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“No, there’s the archive records in the basement. Do you want to come with me?”
Gaudin moved to accompany them. Something about Mere’s body language tipped off Okabe.
“You stay here.” Okabe nodded toward Dee, who stood in front of the photocopier making the physical copies.
As though Dee would do anything other than what Mere had told her. But the special agents must be familiar with people who refused to cooperate. In this instance, Mere knew any failure of hers to fully comply would result in her sitting in a much less comfortable place answering very uncomfortable questions. And her actions might point directly at Anders. She would do everything in her power to ensure that didn’t happen.
Mere flipped on the lights and led the agent downstairs.
“Where’s the computer?” Okabe asked after scrutinizing the basement.
Chuckling wryly, Mere gestured broadly with one arm. “We’re a tiny library responsible for the archive of the whole county, with records dating to the late 1800s. We don’t have a budget to digitize. The county recorder’s office keeps all current records on the second floor. These are all thirty years or older, and we only keep analog records of who requests to see them. Sorry. I keep applying for grants, but no luck so far.”
She picked up the logbook and took it over to the copier in the corner. It took Okabe a few minutes to realize it was taking an awfully long time.
“How many people request to look at the archives?”
Damn, she was caught. Best to look helpful. “Not too many, but the warrant didn’t specify how far back I should go, so…”
Okabe groaned. She put two and two together, but she couldn’t blame Mere, who was merely being extra diligent. Mere smiled at her.
“Just trying to be helpful.”
“Anything from the past year will be sufficient, Ms. Larsen. If we need anything further, I’ll be in touch.”
Mere stopped copying. Mission accomplished. She handed over a stack of paper. “Here you go.”
Okabe pursed her lips and glared at Mere in the low basement lighting. The agent said nothing as she led the way upstairs. Mere breathed her first sigh of relief since she pulled into the parking lot this morning as she watched the agents leave.
Her colleague locked the door behind them. “What was that all about?”
Dee had almost as many ties to the community as Nadine. She would be a welcome ally in getting Anders out of town before the agents caught on to him.
“I might need your help, Dee.”
“Anything, Mere.”
“I need to talk to someone else first. As soon as we come up with a plan, you’ll be my first call.”
13
THE BESTEST OF THE BEST
Nadine’s TV blared through her door when Mere returned home. She knocked and opened the door. Her aunt never locked up until she went to bed.
“Hey there, dearest niece.” Nadine waved absently from her spot on the couch. Mere took her usual seat in the matching recliner.
“I know I promised my fettuccine Alfredo, but I can’t stay long. I’m sorry.”
Nadine’s serious gaze locked onto her, looked her over from head to toe, and softened.
“What’s wrong?”
Her great-aunt had absolutely the best empathy radar Mere had ever seen. If you stubbed your toe in the morning, she’d feel something was off at midnight.
“It’s not my story to tell, but there’s someone in town who is going to need our help soon.”
“Ah, I wondered why the special agents were poking around.”
