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She had never felt so lost until Co
19
The first thing Wednesday morning, Be
Be
She hustled into the entrance hall with its grand staircase, a chamber as hushed and elegant as she remembered from her childhood. Glistening glass display cases lined the huge room, the high ceiling was vaulted, and the marble floor was fawn-colored, inlaid with malachite. Be
Be
Be
Sounded pretentious enough.
Be
Be
“Certainly.” The librarian was a slim, middle-aged woman with brushy silver hair, punctuated on either side by onyx dot earrings. She wore a loose, light-blue dress and red sailcloth espadrilles, and her smile was pleasant.
“Do you know a woman, a library patron, named Alice Co
“I don’t recall that name.” The librarian turned and faced an old gray computer monitor, then hit a few keys. “There are twenty Alice Co
“Her address would be on Trose Street.”
“Sorry. She’s not here. She didn’t have a card, not in the Philadelphia library system.”
Be
“Yes. I recognize the regular patrons. Most are students, because our collection is scholarly. We tend to be responsive to academic needs, and I see the same faces. What does Ms. Co
“Like me, only better.” Saying it out loud validated the co
The woman looked Be
Be
“Alice,” said a soft voice from behind. “Is that you?”
Be
“Wait, wait a minute.” The young man’s eyes were dark behind his tiny matte-framed glasses, and they searched Be
“You know Alice Co
“Yes, but-”
“Have you seen Alice here, writing on the computers?”
“Who are you?” The young man edged backward, toward the staircase.
“Who are you? If you’re a friend of Alice’s, talk to me. I’m her lawyer.”
“I can’t. I have to go. I have to get going.” He backed down toward the grand staircase and hurried down the stairs. Be
“Stop,” Be
“I don’t know anything. Leave me alone!” The young man reached the landing and whirled around the corner to the next set of stairs, almost slipping on the marble. Be
“Stop that kid!” she shouted to the guard. “He took my purse!”
“No! That’s not true!” the young man called, too late. The turnstile caught him in his slim waist and he doubled over.
“Wait right there, sir,” barked the guard, a heavyset black man in a blue shirt. A baseball bat with duct tape around its handle rested in the corner next to his perch. “Lady says you stole her bag.”
“I didn’t!”
Be
The guard scowled, looking from Be
“Thanks,” he said, though Be
“I have no library materials,” she told the disapproving guard and pressed through the exit into the sunlight. The streets were alive with businesspeople, summer tourists, and heavy traffic. Be