you know he tried to call you that night, just before he died?”
Nell’s eyes widened in surprise. “No,” she said. She could hardly believe it. She was certain the last time they’d spoken was the day she was fired. “Are you sure? I would definitely have noticed a missed call from his number.”
“At night, the new phone system shuts down, and all calls in and out are automatically routed through the front guard desk. Your father’s went that far, but it seems he hung up before Henry went back to the desk from his rounds and was able to put it through.” She looked at Nell. “So, he didn’t try to reach out in any other way?”
Nell shook her head, still struggling to believe it.
Irene sighed. “I’m sorry. All of this is so strange. If only we knew what he’d wanted to tell you.”
Nell took a breath. This was her chance.
“Actually, I think that I might be onto something. I’ve been going through his personal things, talking to some of his old friends . . . I might be able to figure out what he was working on.” She paused. “I think it might have been the reason the library was burgled.”
Irene stared at her, stunned. “What is it?”
Nell swallowed. She’d definitely made a start, but it wasn’t enough to tell the illustrious chair of the NYPL what the map actually was—a cheap old thing that could barely be classified as a map compared to the countless historical treasures on the walls of the library—without anything concrete to prove it. She’d made the mistake of showing a discovery too early once in her life. She wasn’t going to make it again.
“I’m not sure yet,” she said. “But as soon as I am, I’ll bring it to you.”
Irene smiled, wavering between surprise and relief. “I’d be indebted to you. The entire library would.” She considered something before continuing. “You still have a very loyal friend there, you know. He’s stormed my office every morning and afternoon with impassioned speech after speech about how brilliant you are, and what a mistake it was for us to lose you.”
“Swann is too kind,” Nell laughed politely.
“Well, between his tireless campaign and now this revelation, I’m convinced. I know I can’t make up for what happened all those years ago, but I do hope that you’ll allow me to at least try. Senior researcher, perhaps? Assistant director of conservation?”