Page 6 of Booked for Theft

TWO

“It would be my honor to express gratitude.”

I admired Senator Thaddens’s ability to complicate the donation to the point where anyone listening in on us would be bored to tears and have no reason to believe there was anything amiss. He checked every line of documentation, asking me for clarifications whenever he wasn’t certain of something. In a way, I appreciated the work. To all appearances, he took a thorough and patient approach, ready and willing to spend money but needing assurances all would go well with the library.

The idea he could assign funds to specific projects pleased him, and much like a child on Christmas morning, he got caught up in learning everything he could about the library system and how he might leave a lasting legacy. From acquisitions to historic building maintenance, there was no project he wanted left unfunded. It amused me that he was determined to have an individual transaction for everything, resulting in us spending four hours submitting wires, shooting off emails to make certain the contribution amount and purpose were appropriately linked, and otherwise leaving a paper trail so complete not even the government would suspect anything going on.

For lunch, he’d called in a favor from his wife, Emma, who brought over a feast of Chinese food from his favorite restaurant, which was just outside of delivery range. We blitzed through eating so we could wash our hands and steal a few extra minutes handling the ancient books, preserving their covers, and marveling over their aged pages.

When the final transaction completed, we recorded everything to the senator’s standards, and as I had nothing left on my list, I made a show of checking my watch, heaving a sigh, and saying, “I have a long drive ahead of me, so I should probably hit the road. If I don’t return Bradley’s baby before midnight, he will have a meltdown of the likes nobody wishes to see. That I’m the one driving his baby will only enhance the ridiculousness of his meltdown.”

Senator Thaddens laughed. “Yes, men like him do get quite upset when their women and their cars go on adventures without them. Please allow me to show you a little gratitude for everything you have done, especially for Senator Maybelle. We often did not agree on things, but she would have been dismayed had things gone any way other than they did. She loved people.”

I could see the woman having loved people who fit her demographic and might serve her cause, but I would play the game. I nodded and replied, “That’s not necessary, but thank you.”

“Still, it would be my honor to express gratitude.”

As I’d learned arguing with the politicians rarely won me anything, I smiled, nodded, and went through the motions of accepting his unknown gift.

Rather than grab for a gift card, as most did, he pulled out a filing box from under his desk, set it on the polished surface, and opened it to reveal a bed of dark cloth, the kind the library used to protect fragile books. Then he went to his shelves, pulled down the codices depicting Emperor Hadrian’s architectural exploits, and tucked them inside, taking care to layer cloth between them. On top, he wrapped the book preservation kit, keeping the liquids aside.

Those went back into their leather case, which he set on top of the box once he closed it.

“These two books have brought you joy I’ve rarely witnessed before, so I feel they will be treasured in your hands. Senator Maybelle’s life was priceless. I know President Castillo has also given his praise and regard for your efforts, but I would repeat his sentiment. You have done the United States a great service, and I am proud to be able to thank you personally for it.”

I spluttered, recovered, and managed to stammer out my thanks for the prize, flabbergasted that he would even consider giving me such treasures. “I will take good care of them,” I promised.

Senator Thaddens smiled. “And before you worry, I had already discussed this matter with the wife, and we agreed that we would gift the book—or in this case, books—that evoked wonder for you. I had wanted to send you on an adventure to several of my favorite antique bookstores, but Emma thought this was more personal. And she’s right, of course. She often is, and I would be wise to listen to her more often.”

From the neighboring office, with its door open to allow easy passage, his wife laughed. A moment later, she strode in. “He’s right. You deserve those old things, where they will be loved. Let’s get you headed home, dear. You have a long drive, and that old car will probably give you trouble for the fun of it.”

“I’m hopeful it’ll hold on until I get home, but I’m expecting it to put up a fuss along the way.”

Senator Thaddens carried the codices while Emma took the leather case with the oils. At Bradley’s car, we did a final farewell dance, and I grinned at the evidence Senator Thaddens had either grown up or had been to the southern part of the United States often.

We lost thirty minutes to small talk, and it took checking my watch, apologizing profusely, and claiming I needed to go be Bradley’s Cinderella and make it home before midnight. I even quipped his red car might transform into a pumpkin, complete with fire under the hood if I didn’t get it back to where it belonged.

Once I escaped, I drove until I found a gas station carrying Bradley’s preferred grade and brand of gasoline, filled his thirsty beast up, and called him while I pumped.

“Is everything okay?” Bradley answered.

“Everything is fine,” I promised, laughing at his anxious tone. “I finally escaped. Senator Thaddens wanted to donate to every single project we’re doing individually, and it ate up a lot of time. Then we had the departure dance, which took longer than expected. I have received a gift, and it’s my favorite of the gifts a politician has given me.”

“This is going to be good. That one representative gave you thousands of dollars at a bookstore, and I thought you were going to explode from joy, especially as the gift included free delivery for anything you couldn’t carry. You managed to fill an entire shelf of treasures in your office. Where are you?”

“I’m filling up your car, which I stole this morning.”

“I had noticed my car had vanished from the lot while your new SUV remained in its spot, being spoiled like the pavement princess she is. You haven’t had any problems driving?”

“It’s been fine. I am considering myself as fully graduated from my car driving therapy program, and I wish to be taken to a car lot with sporty vehicles. It’s time for this baby to be retired.”

Bradley sighed. “All right. I’ll ask my parents if they mind storing it at their place in the Hamptons. I refuse to get rid of it.”

“We’ll run the tank out of gas after I return, and then we’ll have all the lines purged, disconnected as needed, and prepared for showroom storage. It’s time for some new beginnings.”

“That sounds like a good plan. How long do you think it’ll be until you’re home?”

“I expect four or five hours. I’m hopeful I’ll miss the worst of the traffic at this stage. If I don’t get lucky, tack on two hours. I will arrive hungry,” I informed him.