Peril in Paperback: A Bibliophile Mystery

It is pretty grand, now that you mention it.”
    She smiled. “If you get lost, just look out any window. If you can see the lake, you’re looking north. We have two main hallways running the length of the house: one in the front of the house and one in the back. Two side halls, the east and the west. If you can remember that your room is off the back hall, closest to the lake, you’ll always find your way.”
    “I think I’ve got it,” I said, utterly confused.
    She laughed again. “Oh, you’ll get lost once or twice, but that just makes it all the more fun. Now, don’t be late for cocktails. I can’t wait for all my favorite people to meet and mingle.”
    “I’ll be there,” I assured her as we waved good-bye to each other. I stood at the doorway and watched her walk down the wide, wood-paneled hall and turn a corner. Grace didn’t know me very well yet, but suffice to say I wouldn’t miss a cocktail party for the world. I decided I would scout out the Gold Salon on my tour this afternoon. That way I wouldn’t get lost and be late for cocktails. That would be rude.
    Twenty minutes later my suitcase was emptied and stowed in a corner of the walk-in closet. I had hung up my dressy clothes and folded everything else in the dresser drawers. All my toiletries were arranged along the counter in my private bathroom, and I’d placed the books I’d brought with me on the table next to the love seat under the pretty bay window. As it turned out, bringing a few books along wasn’t quite as necessary as I’d thought when I packed them. But how was I to know Grace Crawford owned every book ever written?
    “Are you all settled?”
    I glanced up and saw Vinnie standing in the open doorway. Suzie stood behind her, wearing a curious grin as her gaze swept my room. “Wow.”
    “Tell me about it.”
    “Holy kebabs, Brooklyn,” Vinnie whispered, her voice tight with alarm as her eyes goggled at the sight of all those books. Abruptly, she whipped around and wagged her finger at Suzie. “This is exactly what I was afraid of.” Then she whirled back to me, wearing a look of regret. “I’m sorry. Why don’t we try to find you another room?”
    “I’m okay here,” I insisted. “I like it.”
    She turned back to Suzie. “You must apologize to Brooklyn for your aunt’s crazitude.”
    “I’m not sure that’s a word, babe,” Suzie said.
    “It should be,” Vinnie said darkly. “It describes Grace perfectly.”
    “I think this is cool,” Suzie said, walking into my room and looking around. “Besides, Brooklyn’s met AuntGrace before and knows she’s a book nut. And she’s been to the house before, too. So what’s the big deal?”
    “I never saw this room before,” I muttered. “If Derek were here, he’d laugh his ass off. Me, entrapped by books. Obviously, my book-obsessed karma has come back to bite me on the butt.”
    “Wow, two butt mentions in less than ten seconds.” Suzie gazed at me. “You must miss him a lot.”
    “I do, but I didn’t know there was a correlation between Derek and, you know, butt references.”
    “Derek has a very attractive backside,” Vinnie said. The words were even more humorous when said in her lilting Indian accent.
    Suzie waggled her eyebrows. “Guess you can tell we take the subject of Derek’s bum very seriously at our house.”
    “I appreciate that,” I said, smiling. “I do, too. And I do miss him. But I’m happy to be here with you guys. And I know Derek would be happy to hear I was here with you guys for the week.”
    “He doesn’t know you’re here?” Vinnie asked.
    I shrugged. “He left on assignment three weeks ago and I didn’t have a chance to remind him.”
    “Can you call him?” Vinnie asked.
    “I suppose I could if it were an emergency,” I said. “But I’d rather not bother him otherwise.”
    “Don’t worry. I’m sure he’d approve,” Suzie said, and chuckled. “There’s a lot less chance of you getting into trouble if you’re with us.”
    “Not that we believe there will be any trouble,” Vinnie said quickly, rapping her knuckles against the smooth wood top of the dresser. “But I’ll knock wood just in case.”
    “Good thinking,” I said, and tapped the wood frame of the bathroom door. I can use all the good-luck rituals and charms I can get.
    It had been only a few months since trouble had lastfound me. I’d been at the mercy of someone who wanted to kill me, and that wasn’t the first time it had