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Mere fumbled with the lock and hoped they’d chalk it up to overall nervousness in dealing with armed government officials.
“I’m Special Agent Gaudin and this is Special Agent Okabe. We have questions about some irregular internet usage here at your library.” The man spoke this time, his tone clipped and icy.
“That sounds serious,” Mere said noncommittally. It could be, but why would they send special agents to investigate irregular internet usage? What the hell did “irregular internet usage” mean, anyway? Keep calm.
“Yes, it can be.”
“Well, come on in.”
Mere held the door open for the agents and kept her breathing smooth and even. Panicking would help exactly no one. She let the door close behind her, but decided not to relock it the way she usually did. It would be bad enough if she ended up needing a quick exit; it would be so much worse if she had to pull her keys out first.
She strode to the circulation desk. “Give me a minute to put away my things, and you’ll have my undivided attention until we open.”
Which would be in thirty minutes. How much trouble could she get into in thirty minutes?
Tucking her purse into the locked filing cabinet and placing her coffee cup on her desk, she flipped on the light switch. Mere plastered on her best fake smile and faced the agents. They were so close she wouldn’t have to extend her arm fully to touch Special Agent Okabe. Her smile faltered.
At this, Special Agent Gaudin finally cracked a small, cruel smile of his own.
“We need to see your computer logs,” he demanded.
“Sure. Show me your warrant, court order, or whatever, and I’ll be happy to show you.” She forced the smile to return and prayed it wasn’t a grimace.
Special Agent Okabe blinked. “You have no idea what is at stake, Ms. Larsen.”
Mere dropped the smile. “You’re right, but I understand my obligations to our patrons’ confidentiality. We’re a government agency, and I will certainly abide by the law, which says you need a legal order for me to turn over any of that information.”
“We can confiscate it now,” the man said as his hand drifted close to his gun once more.
Okabe nudged him with her elbow. “Then we wouldn’t be able to use it in a court of law, Gaudin.”
“Like it matters,” he muttered, but his arm fell to his side and his threatening posture relaxed.
Mere doubted she was supposed to hear the last part, so she ignored it.
“We’ll bring a warrant by later,” Okabe said, all professional once more.
“Is there anything else I can help you with in the meantime?” Mere held her breath.
Gaudin studied her through narrowed eyes. After a moment’s silence and just as Mere wasn’t sure how much longer she could withstand his stare without squirming, he spoke.
“Notice anyone odd hanging around?”
A half-grin twitched up the corner of her mouth and her shoulders relaxed. “It’s a library. We’re a magnet for odd.”
The man clenched his jaw and glowered. She’d made him mad. The woman placed a hand on his shoulder and took over the questioning.
“Anyone stand out?”
“No,” she lied.
“Have there been any unusual document requests?” The ice in Okabe’s voice melted a little now that Mere was cooperating.
Crap. If she lied this time, they’d find out as soon as they had a court order. And that would raise eyebrows. Why lie if she had nothing to hide? She went with a version of the truth.
“A few. To be honest, besides copies of birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, and divorce decrees, any request is a little unusual. But I still can’t tell you who requested it.”
“We’ll get the warrant. But what kind of documents did they request?”
