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‘Shouldn’t you be at school?’
He frowned, and said in small voice. ‘I got suspended.’ He brightened. ‘But it means I can spend my time in the bookshop, helping out. I love this place.’
‘How long have you been coming here?’
‘Since I found the key.’
‘Youfound the key? Where?’
The boy clammed up.
Callum wanted to keep him talking until Winston returned, otherwise he imagined the boy would text and forewarn this Winston that there was some guy hanging around the bookshop.
‘What’s your name?’
‘Toby.’
‘What’s so special about this place, Toby?’
Toby shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I guess it’s kind of sad that the bookshop has sat empty for years and years, when it could be serving the community, you know. There’s nothing like a good book, is there?’
Callum smiled. ‘That’s very true.’
‘I love books. I want to be a writer.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes. Although I’d like to know about bookbinding too.’
Callum raised an eyebrow. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Here, look at all this stuff.’ Toby pointed at the bookbinding equipment on the desk. ‘I think it’s a shame.’
Callum looked at him. ‘What is?’
‘Well, I’d love to know how to repair books, but because there’s no one to teach me, we might end up selling the equipment.’
‘Oh no you’re not.’
Toby turned around and frowned at him. ‘What makes you say that?’
Callum couldn’t believe he was doing this. He rolled up his sleeves. ‘Because I’m going to teach you.’
‘Bookbinding?’
‘Oh, yes.’
‘Right now?’
‘Right now.’
‘But I don’t understand … you’re an actor. I thought you needed like special skills, and to have been taught by an experienced bookbinder. There’s not many of those around.’
Callum grinned. ‘I grew up with a master bookbinder.’
‘You did? Who?’
‘My father.’ Before Toby asked anything more, Callum said, ‘Right, let’s get to it.’ It was what his father had always said to him when he was a child and they were starting a new project. ‘Now, first we need to find a book!’
