32. Katar

Ididn't find Mozzie or any sign he'd been around Bailey's house. I hated returning home without her dog, but there wasn't anything else I could do. I placed a call to the detective, but he didn't sound very concerned about a missing pet. He did, however, state he'd look into it first thing in the morning. In between, he told me to call the local shelter and see if Mozzie had been turned in there.

He hadn't been. It was like the pup had disappeared off the face of the Earth.

In bed that night, I held Bailey while she cried. Neither of us slept well, and after checking in with both the detective and the shelter in the morning without any news, we went to the library.

"You should stay home," I said as she unlocked the front door.

"I can't. The community needs me." With the words stiffening her spine, she went inside and turned on the lights, getting ready for the first patrons to arrive.

I did some more investigating, but I didn't discover anything new.

When Vera arrived, Bailey rushed over to her.

"I tried to call you all last night, but you didn't pick up," Bailey said, frantic.

"I shut my phone off. I kept getting prank calls. I'm sorry. Did you need me?"

"Last night, when you put Mozzie outside, did you notice anything unusual at my house?"

Vera frowned as she hung her coat on a peg by the front door and turned to face us. "No. I let him out as usual, toweled off the dew because he was wet when I brought him in. I gave him a treat before locking up and leaving the key in the fake rock by the back steps. Is everything okay?"

"Mozzie's gone."

"No." Vera collapsed against the wall, stark fear widening her eyes. "Where could he be?"

"He hasn't come back, and no one has seen him." Bailey stretched out her hand, and I took it, giving it a squeeze off reassurance. "Detective Carter's looking for him and I've notified the shelter, but we can't find him anywhere."

"Aw, this is horrible." Vera hugged Bailey and the two women cried together.

"After I'm done today, I'll walk around your neighborhood, looking for him," Vera said. "He's got to be somewhere, and we'll find him."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it."

A woman and three children entered the library.

Vera stared after them as they walked into the big front room. "I'll go sit at the desk in case they need anything, but please, let me know if you hear anything about Mozzie."

"I will," Bailey said.

We went to her office to strategize, but we didn't have any avenues we hadn't explored already.

After lunch and with Vera still working out front, we went back to the attic to do a further inventory with the list she'd printed in her office. Thankfully, she'd backed up her laptop and could access what she needed online.

We went through everything, carefully repacking the items in boxes, labeling them, and sealing them shut.

"I can't imagine why anyone bothered to go through old books," Bailey said, lifting the last one off the floor. "It's a lovely copy but not of any value except to someone who hoards old books like me." She gently placed it inside the box.

"Why do you keep them here?"

"I go through the stacks a few times a year and remove books based on how often they're checked out. If one is popular but our copy is getting worn, we replace it if we have the funds." She gave me a rueful smile. "I should throw them out, but I can't. You know? They're a part of history, but it's not just that. I feel like they're treasured friends and tossing them into the trash feels wrong. Vera said we should have a yard sale and sell them, and I think she's right. I've been packing them away up here with that in mind."

"Books can take you almost anywhere. They're an adventure, an escape. I understand." Taking her hand, I tugged her close and held her. "This is just one more reason why I love you. We haven't talked more about where this is going between us, but we will. Once all this is settled and we have Mozzie back, we'll sit down and figure it out."

"I'm willing to consider moving to the orc kingdom if orcs accept dogs." Her voice clogged with tears, and she sniffed. "Would he be welcome in the orc kingdom too?"

"Definitely. We love pets."

"Then after this is settled and Mozzie's back, which he will be," her voice grew in strength, "let's talk about visiting the orc kingdom. I've got some vacation time stored up, and I'm going to use it. Two weeks? Three? We'll decide. I want to see everything. All the places you love, and I want to try all the food. We'll explore, and we'll pick the best place for us both."

I'd never find another woman like Bailey. "Mate." I kissed her, and it tasted sweet. We were sharing our sorrow, the things we enjoyed and our hopes for the future. Nothing could taste better than that.

"Why don't we bring these boxes down to the hall outside my office?" she said after slipping away. "They've been up here too long already. Some were placed here by Helga herself. I'll get Vera and Carole busy organizing a yard sale, and we'll find new homes for each book with someone who'll love them as much as me."

"I'll be happy to carry them down for you."

She lifted one and gave me a smile. "We'll do it together."

There were a lot of boxes in the attic, and it took us an hour to bring most of them down. We stacked them along one side of the back hall, and the pile soon grew almost high enough to touch the ceiling.

"Why didn't Helga have me do this ages ago?" Bailey asked. Back in the attic, she'd paused before lifting the top box off the final pile and was rubbing her lower back.

I went over and did it for her, and she was soon moaning and wiggling beneath my touch.

"Let's continue this later," she said with a growl. "You can massage me, and I'll do the same for you."

I pressed her up against the wall and soon lost myself in her mouth, the way she arched her spine to reach my touch.

"Anyone up there?" a voice called out from the bottom of the stairs.

I lifted my head and Bailey gave me a dreamy look.

"Hello?" they called again.

Bailey's eyes widened. She scooted underneath my arm. "I'm coming, Vera." She turned back at the top of the stairs. "I'll be back in a sec to help you carry down the rest of the boxes."

"I'll do it. You go see what Vera needs and then sit. You've worked hard enough already."

"Thank you. I'll call the shelter and the detective to see if they've heard anything about Mozzie."

She hurried down the stairs and soon her and Vera's voices echoed up to me. Something about a patron wanting to order a series of books and Vera being unsure how to find them on the computer.

I carried more boxes downstairs.

I was bending forward to lift the last one when something odd on the wall drew my attention.

A door?

"Maybe it leads to another attic room," I whispered, outlining the panel with my fingertips.

I carried the last box downstairs and placed it with the others, then hunted down Bailey who was sitting at the computer out front, showing Vera more ways to find books. When I approached, Vera rose and rushed over to take a water bottle away from a teenager who'd just entered through the front door.

"We can't have drinks in the library," she said, though kindly.

"Did you know there was a door behind the stack of boxes?" I asked Bailey.

She looked up at me, frowning. "No. Are you sure?"

"A door?" Vera asked, and I nodded.

"Come see," I said to Bailey, taking her hand.

"We'll be right back, Vera."

Still frowning, Vera nodded again.

We returned upstairs.

"This is so weird," Bailey said, staring at the door. She reached out and lifted the antique latch, but the panel wouldn't open. "It seems to be stuck."

"Want me to try?"

When she stepped back, I wiggled the panel, and something clicked. I lifted the latch, and it opened easily.

Stepping through it, we found a dusty staircase leading down.