Death Overdue (Librarian Mysteries) by Mary Lou Kirwin Page A

was doing most of the work anyway, and so it was actually easier after she left.”
    “But now she came back and wanted to reclaim her ownership.”
    “That’s what she said.”
    “How did you feel about that?”
    “Again, surprised to see her after all this time, but willingto work something out. I was planning a change of careers myself.”
    “To what?”
    “A bookseller.”
    “This is why you had so many books?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “How many books do you have?”
    Caldwell’s eyes met mine. He admitted, “Four thousand three hundred and twenty-four.”
    “Hmm. And they were all in this room?”
    “Most of them.”
    “Were they on sturdy bookcases?”
    “Yes, the bookcases were made to carry such loads, solid oak. I had them made to order.”
    “And had one ever fallen over before?” the coroner asked.
    “No, I was careful about that. As has been established, I had them attached to the walls with hooks. It’s an old house and the floors aren’t exactly level, but I shimmed the bottoms of the bookcases and attached them to the walls. So, they shouldn’t have fallen over—even if they had been unhooked.”
    “Had you unhooked them from the walls?”
    “No, sir. I hadn’t done that.”
    “Did you ever unhook them?”
    “No, sir. I didn’t. No need.” He hesitated, then continued. “That’s not quite right. I might have unhooked one to move the bookcase, but that was long ago.”
    The coroner told him he could step down.
    Next up was Alfredo. Before even being asked he announced who he was. “My name is Alfredo Remulado von Savoy.”
    “My,” said the coroner. “That’s a good mouthful of a name. Where are you from?”
    “But of course Italy.”
    “How did you know Sally Burroughs?”
    “I was sleeping with her,” Alfredo announced.
    “So you were with her the night she died?”
    “I was in bed with Sally that night.”
    “Do you know why she got up and went to the library?”
    “I don’t know. She wanted to read, maybe.”
    “I see from the pathologist’s autopsy report that her blood alcohol was rather high. Had you been drinking a lot?”
    “Yes, we have much wine with dinner. A celebration.”
    “What were you celebrating?”
    “To be in England, you know. Sally was happy to be home. She had not been for a very long time.”
    “How did you come to find Sally that night?”
    “I hear this screaming so loud from that woman.” He pointed at Brenda. “I can’t stand it. I get up and go to the hall and see there are people in the library. I go there and my Sally is on the floor. She had died.” Here Alfredo looked at the coroner and said, “You know I had loved her very much.”
    After Alfredo, I was called to the stand. I must admit itfelt odd to be in front of all the people who had been at the scene of the crime and repeat what I was fairly sure everyone in the room already knew. Possibly even the coroner.
    But I told him my name, mentioned I was a librarian from Sunshine Valley, Minnesota, and said that I was considering a move to England to be with Caldwell Perkins.
    “Describe what happened the night of Ms. Burroughs’s demise, please,” the coroner asked of me.
    “Sally came to the B and B that afternoon. Both Caldwell and I were surprised by her appearance, since the room was registered under Mr. Remulado’s name and we had no idea she was coming. She told us her plans . . .” I paused.
    “And they were what?” the coroner prodded.
    “That she wanted to reclaim her part of the B and B and that she was back to stay.”
    “How did you feel about this?”
    “Well, I thought it was grossly unfair to Caldwell. After all, he had been running the business for years without her. And when she had deserted him she said that he could have the B and B.”
    “Were you upset about this?”
    “I’d say more stunned and confused. I don’t always understand the way things work in this country, and I wasn’t sure what this all could mean for Caldwell.”
    “Then