Book of Days_ A Novel - James L. Rubart [47]
As Cameron eased over to them, she smiled, whispered something to Taylor, and motioned for Cameron to join them on their checkered picnic blanket.
Taylor glanced at Cameron as he approached but stared straight ahead as Cameron sat next to him. "Still in town I see," Taylor said.
"For a while longer."
"Hello, Cameron. I'm Tricia, Taylor's wife." She leaned across Taylor and offered her hand. "I've heard positive things about you."
"Really?" Cameron grasped her hand. "Good to meet you."
"Are you a jazz aficionado perchance?" Taylor continued to stare straight ahead at the five-piece band.
"No, but I have a few CDs of the legends."
"Who do you consider legendary?"
"Coltrane, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker . . . and a few others."
Taylor raised his eyebrows.
"If Taylor were to admit it, he'd heartily approve of your choices. Good to have you join us." Tricia patted Taylor's knee as she looked at Cameron. "How is your search going?"
"For?"
"The Book of Days, of course."
"Everyone knows everyone else's business in a small town, don't they?"
"For the most part." Tricia smiled. "And your search?"
"Stymied. The people who talk about it only say the same things Jason says."
"Not surprising." Taylor eyes stayed locked on the band.
"Oh, really?"
"If you go to Roswell and asked about the alien landing, the only people who are talking about it are the ones trying to make a buck by plucking it from your wallet. The others are bored with the whole thing." Taylor sipped his tea. "Now that you've sliced open the hornets' nest with talk of your dad touching a real book, Jason and all the other whack jobs associated with Future Current will be searching for this genuine Book of Days till they bring Walt Disney's frozen body back from the dead. But they'll never find it."
Tricia offered Cameron a glass of iced tea, which he accepted.
"Once Jason drops out of sight, another New Ager will dig up the Book of Days story and continue the quest. We'll probably never be rid of it." Taylor drilled him with a frown and turned back to the band.
"Do you think Jason wants me to leave?"
"Are you kidding? You've handed him what he would call solid evidence that there's a physical book . . . No, he'd be the first member on your Book of Days Facebook fan page."
"I see. So it doesn't make sense that he or one of his followers would send me an unsigned note that somehow showed up on my hotel bed, threatening me harm if I don't get out of Three Peaks?"
An emotion flashed across Taylor's face, almost too fast for Cameron to see it. If he hadn't been staring right at Taylor, he would have missed it. Concern? Recognition? Anger? He couldn't tell. But it was enough to decide Taylor had sent the note.
"When did you get the letter?" Tricia asked.
"Yesterday."
"Did you report it?"
"No, I took it as a positive sign. That I'm on the right track. A hornet doesn't sting unless you're pounding on the nest."
"Why is it so important for you to search for this book?" Tricia asked.
Was it the town edict that everyone asked that question? Cameron let his head fall back and he stared at the thin layer of clouds above, growing pink. Why search? A moment later, Cameron found himself spilling his heart out to the two strangers beside him.
"Before my dad died, he said finding the book would answer my questions. My wife said the same thing before she died in a small plane crash. Maybe they were deluded, but I promised I'd search."
This time the emotion across Taylor's face lasted a full second, and Cameron didn't have to guess what the man felt: surprise and then conflict.
Tricia glanced at Taylor, then slid her hand on top of Cameron's and squeezed.
Taylor turned to him, a curious look on his face. "I'm sorry about your wife and the plane crash. Dying in an accident is . . . for the person who stays behind . . . It's not . . . I'm sorry for your pain."
Cameron nodded. Where had that bucket of compassion come from? Not exactly the Taylor Stone he'd met