Page 8
Six
Benny
Present Day
It rained for the next three days straight. Three days of sitting in the library, removing random books from shelves, checking publication dates to see if Evelyn could have read them, or whether she left any notes tucked into their pages. Benny got excited when she found books from Evelyn’s time period: Pride and Prejudice , Great Expectations , and Jane Eyre . But none of these books had any markings in them or clues inside. These must not have been Evelyn’s favorites. There were other books too: bound volumes of the Greenport Herald , which Wally gave her, nautical tide charts, and books on growing grapes. Benny wondered if she would have to go through every single book in the library. How long would that take? Time was one thing she didn’t have a lot of.
As anxious as she was, she’d never been so pampered before. She slept in a four-poster bed with the softest sheets, her laundry was magically taken care of, and piping-hot chocolate chip pancakes awaited her in the kitchen in the morning. Mom had no more double shifts or dark shadows under her eyes. Instead, each morning she’d grab an umbrella and venture out into Greenport with Harris as her tour guide (“If you need me, I’ll be back right away,” she’d say), and Benny would just let her go. She liked seeing her mom happy. Even if her own stress level was growing.
She tried not to enjoy the fact there was a living room, a great room, and a den, all of which had TVs, one bigger than the next, which meant she and Mom didn’t have to argue over what they were watching. They could each stream their own show. Separately if they wanted! When Mom was there, they stretched out their legs and laid on couches that were so thick and cozy, sometimes Benny fell asleep on them, the sound of rain softly hitting the windows and doors. Outside, the June air was getting stickier and steamier, but inside the house, the air was so cool Benny sometimes reached for a blanket, which was ironic considering in Boston, she would have given her right arm to be cold. Was it possible to be spoiled by central air in just a few days?
She explored the house looking for other books, examined knickknacks that looked ancient, and took pictures off walls to see if there was anything taped to the back. Benny tried all the usual mystery-movie sorts of clues, but she kept coming up empty.
What if I don’t solve this riddle? she worried. What if all this goes away?
You have less than two weeks , she thought as she tried to retrieve a copy of The Great Gatsby from a high shelf in the den. The step stool she was standing on wasn’t very steady at all.
Behind her, Wally cleared his throat. “Benny, I hate to tell you this, but that stool isn’t meant for reaching high places.”
Mom came in the room and gasped. “Benny, get down from there.”
“I’m fine!” I almost have it, she thought. Her fingers caught the small black bird bookend instead and it started to teeter before it fell. Her mom caught the bookend before it hit the floor.
“Get down! You’re going to break your neck,” Mom scolded.
“Sorry! I needed that book,” Benny told them, grabbing the book and climbing down. She wiped her dusty hands off on her shorts and cracked open The Great Gatsby then gave a weary sigh. “This isn’t the book I’m looking for. It was published in 1925.”
“It’s a good book though, if you haven’t read it,” Wally said kindly.
“So many items with black birds in this house,” her mom noted, looking at the bookend as she handed it to Wally. “Is there a reason?”
Benny froze. Her mom might be on to something. “Is it because Evelyn’s nickname is Sparrow?”
“Possibly,” Wally said. “I am told Evelyn was a big fan of the bird.” He pointed to the insignia on his vest. “The sparrow is even part of our logo.”
“I don’t suppose there are any famous books about sparrows, are there?” Benny pulled her new phone out of her pocket to check. No. The only sparrow she could find was a fictional character, Captain Jack Sparrow.
“You need to get out of this house,” Mom said. “You’ve been reading books for days!”
“Wally, you hear this? My mom is complaining I’m reading,” Benny teased.
“You know what I mean,” Mom said. “You need air. You’ve got plenty of time to figure out the riddle, honey. You need to clear your head. Go swimming! It’s overcast, but it’s not raining today. Or take a bike and go into town. It’s darling—lots of little shops. I think there’s a Mexican place, a hot sauce store, and a cookie shop that specializes in blue duck cookies. All your favorite things. Well, not the blue ducks, but… Tell her, Wally.”
“Your mother is right,” Wally agreed. “See the town. Meet people your own age instead of hanging out with us old folk.”
Mom mock gaped. “Speak for yourself, Wally.” They both laughed.
“Do you want to come with me?” We’re running out of time, Benny wanted to say.
Her mom’s smile faltered. “Harris was going to take me on a drive to Orient Point to see a new restaurant his company just opened; I’ll tell him no.”
You look so happy, Benny thought. And this is the first normal guy you’ve dated in years. “No, you go. I’ll bike to town for an hour. Tops .” Benny dared her mom to try to argue that point. “You’re both probably right; I should clear my head.”
Her mom raised one eyebrow. “One more round before we both go?”
“Of course.” Benny didn’t have to ask what her mother meant. She followed her into the kitchen where there was a Scrabble board with a game already in play. It was her mom’s turn. Benny watched as she placed a four-letter word on the board.
Benny went next. T-O-M-E for six points. Books were the only thing on her mind at the moment. Evelyn’s favorite books. Where were they? What were they?
“You’re winning as usual.” Mom went to the cabinet with the big plastic cups, then moved to the fridge to use the ice maker. Benny felt her stomach tighten. Her mom knew her way around this kitchen already. “And you’re going to crack this riddle any day now.” She leaned on the counter and looked at her. “But you need to give yourself a break sometimes or you won’t be able to think clearly.”
“I know! I just feel like I’ve gotten nowhere and the clock is ticking.” Benny felt her shoulders tense. She glanced outside. It wasn’t raining, but it looked like it was going to storm again.
“Put yourself in Evelyn’s shoes,” her mom suggested. “Where would she go if she wanted to clear her head?
“The island?” Benny guessed. “But since I can’t do that, maybe I’ll go to the historical society.” The museum had to have information on Evelyn. She looked at Wally. “Who did you say I should ask for there?”
Mom groaned. “More history? Who is this child who thinks of nothing but work?”
“Thea Dabney,” Wally told her. “Bikes are in the garage.”
“A three -car garage,” Mom said giddily as Benny headed for a side door. “Don’t forget your new cell phone. So I know where you are.”
Benny grabbed the phone off the counter—the only three numbers she had in the thing were mom’s, her lawyer’s, and Wally’s (pathetic, but still)—and she didn’t expect she’d need any of them in the hour she’d be gone. She swiped open to her search engine to check the hours for the Greenport Historical Society:
Summer Hours 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesday–Friday. Saturday 10–4.
Cruise to the Greenport Lighthouse Saturdays at 6 p.m.
SAVE THE LIGHTHOUSE! Fundraiser June 12
June twelfth was her deadline. The days were counting down. She needed answers. Maybe if she biked to the museum, she’d get some that could help her. What did she have to lose?
Weather What to Wear Daily
Extended 10-Day forecast for Greenport, NY
June 5–13, 2025
As of 11:00 a.m. EDT
Small Craft Advisory +2 More*
Thursday, June 5
73 Degrees
Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers after midnight. Low 58°F. Winds ENE at 10–20 mph. Chance of rain 80%
Thursday, June 5: Rain/Wind
Friday, June 6: Rain/Wind
Saturday, June 7: Rain/Wind
Sunday, June 8: Rain/Wind
Monday, June 9: Rain/Wind
Tuesday, June 10: Rain/Wind
Wednesday, June 11: Rain/Wind
Thursday, June 12*: Rain/Wind
Friday, June 13*: Rain/Wind
Saturday, June 14th: Rain/Wind
*First Blood Orange Moon in 200 years. Prepare for damaging winds, rains, and power outages. Secure crops and farm animals.