One Book in the Grave: A Bibliophile Mystery

They never seemed to age, which probably should’ve annoyed me, since I was getting older all the time, but it didn’t. It just made me happy to be here with them.
     
    “I’ve invited Robson and some of the children overfor lunch,” Mom announced after she’d hugged us both and tried to wrestle my overnight bag from me. As we walked into the house, she turned to Derek and added, “And I’ve cooked up a few of your favorite dishes.”
     
    “You’re a goddess, Rebecca,” Derek said, and Mom giggled like a little girl. He was the only one besides Guru Bob who called her Rebecca.
     
    I was hoping “some of the children” Mom had invited included my best friend, Robin, and my brother Austin. They were a couple now, living together in Austin’s home in the hills above Dharma. I missed Robin living close by me in the city, but I was overjoyed that she and my brother had finally found each other. Of course, Robin had to almost
die
for Austin to wake up to the fact that he was in love with her and she was meant for him, but at least they were together now.
     
    “Dad, why are you all dressed up?” I asked.
     
    “I’ve got a board of directors meeting,” he said with a pensive sigh.
     
    Dad was on three boards of directors, so I asked, “For the winery?”
     
    He nodded mournfully, and I laughed again. “It’s a real bitch being so successful.”
     
    “Language, Brooklyn,” Mom said mildly, rubbing my father’s arm. “But you’re right. Jimmy was much better off as a poor but rugged farmer. I miss those days.”
     
    I snorted. “Dad was never a poor farmer.”
     
    “True,” she said, winking. “But he’s always been rugged.”
     
    Dad wiggled his eyebrows at her. “I’ll wear my overalls later.”
     
    “Ooh, boy. Here we go,” I said, covering my ears as I rushed ahead into the house.
     
    Once inside, I couldn’t make eye contact with Derek. The thing was, we’d never spent the night at my parents’ house together. Mom and Dad were old hippies, so I didn’t think there would be an issue about the sleeping arrangements, but you just never knew with parents.
     
    “I’ve put you and Derek in your old bedroom,” Mom said briskly, leading the way down the hall.
     
    I finally looked at Derek and rolled my eyes. The man was big, bad, and dangerous, and I couldn’t picture him sleeping in the old bedroom I’d shared with my sister China. We’d slept in narrow twin beds with a third rollaway bed squeezed against one wall to accommodate Robin for her lengthy sleepovers. It was like a small dormitory in there. Was Mom really expecting Derek and me to sleep in twin beds?
     
    Ah, well, I guess I could give her some credit for letting us stay in the same room together. But I wouldn’t blame Derek if he decided to bow out and check into the new boutique hotel down on Shakespeare Lane. I had suggested the hotel when we’d made our plans to come for the weekend, but Derek had insisted he was perfectly content to stay with my parents.
     
    Mom opened the door to my room and stepped aside to let us pass. “What do you think?”
     
    “Whoa,” I said, taking it all in.
     
    The twin beds had been replaced by an elegant, dark wood sleigh bed covered in a thick brown and gold duvet. Piled on top were all sorts of decorative pillows of every shape and size, in colors that ran the gamut from light pearl to sparkly gold to rich brown.
     
    The walls were painted a stylish shade of dark cocoa with pale beige trim and cool, light linen curtains. There was a stately new chest of drawers along one wall and a small mahogany desk and chair on the other.
     
    “You’ve outdone yourself, Mom,” I said softly. “This is beautiful.”
     
    She clapped her hands. “I think so, too. I got a little help from Robin.”
     
    “She’s got great taste.”
     
    “Yes, much better than mine.” She tugged at the curtains, and I realized she was nervous. “I asked her not to make it too girly, because I know that’s not your style.”
     
    “It’s perfect, Mom,” I assured her.
     
    “Thank you for going to so much trouble for us,” Derek said. He took my bag from me and placed it on the new wooden luggage rack under the window.
     
    “Thanks, Mom,” I whispered, and hugged her.
     
    “You’re welcome, sweetie,” she said, straightening a pillow before heading for the door. “I’ve asked Robin to redo your father’s and my bedroom, too.”
     
    “That’s a great idea,” I