Watermelon Wishes

Chapter 9

The Watermelon Cove Public Library was so small that when it was time to close, Evey was notified by Sophia standing in the middle of the library (which was really just a large room) nearly shouting, "We are closing in five minutes. Please get ready to leave now so that I don't have to stay past closing since I don't get paid overtime."

Evey heard the amused chuckles of the nearby patrons while she rubbed her head and realized how sore her back and neck was. She couldn't believe that she had stayed so long but what her eyes had seen compelled her to stay much longer than she had planned for, despite her protesting stiff joints.

What she had wanted to discover was some sort of interesting facts and information about the Casteel farmhouse. What she was leaving with was far more than she could have imagined.

Not to mention the fact that she was able to get a little side research done on Brady. Googling his name on her phone, Evey discovered that he had worked on a talk show in New York called Mornings in the Afternoon. He had been the assistant executive producer. Although she hadn't heard of it, the show seemed to be popular enough. She was surprised. With a gig like that, what was doing back here working for a small town radio? Was his leave from New York permanent? There were many mysteries surrounding Brady Casteel.

In other Casteel research, Evey's original justification for digging up facts about the house was that she planned to include them into her marketing plan once she won the auction. As the new owner, she would have to know the answers to questions about the history of the home that her customers would no doubt ask. She wanted to know the answers for herself, too. She wanted to be as involved as possible. The information that she received from Angela was canned, rehearsed as if she did not want to reveal too much. Her vagueness had only served to intrigue Evey further. That, coupled with Brady's cryptic anecdote about Grandma Cora urging him to keep the house in the family at all costs, was too much for the naturally curious Evey to bear.

It helped that she was a natural problem-solver, fantastic at riddles and a history buff to boot so that her attention was held in rapt fascination as she sifted through the many years of happenings in Watermelon Cove.

She put everything back where it was and packed up, grabbing her sky-high crutches and prepared to hobble out of the door.

"Found what you were looking for?" asked Sophia on her way out.

"All that and some," Evey said.

"Good," Sophia said. "Take it easy on that ankle and come back and see us again soon."

"You can count on it," Evey glanced at the counter as she wobbled by, which held an array of jigsaw puzzle boxes.

"Want one?" Sophia asked, following her gaze.

"I didn't have time to sign up for a card today," Evey said.

"No sweat," said Sophia. "They're donated to us. It's on the honor system. You look like you can use one while you recuperate."

"Good idea," Evey said and hopped over to the counter. She selected one depicting a cute farm scene, a pig lying in a patch of grass, enjoying a sun-filled afternoon.

Sophia put the puzzle in Evey's bag for her.

"Enjoy!" she said.

"I will, thanks," Evey said and made her way out. Back in the real world again, she realized that she trudging her way back on the ill-fitting crutches was the last thing on earth she wanted to do. She longed to go back inside the cozy library and settle down with her interesting finds. As it was, her head was swimming with the information that she had consumed.

The Watermelon Cove Gazette had been founded almost as soon as the town was. It was run by Felton Riley's sister, Janette. The two-page paper started off as more of a newsletter than anything.