Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

NO ROOM AT THE INN

Jack

A s Holly predicted, the librarian is thrilled to take the books off my hands. “Oh, these are fabulous,” she murmurs as she runs a reverent finger along a row of spines.

“They’re a loan, Noelle,” Holly reminds her.

“Yeah, yeah,” she waves her off, then beams at me. “I’ll take good care of them for you.”

“I appreciate it. If you’re missing any of these in your collection, you can feel free to keep them. I have multiple copies of all of these, as you can see.” I spread my hands over the assorted boxes like a game show host.

Noelle looks up from the cargo hold with a quizzical smile.

“What?” Holly asks.

“I didn’t think there was a theme here. But there is, isn’t there?”

I nod. “There is.”

Holly purses her lips and studies the titles, murmuring more to herself than to us. “Different genres, different time periods, different locations.” She shakes her head. “Somebody want to fill me in?”

“They’re all on the banned books list,” Noelle tells her.

She gasps—actually gasps—and her hands fly up to cover her heart. “These books are banned?”

“Some places,” Noelle clarifies. “It would be more accurate to say they’ve all been challenged.”

“But why?” Holly’s voice is edged with disbelief.

I give her a skeptical look. “Have you been living in a cave? It’s a thing. It’s happening all over the country.”

“Not here,” She insists.

Noelle smiles ruefully. “Well, not yet.”

Holly wheels around. “You expect it to?”

“It’s coming. The library’s gotten a flurry of complaints.”

“People are complaining about books?”

The librarian nods. “To be fair, one person’s complaining, but she’s complaining enough for the whole town.” She pauses. “Vicky Swanson.”

Holly groans. “Of course it’s her.”

“So far, she’s settled for notes through the mail slot or under my office door. I removed the suggestion box a long time ago thanks to her. When I get one of her love notes, I write one of my own thanking her for her interest in our collection and attach a donation form to it. Unless and until she goes to the county council, I’m not giving her any of my energy.”

“If she organizes a campaign, you’ll be in the same shape as a lot of other towns. Books are being taken off the shelves at schools, libraries, even some bookstores,” I tell them.

Holly eases a copy of The Outsiders out of one of the boxes and caresses the cover. When she speaks, her voice is soft.

“My sisters and I loved this book. Must’ve read it a dozen times each. Why is it banned?”

I tick reasons off on my fingers. “Pick your reason—profanity, violence, drinking and smoking. But a favorite is family dysfunction. That and glamorizing gang life.”

She snorts and returns the book to its slot. “Unreal. That’s why you put these books in little free libraries—because they’ve been banned?”

“Yep.”

“So how’d you end up here? We don’t have book bans.” She casts a glance at Noelle. “Yet.”

“I’m passing through. I don’t only put them in little free libraries where they’re banned from the public systems. Everybody needs books, right?”

“Everybody except Mrs. Swanson.”

“Yeah, I guess I picked the wrong house.”

“You think?” Holly cracks.

Noelle turns away. “I’ll get Farah and some volunteers to help us bring these inside.”

“Wait.” Holly touches the sleeve of the librarian’s fuzzy cardigan sweater. “I need another favor.”

Noelle’s green eyes twinkle behind her glasses. “Anything for you, Holly.”

“I know I said I wasn’t going to stay at the inn this year, but … plans have changed. I assume all the guest rooms are booked?”

Noelle chortles, “Yeah. They have been since March.”

“I figured as much. I’ll ask Ivy or Merry to double up with me so Jack has a place to stay.”

“Honey, I have bad news. There’s no room at the inn.”

“No, I mean the family wing,” she clarifies.

“Oh!” Noelle catches her breath. “I guess your dad hasn’t told you yet.”

“Told me what?”

“Remember that big snowfall last week, right before the weekend?”

“What about it?”

“The roof over the family wing gave way. It collapsed. Our bedroom and bathroom were unscathed but the rest of the rooms aren’t habitable. Renata’s Repairs put a temporary tarp up until Renata can get a new roof installed. But it won’t be until after the new year.”

Holly stammers, “But how are we going to help with the Christmas activities?”

“Merry and Ivy are going to stay at their place and commute back and forth, like you’d planned to from the loft. Can’t you find room for Jack at your place?”

Holly casts a glance at me before answering.

“Come on, you’ve seen it. It’s a one-bedroom open loft. It’s barely big enough for me. Besides, the judge specifically said we were to stay at the inn and that’s what the district attorney agreed to. There’s a court order.”

“Why does the district attorney care if you …?” Noelle trails off and groans. “Tell me Anderson’s not on the other side.”

Holly wrinkles her nose. “The one and only.”

“Gah.” Noelle shakes her head.

I attempt to lighten the mood. “Does your family have a manger?”

Noelle giggles, but Holly lets out an exasperated whoosh of air.

“It’s not funny. You’ll wish you were staying in a manger, Jack. If I can’t figure out how to comply with Judge MacIntosh’s order, you’ll be back in county lockup until next year.”

I feel the color drain from my face as my skin goes cold. The gray hours I spent in the county lock-up this morning rush back. Thirty days of that? I don’t want to imagine it.

“We won’t let that happen,” Noelle says in a hurry. “We’ll come up with something.”

Despite the conviction in the librarian’s voice, Holly looks unconvinced. Her fingers drum against the spine of The Outsiders , still clutched in her right hand.

“Like what?” she demands.

“Like, for instance, your dad and I could stay at the fishing cabin and commute back and forth. You and Jack can take our room. I’ll roll in a cot?—”

“You can’t. No way.” Holly’s voice cracks slightly before she steadies it. “Dad has to be on the property full-time during the busiest time of year.” I recognize that tone—it’s the same one she used in court when she realized my case was going to trial. She’s looking for the best way out of a bad situation.

Noelle eases the slim book out of Holly’s hand. “Leave the books. Go talk to your dad. If anyone can work a miracle, it’s Nick.”

Holly smiles faintly. “Well, that’s the truth.”

I toss Noelle the keys to my car and trail Holly to her sedan, parked at the far end of the parking lot. My boots crunch through the packed snow and the sound echoes like a cell door slamming. I sure hope they’re right about Nick Jolly’s miracle worker abilities—because right now, he’s all that stands between me and a month-long stay in a jail cell. Talk about a blue Christmas.