Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“You mean, like, why is she still alive?” I asked playfully. “Because I think the answer to that is obvious, don’t you? She survives on hatred, plain and simple. How have you not picked up on that yet?”
“That’s not—”
“And also, she’s been here the longest.”
“That’s not a good enough answer.”
“No? Are you certain?”
“Stop being funny or I’ll deck you.”
“Threats of violence in the library?” I said, aghast.
“Tell me now.”
“Let’s see… Joanna’s the only one of us with an actual degree in library science.”
“Really?”
“Mine is in folklore, and I don’t have a master’s, just a BA. What’s yours in?”
“Archaeology, which, God, don’t get me started on why that seemed like a good idea at the time,” she huffed out. “But I don’t remember a degree being a requirement when I applied.”
“It’s not.”
“Then why did you mention it?”
“Because you were all…” I waved my arms around. “And you seem a bit tired.”
“I am. I’ve had a bout of insomnia lately, and when I do sleep, my dreams are wild.” She was rambling. “And yes, if I were rested, this would probably bother me less, but still… Please explain to me what that creature is doing here?”
“Again, she’s been here the longest. Think of it like tenure.”
“No. Absolutely not.”
“Our boss, the lovely Mr. Samuels, can’t stand her either, and yet…she remains.”
“I just—she tried to tell a girl today that the reference section was closed for renovations, so she couldn’t get her the book she needed on dinosaurs.”
“She could have given her a firsthand account about them, maybe have the kid come back and interview her.”
“Xander!”
“When I was little, she was still peddling that whole flat-earth theory.”
“Oh my God, you are not helping at all.”
“At least she believes the earth is round now. That’s a step in the right direction.”
She shook her head. “Why is she here?”
“You keep asking that question,” I pointed out.
“Because I’m at a loss. I overheard her telling a woman—who was threatening to have her fired, by the way—that she doesn’t even need this job as she lives quite comfortably due to her divorce settlement.”
“Your point?”
“First, I’m not surprised she’s divorced, and second, she doesn’t even need the job, so to me, that’s merely another reason to can her ass.”
“I don’t think you understand how things work around here, little lady,” I said, using my best drawly cowboy voice.
Her eyes narrowed. “If she can work anywhere, why here?”
“To spread the joy of reading, of course.”
Danesha pressed her lips together tight.
“No? You don’t think so?”
“Second warning,” she said, pointing her finger at me. “Do not make me smile. I don’t want to smile. That woman is a horror.”
“Which is why she can’t work alone. We must always make sure one of us is here to tell the kids that of course there were dinosaurs—ankylosaurus being my favorite—no matter what Mrs. Milton says. And also, if they want to fly a rocket ship to Mars someday, then they certainly can. They just need to become a pilot.”
“This is horrifying.”
“I agree, but other than funding, there’s no way anyone gets fired from a job working for the township. Desiree Nichols, at our DMV, I’m convinced she’s completely deaf, and yet, still working.”
“Lots of deaf people are in the workforce who—”
“Use sign language or have other aids to allow them to do their jobs,” I finished for her. “Yes. I’m aware. I’m neither an ableist nor an ageist, and Desiree is only in her mid-sixties, but she doesn’t know ASL, doesn’t have any hearing aids, and as far as I can tell, much like Joanna, simply doesn’t like people.”
“And yet she’s working with the public.”
I smiled and nodded.
“Wait. Is she the one in charge of directing people at the DMV?”
“Oh, so you have met her.”
“Dear God in heaven, is that why the line is always so long? I’ve been in there, like, five times since we moved here to get my license changed, and it’s always a zoo. The line is out the door.”
“Except on every other Thursday.”
“Sorry?”
“Every other Thursday,” I repeated.
“Every other Thursday?” she parroted.
“This is getting funny,” I teased her.
“Why Thursday?”
“That’s when Tariq works. He gets everyone sent to the right place and in and out of there in minutes if it’s something easy like a change of address on a license.”
“You’re kidding.”
“No. He closes his bookstore, Circle Read, two Thursdays every month to work at the DMV because Desiree, his aunt, needs that day to go to the salon and get her hair done.”
“I—I’m speechless.”
“He’s great. He and I always discuss what books on witchcraft he should invest in for his shop, and I’ve yet to steer him wrong,” I said proudly. I’ve read quite a bit and made certain to suggest quality tomes that embraced the entirety of a witch’s magical journey from spells to floor washes to baking.
“You know Joelle was hired as the city manager. She will get this place in line.”