Rarity didn’t know what had happened, but if Darby felt that strongly, she’d support her decision. “Sure. Would you run up and get him off the hill? He can be the author wrangler for the rest of the event.”
The talk finished right on time, and Mason Pike was led by a smiling Jonathon to the signing table. Rarity watched as Mason looked around for Darby, but when he didn’t find her, he focused on the first reader holding the book out.
Darby came back from hanging with Archer when the signing line had ended and Mason Pike was inside, signing stock for the store. Jonathon came out and glanced at his watch. “He’s got about twenty more books to sign and then he’ll be out. Are we starting the movie now? Or waiting for him?”
“Start it now,” Rarity said. “I’ll make the introduction from the script he gave me.”
Once the movie was going and the lights had dimmed, Rarity realized that Mason Pike hadn’t rejoined them. She left her seat and went into the bookstore through the back door.
Mason was sitting at the table, his eyes shut.
Rarity shut the door behind her. “Did you want to watch the movie or just relax until the ending? I’m sure we’ll have some questions.”
Mason didn’t move.
“Mr. Pike?” Rarity went up and shook his shoulder. He fell over, and a large black spider fell off his chest.
Chapter 4
The scream coming from Rarity’s lips was echoed by the one from the movie outside the bookstore. The spider inside didn’t seem to notice. Rarity got a magazine from the counter and tried to squish it. It still didn’t move. Or squish. She reached out with a shaky hand. The spider was plastic. Dropping the magazine, she hurried over to the slumped-over man and checked for a pulse. “Mason? Mason Pike?”
Nothing. No response. She grabbed her cell phone from her purse on the counter and called 911, asking for an ambulance. “Come to the front of the shop. I don’t want to freak out everyone watching the movie.”
“Stay on the line with me. Can you tell if he’s breathing?” the dispatcher asked.
Rarity leaned closer to Mason and tried to hear his heart or any breathing. “No, nothing. I’m going to go unlock the front door so they can get in. I hear the sirens.”
She hung up on the dispatcher, then called Drew. As soon as he answered, she said, “I need you at the bookstore.”
He responded quickly. “Is Sam okay?”
“She’s fine,” Rarity answered, truthfully. She’d seen her friend during the signing but then had lost sight of her until she sat down next to her when the movie started. “It’s Mason Pike. I think he’s dead.”
“You should call 911. Who is Mason Pike?”
“I already called them,” Rarity said as she heard Drew’s truck start up in the background. “He’s our author guest. He wrote this movie. But Drew, there was a fake spider on his chest when I found him. The movie is about alien spiders. Isn’t that weird?”
“Weird? For normal people, yes. But for you? I don’t know. Kind of par for the course, isn’t it?” He paused for a minute, then asked, “Any chance this is a natural death?”
“Maybe. He’s in his sixties. He’d just finished talking and signing. It’s hot today. Maybe he had a heart attack?” Rarity waved the EMTs over to the open door. “The ambulance is here.”
“I know, I’m right behind them. I’ll talk to you as soon as I know what’s going on. Go back to the movie and keep people out of the store,” Drew said, then hung up on her.
Rarity directed the EMTs to the break room, letting them know that Drew was following, and left out the back door to keep people away. Jonathon stood there, watching as she came out.
“I can’t let you inside,” she said, shutting the door behind her.
“I know. Drew texted me. I’m standing guard. So the author?” He looked at her and sighed when she nodded her head. “Darn. I wanted to have a few words with the guy about how to handle being around a young girl. I don’t think he realized that no meant no.”
“Is Darby okay?” Rarity scanned the chairs, trying to see where she was sitting.
“She’s fine. He was handsy with her, though, and insisted that she come back to his room for a drink. Apparently, he’s used to getting his way with women. At least he was.”
“Thank goodness Darby was with you for the night. With that incident, Drew might see it as motivation.”
Jonathon didn’t answer her.
When she looked up at him, she groaned. “Darby left for a while, right after the signing, didn’t she?”
