Peril in Paperback: A Bibliophile Mystery

slip a dose of poison into my glass of water. Either way, I couldn’t stay in bed, waiting for something to happen.
    Just as I was about to spring into action, a noisy “Meow!” erupted from one of the ceiling panels. Then Leroy pounced down and attacked.
    A loud gasp erupted, followed by a grunt. My intruder raced to the door and escaped.
    “Damn.” I jumped out of bed and ran after him, but by the time I reached the hall, the person was gone.
    Soft fur bumped against my ankles as Leroy wound himself through and around my legs, purring softly. I let go of the breath I’d been holding and bent down to pick him up.
    “My hero,” I muttered against his soft fur. “You saved my life.”
    He had also helped reveal who my intruder was. I’d heard that gasp and was fairly certain I knew. The question now was whether or not that person was also Bella’s killer.

Chapter 14
     
    For some reason, I woke up feeling lighter and happier than I had in days. We were close to finding Bella’s killer, but that wasn’t the only reason I felt good.
    I was comfortable in my own skin again. I wasn’t sure why, but I refused to question it. I was just relieved to be rid of the psycho girlfriend who had invaded my body and brain since that fateful phone call to Derek. The real Brooklyn was back.
    Hallelujah.
    As I brushed my teeth and fixed my hair, I thought about my mother, who was a big proponent of dream therapy. So maybe I had worked out all my doubts and fears in my dreams. Who knew? But once again, I wasn’t going to ponder it too deeply, because, let’s face it: my mother was also a big proponent of curried-ghee facials and astral trekking.
    Today was Grace’s birthday. The day would be a long one and tonight would be jam-packed with drinking and partying—and, with any luck, unmasking a killer. I decided to track down Kiki and do something I’d been yearning to do all week. I was going to get a massage.
    Two hours later, I was in my bedroom, lying prone on Kiki’s portable massage table, completely wiped out andstill groaning from the glorious pummeling I’d just received.
    “You do great work, Kiki,” I whispered.
    “Thanks,” she said. “But promise me you’ll work on that tension in your shoulders. That stuff will make you old if it doesn’t kill you first.”
    “Those are wise words,” I muttered. “I promise. Thanks.”
    “You’re welcome.” She tucked the sheet around me, then said, “And thank you, Brooklyn.”
    “You’re welcome.” I opened one eye. “For what?”
    She smiled softly. “For Gabriel.”
    “You mean…” I stopped. Why was she thanking me? What had he done? Oh, God, she’d already fallen in love and he was going to break her heart. “Look, Kiki, I never—”
    She laughed. “It’s okay, Brooklyn. We just talked. He’s wonderful. I’ve never met anyone like him, and I have you to thank for making it happen.”
    “I just gave him the message, Kiki. So…what did he say to you?”
    “He told me about his big move. He said he’d sworn you to secrecy, so I don’t blame you for not telling me. It’s so exciting, isn’t it?”
    “Uh, yeah. It sure is.” I had no idea what she was talking about.
    “Imagine moving to Antarctica for the next five years to study the flight patterns of polar birds. That takes dedication. I had no idea he was a scientist. But it makes sense, doesn’t it? The way he took complete charge of the murder investigation until the police got here? He’s so clever. A true Renaissance man.”
    A scientist?
I choked on a laugh, then coughed to disguise it, happy I was lying facedown so Kiki couldn’t see my expression. “He truly is.”
    “I was so inspired by his story,” she continued, “that I’ve decided to go back to school and get my degree in physical education.”
    “That’s wonderful, Kiki. Good for you.”
    “Thank you.” She patted my shoulder. “Wish me luck.”
    “I do,” I said, relaxing again. “Good luck.”
    Then she walked silently out of the room.
    Ten minutes later, I had gained back enough of my strength to slide off the table, pulling the sheet with me. After a leisurely shower, I dressed, then walked down the hall to the library to shelve the book of poetry I’d found in the wine cellar yesterday.
    I opened the library door and saw Nathan and Merrilee talking quietly. They immediately hushed up as I walked in.
    The old, suspicious Brooklyn might have felt a little paranoid. But the newly refreshed