I was gonna post weekly but I realized since the story is essentially done (rewrites and editing) that it would take a while posting so I will be posting Sundays and Wednesdays.
See if you can spot the Easter egg in this chapter!
"Seriously?" Ezekiel was grousing. "Busy work?"
"It's important work," Cassandra said. "The clippings book alerts us to serious threats and the appointment book to timely events."
Ezekiel rolled his eyes. "I know all that. And neither is going off so instead of making the most of our time off, you want to do busy work."
Cassandra rolled her eyes and went back to studying the list. It was the general list of objects that the Library wished to have in its collection. Many of them were lost or at least no one was sure where they were located now. Another group of them were in known locations but didn't pose any immediate danger or threat, usually sitting in museums or dusty attics of collectors, basically things that were passed down in a family and the present owners had no idea what they actually were. Or human nature being as it was, had laughed it off as being an old wives' tale.
"Well, you love a challenge," Cassandra said, writing a couple of objects down. "Why don't you just start trying to find these? Think of it as a treasure hunt, you like those."
Ezekiel sighed but took the list. "What are you going to do?"
Cassandra stared at the list of objects with known locations (or fairly known since it's possible they could have moved), Ezekiel couldn't see her but in her mind she was assigning them each a number and then rolling a many sided die to pick one at random.
"That one," she said pointing to one of the lists. "A Scottish charm-stone that can cure sickness and control the weather. Odd combination. Kept inside a cigar store Indian, in a small town in Oklahoma, of all places."
"A cigar store Indian? What is this, 1919? And how is a charm-stone from Scotland in Oklahoma?"
"It's a small town," Cassandra shrugged. "Probably these days in a corner of a tiny local history museum. And I'm not sure."
"Ah," Jenkins said walking over. "Those sorts of things get passed through generations. Immigration possibly brought the family to Oklahoma or the person who made the Indian carving accidentally sold the one they'd stored the stone in. Any number of reasons for its current location. What matters is locating it. These small towns are proud of their pasts, what if some volunteer gets in their heads to restore the old carving and accidentally unleashes a blizzard in the middle of May? Provided the statue wasn't destroyed long ago, that is, then Ms. Cillian should have no issues securing the charm stone without damaging the town's actual history."
"Sounds bloody boring," Ezekiel said. "Have fun in Woop Woop."
"It's not called . . . ."but Ezekiel was gone and Cassandra just rolled her eyes at his back.
Soon the backdoor landed Cassandra in downtown Wahya, Oklahoma. She'd done a little research before leaving. As was the tendency for modern small to midsize towns, most of the shopping and services were now away from downtown and nestled close to the state highway. There had been an interest in the last decade or so in revitalizing the old downtown, full of lovely turn of the 20th century buildings. There were several small shops, a bank, two restaurants, a coffee place, a library and what looked like one of the probably only original businesses, an old time general store. If she had a chance, Cassandra thought she'd poke around the store, it looked charming. But her sights were set on the low gray building that had a sign out front, "Greater Wahya Historical Museum". It wasn't going to be open much longer, so she headed inside.
"Mabel, please, I'm beggin' here. Can't you stay for another week or two?" Jacob asked his best employee, who was planning on leaving by the beginning of the next week.
She sighed, "Jacob, we've been over this. I ain't paying rent on an apartment I ain't livin' in."
He groaned. "I just dunno what I'm gonna do without ya. I ain't gonna get nobody to work here, not when they can make better wages out in the strip malls."
"You've got a few people, you'll do okay."
"I dunno know. It's . . .I tell Granddad everything is going smooth, but you know Mabel. Maybe it's time to pack it up. I got kids to feed and a failing business."
"Jacob, I don't think it's as bad as you think. I mean it's slow right now, but school's not out yet. And we're run off our feet every weekend. People love an old fashioned general store. And your family's been running this place since 1918."
Jacob shook his head. "Wish the state would send in that damn bookkeeper like I asked. What the heck was the point of all that grant paperwork when I ain't getting the help?"
Mabel shrugged. "That's the way these things go. Now I'm still here for a few days, so let me get as much done for you as I can. I'm gonna go do that inventory."
Jacob sighed but looked up at the clock hanging above the register and he smiled. His day was about to get a lot brighter. A few minutes later, two active blurs followed by their shyer little sister and their grandmother entered the store.
"Daddy!" ten year old Grace was yelling. "I won the spelling bee today!"
"You did, that's my girl!" he picked her up and twirled her around.
"I got a B on my test," eight year old Kaitlyn added, wanting her share of the affection.
"And how's my big girl?" Jacob asked, picking up little Abby who was now five. She'd always been the most withdrawn of the sisters, probably because she'd never known her mother. Mandy had never come back to Oklahoma and aside from occasional gifts at Christmas, it was like she never existed.
Abby shrugged and buried her head in his shoulder. She didn't talk much either. Jacob really wished he had more time to spend with her. But the store needed him and he had to work.
"Ya'll wanna go next door and get a cookie?" he asked, fishing his wallet out and handing their granny some cash.
The older girls were excited and even Abby smiled as her father set her down. Jane exchanged a look with him and he shook his head.
"It's okay, momma."
"Alright, c'mon you little monsters. Bring you back a coffee, Jake?"
"Yes, please ma'am."
They found Jake up in his office when they returned. The older girls were sat at the table with their homework and Abby was set up with a cartoon on her granny's tablet. Jane took a seat across from Jacob.
"Are you sure everything is alright?"
Jacob pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's Mabel leavin'. It's put me in a bit of a bind. And then the state still ain't sent the help I was supposed to have with the books."
"Ah," Jane lowered her voice. "You know Mabel's sweet on you. Maybe give her a reason to stay."
Jacob shook his head. "Momma. . . ."
"Jacob."
He sighed. "Mabel's sweet. She's a lovely girl. But I've been there done that. Ain't puttin' myself through that again. And if I ever did, it wouldn't be with someone who has one foot out the door. Mabel's been itching to fly for years. Good for her to have the chance."
"I suppose you're right. Still, those girls need a momma." Jane looked over at Abby. "Especially Abigail."
He groaned. "Look, you might be right, but I just . . . . I just can't do that to myself or them again. Alright?"
"Yes, dear. Tell you what, me and Earl will help you out best we can with the store til you get someone to replace Mabel."
"I'd appreciate that."
It had taken Cassandra all of two minutes to determine that there was no cigar store Indian in the little museum. Half the building was the town archives, but Cassandra was pretty sure that if the Indian was here it would be on display.
"You look like you're lookin' for something in particular," the older lady who was working the register in the small gift shop called to her.
"Ah, yes, I'm . . . "Cassandra bit her lip, she still wasn't good at the cover stories and she couldn't always get the Librarian spell to work for her. "I'm writing a travel article on cigar store Indians. And I'd read that Wahya had a fine example."
The woman cocked her head in thought. "That's funny. We don't have one in the museum. But actually . . . ." She jumped up and went through a door. She came back about fifteen minutes later (after Cassandra started to think she wasn't going to return and hoped no one else came in) with a photograph in a frame.
"I thought I remembered seein' one around these parts. Funny that you'd have heard of it. Used to stand outside Stone's General Store."
"Oh! I saw that when I came into town. But I don't remember an Indian."
The woman shrugged. "Jacob Stone's the owner now, his great great uncle opened the store back in 1918. If the Indian is still around, he might know where it's at."
"Okay," Cassandra said with a smile. "I'll check there. Thank you so much ma'am. You've been very helpful."
Feeling slightly bad about the woman having to dig for the photo, Cassandra bought a pencil and a notepad in the gift shop, something small enough to put in her bag.
Then she headed across the street to the general store. The place was like stepping back in time. The merchandise was modern, though there was some old fashioned stuff here and there, probably for weekend tourists. There was a small supply of grocery staples, even a freezer section, clothing, books, music, small appliances, household goods, candy, greeting cards and that was just what she could see when she walked in. She assumed there was at the very least, seeds and feed too.
As she walked up to the old fashioned counter, she had a flight of fancy about buying a pound of coffee and a card of buttons just like in some old book. She probably could buy a pound of coffee, though she wasn't sure how buttons were even sold. She looked down and had to laugh, the display case in front of her held cellular phones and at eye level was a rack of brochures advertising the various carriers. A reminder that it was definitely not 1919.
Two young children came flying out an employee door followed by a man a couple of years older than herself.
"Grace and Kaitlyn, what have I told ya about runnin'!"
"Sorry, Daddy," the children chorused, barely noticing her and Cassandra noticed, not really stopping in their running over to the small toy area.
"I'm real sorry about them," the man said. "What can I help you with ma'am?"
Inside Cassandra giggled, all this ma'am stuff. But that's the way it was around here.
"Actually I'm the Librarian and I . . . ."
She barely finished her speech when the man's face broke into a relieved smile. "Oh thank god, you're the bookkeeper the state was sendin'. Not a moment too soon! I thought ya'll weren't ever gonna show. I'm Jacob Stone."
"Cassandra Cillian and I . . . ."
Cassandra didn't really get a word in, as he was ushering her to the back. Poor man, he looked really desperate. Well, she always did like looking at accounts, her math brain kicking into gear. It wasn't like the stone was going anywhere. She could help him out for a while.
He lead her to the desk and she spotted against the wall on the right, a dusty cigar store Indian. She inwardly fist pumped.
"Is that a cigar store Indian? I'm um interested in them."
"Oh that?" Jacob shrugged. "Yeah, used to sit out front, but we're part Cherokee us Stones and never did sit right. But it is from 1919 so I couldn't quite part with it, bit of a history . . . ." he cleared his throat as if he'd said something he shouldn't have. "Anyway, I've been in a real bind since my granddad retired last year. Miss Agnes wasn't that good with the books and I'm hopeless with them. I've been waiting six months since I got that grant. And I'm afraid we're in dire straits if no one helps us."
Cassandra hesitated. Really, she should get him out of the room under the pretense of working on the books, take the stone and call Jenkins. But she thought of the two little girls out in the store (and noticed another little girl in a picture on Mr. Stone's desk) and the desperation in the owner's voice. Helping people, that was part of her job wasn't it? And she was good at this, it wouldn't take her very long.
Her eyes widened when she actually got a look at the books.
He looked at her, his eyes pleading and she knew she couldn't leave. That stone had been sitting inside that Indian for maybe a hundred years untouched. It could wait a few hours . . .or days.
"I'll see what I can do," Cassandra said, taking a seat.
"Thank you so much."
Jacob left and Cassandra cast a glance at the Indian again. But then she looked down at the book in front of her and her gift started twitching.
"Alright, I know you want to do this." She grinned. "On."