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As soon as Shirley walked in the door before the book club was to start, Rarity perked up. Maybe her friend had good news about George and, hopefully, Terrance. Then her daughter followed her inside with a large Tupperware container filled with cookies. Shirley pointed Kathy over to the table; then she came over to the register where Rarity stood. “I didn’t think I’d see you ,” Rarity said.

Shirley glanced over to where Kathy was setting up the treat table. “I didn’t want to leave you han ging tonight.”

“You didn’t have to bring food. I was planning on calling Annie’s and having them deliver something but then I forgot.” Rarity had been off her game all day. She kept thinking about the rare book and where it could have come from. Arthur mentioned that sometimes he found rare books in boxes of giveaways, but this book had been by itself. Like someone was reading it and left it on the counter in the bathroom.

Rarity had left the notice up, but no one had returned to claim the book. If they did now, they’d have to go to the police station to claim it. Which might make things more complicated for them. Especially since the book was now tied up in a col d murder case.

“I don’t have much to do, so I’m baking like a crazy woman. I dropped off treats at church Sunday. The nursing home’s dietician won’t let me bring cookies in for the residents, but the staff seems to like them.” She sighed as she watched Kathy arrange the display with the coffee, cups, and juice. “She likes things set in a specific way. I think she gets that from me but on a larger scale. I’ve mellowed ov er the years.”

“Shirley.” Jonathon came in the door and made a beeline to the register. “I’m so glad you came tonight. We’ll find out who killed that man. We all know it’s not George or Terrance.”

Rarity watched Kathy’s head pop up at the mention of Terrance’s name. She was not happy with Rarity’s neighbor, and her look told the story. She thought Terrance was the problem. And it was obvious that she didn’t care if he went down for killing Jully, as long as he left her mom and dad alone.

“Oh, Jonathon. Thank you so much, but I’m not staying. I told Kathy we’d come and get some books to tide us over. Besides, I needed to get the cookies out of my house.” Shirley glanced over at her daughter, who was now scanning a s helf of books.

“Why don’t you stay for the book discussion? I’m sure Kathy would love to get to know some of your friends here.” Rarity held up the book they would discuss that night. “I have some questions about the main character’s motivation I’d love to get your take on. I promise we won’t talk about the murder unt il you leave.”

“I would love to get everyone’s input on this book. I found it a little challenging. Probably because of when the author decided to set the book. I’m not sure I’m ready to read about the pandemic right now.” Shirley took the book What Never Happened out of her tote. She’d obviously been prepared to stay. “I know Kathy’s read it because she borrowed the book from me a few days ago.”

“Then it’s settled. We’ll talk about the book; then we’ll take a break and the nonsleuths can leave, and then we’ll talk about a few mysteries popping up in Sedona this week.” Rarity hoped that maybe Shirley would change her mind and decide to stay for the discussion. But Kathy was a wild card. How would she react to talking about what happened to Jully, especially since her dad had been accused of ki lling the man?

“I’ll go let Kathy know.” Shirley looked over in the direction of her daughter. “She’ll be happy. Not. The girl hasn’t been happy since she arrived.”

When the group got settled, Shirley introduced everyone to Kathy. As Shirley had predicted, her daughter didn’t look thrilled to be there, but Shirley had won the argument. Rarity thought keeping Shirley’s routine as normal as possible would keep her from focusing on things she couldn’t change. Maybe Kathy had realized the same thing.

Rarity was leading the discussion tonight. Both about the book and when they went into sleuth mode. “So, general comments ab out the book?”

Malia held up her hand. “I wasn’t sure what the main character was doing and why for most of the book. She was reacting to whatever happened rather than h aving a plan.”

“Who else felt that way?” Everyone but Kathy raised their hands. Rarity focused on her. “So tell us, how did you feel?”

“About the book? Or her actions?” Kathy looked surprised to be called out. She squirmed in her seat. When Rarity confirmed the question, she continued. “I think she was doing the best she could. She had been seeing a therapist for years. You can’t expect someone who found their parents dead, killed violently, to be normal and act like she’s got her l ife together.”

“So you thought her hooking up with that guy so early wasn’t suspicious? ” Holly asked.

Kathy shrugged. “I have different values. Who are we to say that her way of processing her trauma was bad or good?”

“It kept the book moving, though. Since she kept getting into the wrong place at the wrong time.” Rarity smiled and changed the subject. “What about the setting and the climate? Did that add to the mystery or pull attention away from it?”

“Both, probably,” Holly admitted. “Since they were on an island, she didn’t have the ability to leave. And when she tried, it gave the real killers the opportunity to use that as a red herring for killing her.”

“I don’t know about the climate. I know that COVID books have to be written now. It’s a part of our history and writers are probably trying to process what they went through. But George got sick during that time, and the book brought all those memories back to the forefront,” Shirley said. “I love the book, but at times, the shutdown that was happening around her ga ve me chills.”

“I didn’t know that about Dad,” Kathy said as she reached out to squeeze h er mom’s hand.

“He didn’t want you kids to know. Now, looking back, I think that was the start of his decline. He wasn’t thinking rationally, even back then. I didn’t want you or your brother coming to help and then getting sick and taking it back to the kids. No one knew what was going on, and the CDC kept changing the rules.” Shirley looked around the group. “Sorry, I’m dominating this discussion. Did that factor in the book bother anyone else?”

Rarity nodded. “The time period bothered me too. In my life, I’d recently finished my cancer treatment. I worried that if the cancer came back, I’d have to weigh the decision of treatment with whether I wanted to be around a hos pital at all.”

Kathy seemed to be taking in the discussion. It appeared that she was seeing why the book club was important, not only to her mom but to the community. Or at least that was what Rarity hoped sh e was learning.

“Anyway, what else can we discuss? This is an unreliable narrator. What can we believe from what she thinks or says?” Rarity continued the questions.

Kathy added to the discussion. “I liked how the old case kept coming up and coloring her notions of what was happening now. It didn’t have much to do with the current murder, but both the old and new were focused on the real estate angle.”

When the group finally took a break, the nonsleuths, Deb and Ginny, bought the next book and told the group good night and good hunting. Kathy walked over to her mom. “Are we leaving now?”

“If you don’t mind, I need to attend this group. They’re my people and they understand me and George. If you don’t want to stay, you’re welcome to take the car. I’ll get a ride home.” Shirley smiled at her daughter. “Don’t forget to take the books we bought. There are cookies in the kitchen. I’ll be home around nine thirty.”

“If you’re staying, I’m staying.” Kathy put two cookies on a napkin and returne d to her seat.

Rarity had overheard the conversation and went over to talk to Kathy. “I want you to know, we’re going to talk about George and Terrance. They’re both good men and neither one of them could kill anyone. Even someone like W illiam Jully.”

Kathy searched her face, then nodded. “Terrance must have told you about our conversation. I was upset. I’m sorry about overreacting. He seems lik e a nice guy.”

“Your mother cares about him and he cares about her.” Rarity saw Kathy squirm in her chair. “It’s not a physical thing. I mean, they haven’t gone there. She loves your father. He doesn’t remember who she is. She’s lonely.”

Kathy looked down at her cookies. “I’d rather not discuss their relationship with you right now. Maybe ever. But I hear your warning, I won’t say things that are hurtf ul or untrue.”

“Thanks.” Rarity hoped Kathy meant her pledge; all she could do was watch and step in if she went off. No one should be attacked in these meetings. Even by a relative.

Jonathon met her as she walked over to the flip chart holder. He held the marker. “Do you mind if I lead tonight’s discussion? It was my cold case.”

“Which discussion are we talking about, both of them?” When Jonathon nodded, Rarity sat down. “You can have the floor. We need to talk about the current murder as well as t he older one.”

“I hear you.” He glanced at his watch. “Okay, let’s get back together. We’ve got a few things t o talk about.”

“Welcome back to Sedona, Jonathon,” Holly called out. “Did Edith stay in Tucson? Is there something you nee d to tell us?”

“If you’re asking about our relationship, it’s fine. Edith’s volunteering with the spring orchestra season. She loves working with them.” He wrote Marilyn Ender’s name on the board. “For those of you who don’t know, this is Archer’s grandmother. She was murdered in her home on a spring evening here in Sedona twenty years ago and her killer has never been caught. It was one of the cold cases on my watch that has always haunted me. Mostly because our families were close. Archer and Drew were thick as thieves even back then. Our daughters were in Girl Scouts together. I didn’t think we’d ever get closure. Last week, Rarity found a book in the restroom of this bookstore that belonged to Marilyn. We think someone who knew the family and participated in the murder and robbery left it here.”

“A book led you there? ” Malia asked.

“A rare and valuable book that Archer has already verified as belonging to his grandmother. We’ve taken the book over to the station, so the bookstore should be safe, but I wanted to get the hive mind working on this new evidence. I know we’re more focused on clearing our friends George and Terrance, but I’d like you to think on this and let me know if something looks off.” He handed out folders to all the members. “You all have good instincts and a strong knowledge of Sedona. If there’s anything, let me know. Now, are there a ny questions?”

“I have a few.” Holly held up her hand. “Can you tell us about finding the book? And did you check the security cameras to see who came in on that day?”

Rarity answered. “Jonathon and I are doing that after our meeting ends. Katie said it was busier than normal on Monday. She didn’t have time to clean the restrooms. So last Tuesday morning, I cleaned them as soon as I got here and found the book. When I realized how valuable the book was, Jonathon convinced me to call Drew. He thought it would be better to hold it at the station. I also showed the book to Archer and he remembered his grandmother telling him about the inscription.”

Holly made a few notes, then nodded. Holly Harper worked in the town’s IT department. Mostly she worked nights, updating servers and replacing computers in the various city departments. She also had a very analytical mind. Where Rarity told herself stories to remember things, Holly had a to-do list with bullet poin ts in her head.

Her detail-focused mind was her superpower. Especially wi th this group.

When there weren’t any more questions, Jonathon started with the death of William Jully. He looked at Shirley. “Was he the one who kept bringing you in this last week? He wanted George sent away from the facility.”

“That was him. Thank goodness Sally, the administrator, didn’t agree with his diagnosis.” Shirley was knitting now. If Rarity had to guess, the blanket was probably for one of the moms at her church or in the Mommy and Me class.

“If you had moved him, then Dad wouldn’t be being investigated for killing the guy,” Kath y pointed out.

“Shirley, if you want to go on?” Rarity prodded, shaking her head slightly at Kathy. She might not get the message, but she wasn’t going to attack her mom. Not here. Kathy sighed and leaned bac k in her chair.

“Jully was very insistent that George needed to be transferred to Flagstaff. Of course, that would make it harder for me to see him daily. Besides, George isn’t in a condition to be moved. His heart, well, they’re watching it and hopefully, he’ll be fine.” Shirley was always looking at the positive side.

Finding out her dad had more health issues shut Kathy up. Rarity watched as she wrote something down in her folder. Rarity would bet that Kathy was going to be checking George’s medical record with the nursing staff.

Jonathon wrote the question down on the whiteboard as he spoke it aloud. “Why was Jully insistent that Geo rge be moved?”

“According to what George told me, he thought Jully was stealing from residents. And sneaking into their rooms.” Rarity looked at Shirley, who nodded for her to go on. “He was concerned about Jully’s attention toward Lizzy Hamilton. George thought she was being abused.”

“Okay, yuck. Seriously, I have to deal with handsy customers all day. Now you’re telling me it doesn’t stop. Ever? ” Malia asked.

“We know what George thought.” Rarity smiled at her friend as she tried to put together what George said and reality. Maybe that’s why Jully didn’t like George. He was watching the night administrator too closely. “But don’t they have securit y cameras up?”

Jonathon shook his head. “Normally they do, but that’s why Sally hired Terrance. The security cameras kept going down. And the doors didn’t lock automatically. That’s a big problem in a secure unit. People could wa lk in or out.”

“Has anyone talked to Terrance since Jully died? Has the problem stopped?” Shirley asked.

The group looked at her.

“Well, if Jully was stealing from patients, he would have needed the security off. And there aren’t a lot of staff members on-site during the night. They lean on that security system.” Shirley leaned forward. “That was one of the selling points when I moved George into the facility. He’d been sleepwalking, and they assured me there was no way he could get out of the resident hall duri ng the night.”

“So if Terrance is making progress in fixing the system now, George could have been right about Jully. We need someone to talk to Terrance and someone to research Jully and check out his background. If he did this once, he probably did it before.” Rarity watched as Jonathon wrote her points on the whiteboard to b e assigned out.

“Why don’t you tell the police about all this?” Kathy asked. “I mean, you all are normal people. If someone killed this guy, maybe he’s still trying to clean up Jully’s mess.”

“We keep Drew in the mix. He’s my son and a local detective,” Jonathon explained to Kathy. “But Drew’s looking at the normal list of suspects. Like your father. He’s researching Jully too. He has a process he follows. If we find something, it gives him more information.”

Holly laughed. “Yeah, we share with him, but he never sh ares with us.”

Sam held her hand up for a high five. “Pr each, sister.”

“Now, girls,” Jon athon started.

“Girls?” Malia pointed out his wording issue.

“Sorry, sleuthers.” He smiled at Malia. “Anyway, you know Drew is bound by law and regulation. The reason this group works is we work as a supplement to the police investigation. And that’s how it should be in a free society. We don’t want to tur n into a mob.”

“We’re not mindless. We always have good reasons for questioning someone’s innocence,” H olly objected.

“I didn’t call this group mindless. I only meant…” He met Holly’s gaze, and she broke into giggles.

“Sorry, we were testing you to see if you’d protect Drew. We know he isn’t able to tell us everything. But we’re getting off track. What else do we need to investigate before next week?” Holly leaned into questioning mode. “We need to see what w e don’t know.”

“That sounds easy, not,” Kathy mumbled.

Rarity glanced around at the group. No one would match their grit and determination. This informal book club was George and Terrance’s best bet in not getting arrested for a crime they didn’t commit.