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Drummond smiled and slipped his hands in his pockets “That’s because it’s sunny, which almost never happens. Wait until it’s gray and misty and wet, then you’ll see it’s even more beautiful. Let me get some drinks. Tea and coffee for everyone?”
Drummond took their orders and disappeared out of the room. Cassie and Azaki poked about among the books on the shelves, and Izzy took herself to the window to inspect the view, telling everyone when she saw deer again. Lund remained in his seat, his head back and eyes closed like he was hungover, the Book of Safety clutched in his hand against his stomach. When Drummond returned, he was carrying a tray laden with mugs. They gathered around the coffee table, taking places in chairs or cross-legged on the floor, and Drummond passed out the mugs.
“I brought shortbread as well,” he said, placing a plate of biscuits on the table. “Everyone should eat. Even you, Lund. We all need the energy. It will help you feel better.”
They each took biscuits and munched them in silence for a few minutes.
“What now?” Izzy asked Cassie, cupping her mug of coffee between her hands.
“I don’t know,” Cassie admitted. “Back to normal, I guess?”
Everyone was quiet, contemplating that. Cassie heard a ticking from somewhere else in the house, the rhythm of a grandfather clock filling the silence.
“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Drummond said, looking at the floor as he spoke. “There are still special books out there. There will still be people using and abusing them.”
“That Bookseller woman still has the Book of Pain,” Izzy noted.
“What are you saying?” Azaki asked Drummond.
“Well,” Drummond said, and then he cleared his throat. Cassie thought he was nervous. “The Fox Library used to be a place where friends would come and talk about books. I’d like it to be alive again. But maybe we need to do more than just talk about the books.” He looked at Azaki. “You were a book hunter. And Lund helped you for a while.”
“So, what, you want us to keep hunting books?” Azaki asked.
“Why not?” Drummond answered. “But don’t do it for the money. Do it for the library. Do it to protect and preserve the books.”
Azaki mulled that over, sipping his drink.
“You should do it,” Izzy said to him. “I hate these books, and I’d much rather they were locked away here than out in the world.”
“You could help too,” Drummond said, looking at Izzy, and then at Lund. “Both of you.”
“What?” Izzy asked. “I can’t help. I have a job back in New York. Or I did. Who knows if I still have it? But I have an apartment. I need to work to survive.”
“I’ll pay you,” Drummond said. “I’ll hire you. The Fox Library has considerable resources at its disposal. And we can’t let someone else like that woman or Hugo Barbary get hold of the books. We have a duty. The Fox Library has employed people before. No reason it can’t employ them again. I’ll hire the three of you as researchers. Book hunters. Library assistants. Whatever you want to call it. I need people with the right intentions. People I can trust.”
“And that’s us?” Izzy asked skeptically.
“Yes,” Drummond said, meeting her gaze. “I think so. I would trust all of you.”
Izzy looked surprised at Drummond’s words, flattered even.
“You should do it,” Cassie said to Izzy.
“What about you?” Izzy asked.
“Cassie as well,” Drummond said, holding Cassie’s gaze, not looking away this time. “All of you.”
“Okay, sign me up,” Azaki said, taking a second piece of shortbread from the plate. “It would be nice to be doing something positive for a change. What else am I gonna do with my life?”
“What does it pay?” Izzy asked.
Drummond laughed. “I’ll match whatever you are being paid now.”
“Is that all?” she asked.
“She’ll do it,” Cassie said. “We both will.”
“Lund?” Izzy asked.
