AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I took the journal from Klinn and discreetly slid it behind the Greek mythology text.
"Which book caught your eye?" Bartie ambled towards us. "Perhaps I could tell you more about it."
"I thought I saw a mythology book." Klinn snapped his fingers. "Help me out, Estelle. Which one of the gods has the hammer?"
I winced. Uh-oh. Wrong mythology.
"I believe you’re referring to Norse mythology." Bartie regarded Klinn with a slight frown. "I don’t own those titles as of yet." His tentacles twitched, and a flash of suspicion crossed his face.
"What do I know about high-brow topics?" Klinn gave a hapless gesture. "Norse. Roman. It’s all Greek to me."
"No." Bartie dragged out the single word. His formerly relaxed demeanor faltered.
He became more guarded in his responses to Klinn as the two of them kept chatting. We needed to tread carefully.
"Is that new?" Klinn changed the subject, diverting his attention to a particularly intriguing artifact on display.
I heard a loud sniff as the dog wandered into the sitting room, investigating its surroundings. Hydra’s curious exploration brought her closer to the bookshelf where I hid the journal.
Go away, I silently beseeched the alien bloodhound.Sniff somewhere else.
The dog's enthusiastic wagging tail knocked against the bookshelf, causing it to shake. My heart skipped a beat as the journal, no longer securely hidden, tumbled down from its resting place, landing with a thwack on the floor.
The sound echoed in the room, and all eyes turned toward the fallen journal. Bartie's gaze darted between me and the book.
I bent down, scooped up the journal from the floor, my hands moving with practiced precision. In a split-second decision, I slid it back onto a nearby shelf, attempting to restore it close to its original location.
With a forced smile, I straightened up, anxiety making my blood pressure rise. I exchanged a glance with Klinn, who kept a composed expression, though the concern in his eyes was clear.
Our host approached the shelf, his movements deliberate, his tentacles twitching with anticipation. I held my breath, praying my quick thinking had gone unnoticed.
He reached the bookshelf, scanning its contents, and after a momentary pause, his attention wavered. "I really ought to start cataloging my books. I could’ve sworn one was out of place."
Klinn put an arm around me. "If you’re happy with the order, Estelle and I will be leaving."
"You don’t want to stay for tea?"
"We’ve got more deliveries, my friend. Next time."
"Let me see you to the door."
As we made our way out of the house, the dog continued to display an intense focus on Klinn. Its growls grew loud.
"Hydra, hush," Bartolomew scolded. "Apologies, she’s so grumpy when she doesn’t nap."
Hydra sprang from the foyer and bumped into Klinn’s hip. I heard the rustle of paper before I saw several crumpled pages of the journal fall onto the porch.
Bartie’s bulbous eyes got bigger. "Thieves." Anger made his voice shake. "What is the meaning of this?"
Klinn got between us, his fists curled as though he were prepared to get into a fight if needed. Our jig was up. I spoke. "We saw your sketches and notes. Why have you been tinkering with the zero gravity energy fields?"
Bartie’s eyes blazed. "You dare accuse me of such things?" His voice carried a mix of frustration and denial. "I am an engineer, an upstanding collector and scholar of unique curiosities. I would never meddle with something as important as the energy fields."
"Cut the shit, Bartie." Klinn’s demand made him snap to attention. "The evidence is here. We've seen the effects firsthand."
I kept an eye on the growling dog as I picked up the journal pages. "The disruptions, the anomalies—they all point to your involvement. I won't stand by and let you endanger innocent lives."
"I assure you; I have nothing to do with these disturbances." His voice changed pitch, a common indicator of a person lying. "Someone is trying to frame me, to tarnish my name and my reputation. I have enemies, you know."
