5 Books For Eveline

38

The Fifth Book

38

Purdy gaped towards Briar. Stood outside the open back door to the house, Briar wore a loose, casual t-shirt, proclaiming some Eighties poodle-perm rock band as the greatest, and a pair of worn blue jeans. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders and she ran a hand through it, tossing it back from her face. Briar shook her head at Purdy's shocked face.

"Why are you here? I mean, I know why you're here, but why now?" Briar rubbed her forehead and shook her head once again. "You have a surgery to get to, for god's sake!"

"Why am I here? Why are you here?" A couple of steps to the side and Purdy could see inside the house, over Briar's shoulder. "I suppose that's it, then? If the book's in there, then you've already found it. Well, if anyone can persuade someone to let them look around their house, it would be you."

Briar's mouth opened and closed several times. She lifted a hand, then dropped it, her nose wrinkling along with her forehead. Then she waved the hand in the air before starting to laugh. Purdy didn't find it funny. Of all the people to get the chance to find the last book, it had to fall to Briar. Of course it would. The universe worked that way and fairness had no part in it.

"For a smart person, you can be so stupid." Between hiccuping laughs, Briar took a deep breath and then gave Purdy one of her forced, serious looks. "I can honestly say that I have not found the fifth book."

"Have you looked everywhere? Would the owner mind if I had a quick look?" Purdy had a good idea where the author could have hidden the book, if they had hidden it here. "I've tried all the most likely places, but I still have about twenty places left. Unlikely ones, but ... I think this is the last one. Unless someone found it already."

With a smirk, Briar stepped to the side, digging her thumbs into the back pockets of her jeans. It looked as though she invited Purdy in, to take her chance at finding the book. Giving up her chance. That didn't seem like Briar at all. With only a little hesitation, she began to step forward, only stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"You really don't get it, do you?" Briar gazed into Purdy's eyes, searching for something. A response. An indication of something. Purdy had no idea what Briar could mean. "Okay. I'm pretty certain the homeowner won't mind and I'm also pretty certain no-one has found that book. Go right ahead. Fill your boots."

The ease with which Purdy had managed to get into the house disturbed her. Briar had seemed as obsessive as her about finding the previous volumes, if in a more laid-back fashion. She couldn't imagine Briar allowing her to check the house if she thought Purdy had any chance of finding the fifth volume. Yet Purdy felt no qualms in trampling over Briar's chances. If Briar couldn't find the book, and Purdy could, then that wasn't Purdy's problem.

She thought about the taxi driver, sat out front, waiting for her to return, and she considered running back around and telling him he could go. If she missed her appointment? Well, she could stand to wait a bit longer for another. She would have to suffer a little more pain, for a little while longer, but at least she would have that book.

"Where have you checked already?" The kitchen had a musty smell to it, like a dozen different food fragrances, all fighting for the privilege of assaulting nostrils. She headed to the hallway and the pile of mail by the door.

"Here and there, I guess." She gave nothing away. Briar lifted a dismissive hand, her lips bowing in false dismay. "I wouldn't want to spoil it for you."

Once again, Purdy frowned at Briar. The woman acted strange at the best of times. Right now, she acted as though she didn't care, finding it all more of a joke than normal. To say Briar had managed to gain entry to the house, she didn't act like someone excited to find the last piece of a puzzle they had both taken part in placing together. She acted as though she had nothing to lose. As though she had already won.