Peril in Paperback: A Bibliophile Mystery

around and wondered what to do next. Since I was here, anyway, I could work on book-repair stuff. But I wanted to know where Gabriel had gone off to. Was he searching for tubers in sock drawers at this very minute?
    “Brooklyn, there you are.”
    I flinched again. Good grief, this room was Grand Central Station today.
    But when I saw Vinnie, I rejoiced. Finally a normal person. “Hi, Vinnie. What’s going on?”
    She was back to wearing her usual jeans, sweater, and work boots, no longer high heels or a chiffon sari. Her black hair was pulled into a single braid down her back and she wore her signature row of five small hoops along the rim of her ear. Vinnie was a beautiful woman no matter what she wore, but I was glad to see she was back to her casual self.
    She flung herself into one of the chairs at the table.“Don’t tell Suzie, but I am going stir-crazy inside this house. I don’t understand why, since I’m perfectly happy spending hours doing nothing in my own home. But here I’m pacing the floors and staring at walls.” She waved her hand in the air. “Don’t listen to me, Brooklyn. I’m cranky. How are you doing?”
    “A lot better than you are, I guess.” Gazing around the room, I realized I really was feeling good. “I’ve got plenty of books to work on and I love this library. There’s a beautiful view of the snow falling on the trees. And I have my computer, so at least I’m connected to the world.”
    “Unless all that snow shuts everything down. We could freeze to death.”
    “Hey, you are in a cranky mood.”
    She grinned. “I’m positively foul, aren’t I? Well, you’re stuck with me.”
    “I’m okay with that. Where’s Suzie?”
    “She ran into Grace and decided to keep her company.”
    “That’s nice.”
    “I guess so.” Vinnie pulled her chair closer to my desk. “Since you have your computer here, can I log into my e-mail? I’d like to show you the video Jeremy and Sergio sent. It will cheer us both up.”
    “Okay.” I switched chairs with her so she could navigate to her site. As we waited for the page to come up, I pulled the bottom drawer of the desk out and used it as a footrest. “Why did they send you a video?”
    “They’re taking care of Pookie and Splinters for us and they’ve been sending us updates via video. Isn’t that clever?”
    “Very.”
    Jeremy and Sergio were our neighbors in the San Francisco loft building where we all lived. Jeremy was a hairdresser and part-time performance artist, and Sergio was a talented pastry chef at one of the best restaurants in town. They had been living in the building for only afew months, but we had already become great friends. I couldn’t have asked for better neighbors, especially since Sergio liked to bring home samples of the exquisite desserts he made.
    “Here it is,” Vinnie said.
    The video came up on the two cats playing on a patch of carpet. Pookie’s orange coat looked fluffy and full. Splinters was black and white and lean and strong. Pookie was frolicking with a string and Splinters was batting a catnip mouse across the floor. Both were having a wonderful time.
    “Aw, they look happy,” I said.
    “I miss my babies,” Vinnie said, but she was smiling.
    I watched Jeremy teasing Pookie with the string and tried not to feel bitter. I loved Pookie and Splinters but they just didn’t seem to love me back. I guess they still hadn’t forgiven me for that one time when I forgot to feed them. I had left the house in a hurry and made it all the way down to the garage when I’d suddenly remembered. I rushed back upstairs to feed them and change the water in their bowls. I had been gone less than ten minutes but I knew they could read the guilt in my eyes.
    “Who’s the best little kitty-witty-booty-cutie kitty cat ever?” Jeremy cooed in that high-pitched voice we all reserved for communicating with tiny babies and adorable pets. “Pretty kitty-witty. Yes, you are.”
    “Oh, he’s so good with them,” Vinnie said with a sigh. “They’re having so much fun.”
    The camera panned up and Jeremy appeared on the screen. Waving, he said, “Hi, girls! Sergio says hi, too.”
    The camera bobbed up and down and Vinnie giggled. Apparently Sergio was operating the camera.
    Jeremy continued. “Hope you’re having the most faboo time with Auntie. Don’t worry about your little darlings. We’re all having the merriest time, too.”
    “Isn’t he the best?” Vinnie said, looking at me.
    I