Elizabeth C. Main - Jane Serrano 01 - Murder of the Month by Elizabeth C. Main

saying—”
    “Really a couple of things. The reunion meeting, for one.”
    “Oh, of course. That’s what? … tomorrow night?” Once Bianca had discovered that Thornton’s Books was in financial trouble, she had suggested that Laurence offer the upstairs as a place for other meetings in addition to those of the mystery book club, hoping the increased foot traffic would bring in new business. Laurence had agreed without a murmur. Thus, both the Women’s Empowerment Group and the Class of 1984 Reunion Committee had recently started trooping through the bookstore on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the WEG members tended to buy only the kind of self-help books that Laurence detested. I always hustled him off to the back room to keep him from telling customers that they were reading tripe when they came to pick up any books they had ordered.
    On the bright side, however, at least the WEG members bought books, whereas the members of the reunion committee didn’t pause to buy anything in their haste to get upstairs to their meetings. They were far more interested in trying to remember whose cousin it was that Sandi Millican had gone skinny dipping with in Tumalo Reservoir after the senior prom, or chasing down the latest lead from long-retired custodians about the whereabouts of the time capsule supposedly buried within the walls of Juniper Senior High School the year they had graduated. They were having such a fine time reliving their high school years that they had no time for buying books. Gil had been senior class president, and Vanessa the secretary, so they had been the natural choices to co-chair the reunion committee. “I assume the meeting is cancelled?”
    “No, we’re going ahead … without Gil, of course. Just let people know, if you wouldn’t mind—”
    “But what about the reunion itself? It’s supposed to be—”
    “Two weeks from now, and we’re not canceling.” Harley’s voice was firm. “Gil was adamant. He didn’t immediately think of it, but he was all in favor of going forward, once I mentioned it to him. He doesn’t want our classmates to forfeit all their hard work, and he doesn’t think Vanessa would have wanted it either.”
    “Tough for the committee.”
    “We’ll just do the best we can. I’m sure it will all work out. I was the vice-president of our class, so I’ve had plenty of practice filling in for Gil before this.”
    “I didn’t realize that. But won’t you be busy helping Gil with—”
    “The funeral arrangements? Yes, that, too.”
    “Not to mention your job.”
    “This is one time when being my own boss will come in extremely handy.” He shrugged. “Anyway, helping Gil is my top priority. We can’t always pick the times our friends need us.”
    “Let me know if there’s anything more I can do … “
    “Really? That’s great. I don’t suppose—”
    “Ask it.”
    “Would you reconsider going to the reunion as my date?”
    Though I had begged off when he’d asked me the same question last week, now I hesitated only briefly before replying with as much warmth as I could muster. “Well, sure, Harley. I could do that.” I wasn’t interested in going out with Harley, though my kids had been teasing me all summer about the attention he paid me. Besides, Harley was five years younger than I, and even though he was the nicest guy in the world, I couldn’t see him ever being more than a friend. Still, it seemed important to him, and it wouldn’t hurt me to go out with him just this once. “That’d be great, if the offer’s still open.”
    “Of course it is.” His face seemed to lose some of the strain now as he smiled, and I felt bad for having turned him down before.
    “Let’s do it then. What else?”
    “My chess book, or isn’t it here yet?”
    “Sorry, you need to choose a less esoteric title if you want it to be in stock. This one’s been hard to find.”
    “That’s okay. I don’t really have time for it right now anyway. I’ll call