Chapter 88

As I entered the massive building on Victor’s arm, I discovered the library was as delightful to visit as the museum.

Like the museum, it was near the city’s college campus, and I hardly ever came this far into the city's center.

The library was one of the oldest buildings in the city and was built by true craftsmen. Everywhere there was detailed woodwork that delighted the eye, and the entire building smelled like books.

Behind the librarian’s station, I spotted a painting secured in a glass case that drew my eye. I’d never seen the painting before, but the colors and style seemed familiar.

Then I noticed the signature in the bottom corner. “Look, Victor,” I pointed at the painting. “It’s signed by Delacroix. The same artist must have painted it as the one at the Phillips mansion.”

“You’re right,” he said. “My mother will be proud when I tell her you recognized his work.”

“I have been constantly learning since I started my new life, which makes me feel lucky. So many new doors have opened for me, and I am thankful for it.”

“I’m glad, Daisy,” Victor smiled into my eyes. “I enjoy watching you learn and grow. And sometimes, you teach me a thing or two.”

His words made me feel warm and happy. I couldn’t believe how much my relationship with him had changed since I first met him.

We started to pass by the children’s section when my mother’s face appeared before my eyes.

“Why is there a picture of my mother hanging here?” I whispered to Victor.

“I don’t know. Read the plaque beneath it,” he suggested.

“In memory of one of our most generous patrons: Joanna Staten Wilson, who made the children’s section of this library possible,” I read aloud. “My mother gave money to the library. How wonderful!”

“Yes, she was,” Victor agreed. “Just like her daughter.”

I blushed and changed the subject. “Let’s see if we can find anything on Arthur Wilson.”

As we walked around the stacks, I couldn’t stop thinking about my mother and wondered what other causes she contributed to in the area.

Victor and I stopped at a computer terminal to look up Arthur Wilson.

Victor checked the screen. “They have several books that have information about him in the art section and the early werewolf history section,” he said. “Where do you want to start?”

“Let’s look in the history section first,” I replied and walked toward massive rows of tall bookshelves. It felt like I was entering a maze.

It took several minutes to find the history books. When we did, I was delighted to see two books available about Arthur Wilson.

I pulled them both from the shelves, and we looked for the art section.

We found it on the far side of the stacks. It was a large section covering artists over the last five centuries.

After a bit of digging, I found a book on Arthur Wilson’s art with color illustrations of other paintings he had done.

“This is wonderful,” I said. “I can’t wait to show Alex the books about our ancestor.”

“I’m sure he’ll be just as fascinated as you are,” Victor stated. “Is there anything else you wanted to research?”

“Not yet,” I replied. “I think I have enough new information for a few days. I’m going to look some things up on the Internet too. And we can always come back sometime.”

“Absolutely,” Victor agreed. “I forgot how much fun the library can be.”

He took the books from my arms to carry them for me, and we started for the librarian’s station to check out the books.

When I started walking down the middle shelves toward the exit, I was surprised to see another familiar face halfway down the row.

“Amy! What are you doing here?” What a bonus after such a wonderful day like the one I was having.

“Oh, hi, Daisy,” Amy said. She seemed uncomfortable. Her eyes shifted around us as if she was looking for something. “I… um, I’m here with Justin. He’s doing some research for a paper.”

I looked around. “Great. Where is he? I’d love to meet him.”

“I don’t know,” she replied. “He was here a moment ago.”

“We’ll help you look for him,” Victor suggested. “What does he look like?”

“He has dark blonde hair and blue eyes, and he’s tall and thin,” she said. But her voice wasn’t exactly cheerful.

Wasn’t she glad to see me? She had been fine at school today, so she couldn’t be mad at me.

Amy waited in the same aisle while Victor and I roamed up and down all the other aisles between the bookshelves, looking for Justin. We were both curious to meet Amy’s boyfriend.

But there was no sign of any guy matching Amy’s description. Where could he have gone?

I went back to my friend. “We can’t find him. He wouldn’t have left without telling you, do you?”

She shook her head. “There must be a reasonable explanation. Maybe he had to run back to his dorm for something.”

“Without telling you? That’s a little strange.” I looked up and down a few more aisles. “Why don’t you let Victor and I take you home?”

Amy shook her head again. “Justin will be back. I’ll wait for him here.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “It will be dark soon. Do you want to be wandering around the city by yourself at night?”

“Don’t worry, Justin will be back,” she insisted. The look on her face told me not to press the issue any further. But I would talk to her about it another time.

“Come on, Victor. Let’s go,” I said. “Amy, call or text me if you change your mind and need a ride.”

After Victor and I checked out the books, we went out the front door.

“I think there’s something strange going on with your friend’s boyfriend,” Victor said when we made it to the sidewalk.

“I know, and I’m worried about her.”

“I’ll see what I can find out about him,” Victor promised. “If you want, we can visit him to have a chat without Amy.”

“Let me talk to Amy first,” I said. “I don’t want to push her farther away from me. If Justin is a user or a creep, I want her to feel like she can still come to me for help.”

Victor put an arm around my shoulders again. “You are such a good friend.”

We returned to the Lamborghini in time to see the auto club truck pulling away.

“I’m surprised to see the same car,” I said with a giggle.

Victor grinned. “I wouldn’t want you to think I’m a spoiled Alpha.”

“It’s almost time for dinner,” Victor said as we entered the car. “My parents invited me to eat with them tonight. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you came along.”

“But I’m not dressed up,” I pointed out. “I have my school clothes on.”

“They won’t mind,” he assured me. “Family dinners aren’t a formal affair at our house.”

“Then I’d love to,” I said and texted Benson to ask him to tell my father I wouldn’t be there to eat with him.

I was still worried about Amy, but there wasn’t anything I could do unless she wanted me to help her. And I was excited to be having dinner with Victor’s parents. I like them very much.

But I crossed my fingers and prayed to the Goddess that I wouldn’t do anything at the dinner to embarrass myself.