Vintage Wanderlust

Carded

Before Tala clocked out for the evening, she happened to remember about the Detective's inquiry. Just in time to inform Stella about it.

Grabbing her purse, Stella thanked Tala for the heads and added, "Glad you said 7 PM, I'm usually well into my apartment and back to my self by then. Definetly wouldn't want to rile suspicion because of my personal disguise."

Tala agreed, "Exactly what I suspected."

"You sure you don't want to stay with me tonight," the librarian continued softly, "I certainly didn't mind the company."

Patting Stella's hand, Tala replied with a sense of condolence,"Thank you dear, but one night from my comforts is enough. Especially with the chaos y'all got goin' on inside this city."

Stella nodded with understanding. Fiddling with the bookmark display, she quickly looked back to Tala, "You know, I just realized I have no idea where you live. Guess you live outside the city, then? Bet it's nice and quiet out where you are."

"Pretty much, but there are plenty of critters around to keep me company," Tala replied, giving Stella a squeeze around her waist. "You be careful dear."

Stella stopped her fiddling and leaned down into the hug. "You too Mrs T-," she corrected herself with a smile, "Gran Tala." Standing back up, she shook her head, "Going to take some getting used to. You going out the back tonight, then?"

Tala nodded, "More convenient. Want me to lock up the back on my way out, dear?"

Stella nodded appreciatively, "That would be great! Thank you! See you in the morning."

"No problema! Goodnight," Tala replied.

She heard Stella's fading reply as she walked through the back rooms to the back door. Hesitating by the Repository, she considered going in to look for the packages Gringa had mentioned. But failing to know what she was looking for had stalled her from achieving that particular goal on her first day at the library. Tala had realized very quickly that the library was a bit too big to be looking for something without some sort of indication of what she needed. Sighing, she rapped the repository door with her staff and continued on to the back door.

As she started to open the door, she froze at the sound of raised voices. She was unable to make out what they were saying from the other side of the door. Trying to avoid suspicion, she waited for a lull in the conversation before gently opening the door.

At the sound of the latches and door opening, the voices stopped, and Tala took in the sight of the two gentlemen standing in the shadows.

One of the gentleman immediately sneered and began to walk away upon seeing Tala. He muttered something as he had turned away and Tala felt a little irritated when she realized it was the gentleman she had bumped into earlier in the day.

She was staring after him with a bit of a scowl, when the second gentleman called out to her, "Evening Miss. Need some help down those stairs?"

Turning to meet his gaze, she had to hide her surprise. Having recognized his uniform, she quickly plastered a smile on her face, and waved her staff, "I think I can manage."

He watched her as she hobbled down the stairs. When she reached the last one, she watched him pull out a pack of cigarettes. Extending his hand he offered her one, "Fancy a smoke?"

Tala shook her head pleasantly, "No thank you." She paused as she watched the retreating figure of the other man. "Your friend there seems to have gotten his panties in a wad. He okay?"

The uniformed man opened the box in his hand and as he turned his head to watch the other man, Tala saw a small piece of paper waft to the ground. As she began to point at it with her staff, he spoke, "Yeah, he's just falling into a bit of a problem with his studies."

The man's attention still averted, Tala stopped and decided to just pick it up herself, "Ahh, the pressure of school. What's he studying?"

The man beside her laughed, "He's got a fancy for dinosaurs."

Tala had just squeezed the handle of her staff to start bending over when she felt herself stiffen at the man's words. She thanked the Mother when she realized he was focused on examining his pack of cigarettes. She loosened the grip on her staff and calmly inquired, "What about you? You a student, too?"

She smiled as he looked up at her, and the man considered her for a moment before he replied, "I'm just a lowly security guard."

Although Tala had recognized his uniform, his face was not one of the ones she recognized from the digsite. Trying to see what she could get from him, Tala continued, "So where do you work?"

The man took a long drag off his cigarette as he studied her for a moment. His stare worried Tala, but after a few seconds, he let out his smoke as he responded. "Same place where my little friend," he said pointing his cigarette in the direction of the bespectacled man," works. That's how we know each other."

Not wanting to draw any further suspicion from the uniformed man, Tala decided it was best to leave. "Well, dear, I best be heading out. Got a lot to get done when I get home."

She turned to leave, but froze when she felt his hand on her elbow.

"I think you dropped this," Tala heard him say.

Turning, she realized he had picked up the piece of paper from the ground. She shook her head in confusion as she responded, "No, dear. I believe that fell out of your cigarette pack."

The man laughed as if he did not believe her, but Tala insisted, "I watched it fall. I just got distracted by our conversation and forgot to pick it up for you."

The man's face contorted to mirror Tala's confusion as he released her arm and examined the paper. As she left the vacinity of the library, she looked back to see him slowly sitting down on the steps as he stared down at the words on the card.