Library Derelict
by Sean Monaghan

Stan checked his watch.  10am.  The library was just opening, and Larry was carrying his supermarket bags up the steps, in his thriftstore overcoat and rotten sneakers.

Stan hadn't quite figured out the need for all the subterfuge.  Larry wasn't destitute, but the clues were thin.  Stan checked traffic and crossed the street, going into the library with the AARPers and young mothers.

Morgan was opening the main desk and smiled as Stan went by.  He almost went over, but he needed to maintain the illusion that he was focused on study, no time for flirting, but he gave her a wink and she nodded back.

Walking through the stacks, he passed Larry who was getting comfortable on one of the easy chairs near the windows.  Larry did well at looking like a fried ex-druggie.

Stan headed up the stairs to the reference mezzanine and found a table where he could sit and pretend to study while he watched Larry.

****

Morgan sighed and checked out a stack of romances to Mrs Schilling.

'Have a lovely day, dear,' Mrs Schilling said.

'You too.'  Only two hours until she could get back to cancelling books in the back room.  She didn't hate being on the front desk, but she hated opening up.  Especially for the last week with that creepy guy coming in first thing every day.  He pretended to be studying but he spent his whole time looking around the library, mostly watching the women librarians.  Ellen said she thought he had a gun but Morgan couldn't be sure.  She'd looked at him this morning but there was no way to tell through his heavy clothes.  She could imagine a shoulder holster though.  And then, while she was watching him, he'd winked at her.  Yuck.

She served the next customer, aware of him on the study floor, eyes anywhere but his books.

****

Nina sped along fourth, caught the change to red at Lexington.  She had enough violations now that she was close to losing her licence, but she was late for Larry and Larry needed things in order.  He wouldn't come to the clinic, had to meet in his own space, and she needed him as a client.  If her stats dropped any lower she would jeopardize her job.  Keeping her foot down, she turned onto Constitution, parked at the edge of the fire lane outside the courthouse.

She jumped out of the car with her briefcase, sprinted across the road, then stopped.  She fumbled with her keys and punched the lock button, then ran into the library, realizing that the bag she was minding for him was still in the trunk.  She hurried on, she could grab it later.

Larry was in his usual spot, zoning out.  In the week that he'd been her client they'd made little progress.

'Hello Nina,' Larry said, without looking up.

'Hi Larry.'

'You're late.'

'No ... I'm ...' she glanced up at the library's big wall clock.  A man on the mezzanine stared right at her.

'But that's okay,' Larry said.  'Because it means you parked in the fire lane.'

Nina glanced over her shoulder.

'They won't let me near the courthouse.'

She could just see her car through the corner of the library's glass doors.

'And the bag I asked you to take care of is probably still in the trunk?'

'Yes,' she said.  'I can get it.'

Larry laughed.  'I've got the remote.' He held up a small black object, with a red button under his thumb.

****

A remote detonator!  Stan threw off his jacket and leapt over the mezzanine railing.  'Get down!' he yelled.  He landed on top of the book stacks and drew his gun.  'Put it down,' he hollered.  'Put the remote down.'

****

Larry grinned up at Stan.  Bumbling cop, no idea.

'All I have to do,' he whispered to Nina, 'is press the button and your car will go up and take half the courthouse with it.'

Then he shouted at the cop.  'You think I didn't notice you?'  Think I don't know who you are?'  He waved the switch around, enjoying playing this out for a while.

****

Morgan strode through the building, stopping near the homeless man's chair.  Other people had seen the gun too, and were running for the exit.  'Why don't you come on down from there sir,' Morgan called up the gun-toting crazy.  She wondered if she'd gone nuts herself, shouting at this lunatic.

****

'Larry,' Nina said.  'What the hell?'

'I'm not insane,' Larry said.  His eyes flicked up.  'I don't need a social worker.  I'm just exacting a little retribution.'

'By blowing up my car?'

'If that's what it takes.  They let Charlton out.'

'Charlton?  The ...'

'It was my family he killed, before the cops could catch him again, before he killed himself.  Left me with nothing.'

Nina could see the wildness in his eyes.  'Don't do this.'

****

Stan leapt to a table as they talked, then jumped to the floor.  Now he had a good bead on Larry, he could shoot his hand off and stop this.

'Sir,' the librarian said.  Stan ignored her.

'Larry,' Stan said.  'I will kill you.'

Larry laughed.  'I don't think so.'

****

Gun or detonator?  While they argued, Morgan sneaked to the wall and launched herself at Larry.  As she grabbed the box, the gun went off.  Blood splattered from Nina's shoulder and she spun around, collapsing onto Larry.

Morgan hurled herself at Stan's legs trying to tackle him.  Larry shoved Nina's body aside and leapt after Morgan.  Stan's next shot went into the ceiling.

Morgan and Stan fell to the floor and Larry landed on top of them.

'Give me,' Larry hissed, 'my remote.'

Stan turned the gun to Larry's head.

'You're both insane,' Morgan said, struggling to get out from between them.

'There,' Larry said, wrenching the detonator from her.

Stan squeezed and Larry's head exploded as a massive concussion rocked the library.

copyright 2009
by Sean Monaghan

BIO: Sean Monaghan tries to make writing his main focus, but he does work in a busy public library, filled with suspicious characters.  Links to other writings can be found on his website www.venusvulture.com