Life after You

Book

"Are you gonna go buy a copy?" my friend Laura asks while we're sat eating lunch together at our favourite place.

"I guess so".

That's right, Beck's book comes out today? It's been months since she died, but with this book release looming it's been hard for people to move on from her death.

Of course that piece of trash Dr Nicky went down for her murder. It was hard to deny his guilt when Beck herself provided his motive the second she sent out her latest work.

Every single sordid detail of their illicit affair was about to be eaten up by the masses, and there's already talk of a movie deal before it's even been released.

I hated it. Whenever anyone thinks of her name from now on all they're going to think is that she was a helpless victim, or some bimbo that knowingly slept with a married man.

I'd even heard some people saying that she got what she deserved for whoring around and that had really pissed me off.

Her previous work that had gotten her such positive attention, was now seen as garbage when people found out her dad wasn't really dead like she had written about. It had annoyed me too to find out she lied.

However it didn't change the fact that she'd died and that any writing she had done before, good or bad, would forever be overshadowed by this new book and the scandal that came along with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh shit" I say to myself in disbelief when I walk into the library the following morning.

"What the actual fuck?" Laura adds.

The library was trashed, completely trashed! Who would do something like this?

"What do we do?" she asks me like I'm supposed to know.

"Call the police I guess?"

Did I remember to lock the doors when I left yesterday? Oh god, the Dean is going fire me for sure if I forgot to lock up. I really need this job.

Sure enough, the Dean shows up looking like he wants to tear both our heads off, even after the police arrive to start asking us a lot of questions.

"There are definite signs of forced entry. As soon as we've got the initial forensics out of the way, we can forward any documentation you need to begin any insurance claims" the detective tell the Dean.

"It isn't that simple. Some of these books like the ones kept in those glass cases over there are extremely rare. First editions. Now some hooligans have devalued them by irreparably damaging the covers".

"So there's no way to get the spray paint off?" Laura asks.

"Of course there isn't, you stupid woman!" he yells.

It's a stressful situation, but that asshole needs to calm down before I kick him somewhere he won't like.

"Maybe when the insurance money comes through and the other damage is repaired, we could find someone that can replace the covers?" I suggest.

He doesn't reply to my idea. I know for a fact that he's never liked the thought of someone as young as me in this job role.

"I suppose you two can head home for the day. Tomorrow is going to be quite busy for you both when you come in at 6am to make a start on clearing up this mess".

"But Dean Williams, I can't..."

"Can't what, Miss Young?" he interrupts me.

"Nothing. I'll be here at 6am" I smile.

Thanks for making my life even more difficult, you total asshole.