LOGINAGAIN The backyard of the library didn't look like a wedding venue. It looked better. String lights in the trees. Folding chairs. Books stacked as tables. Sunflowers in mason jars. 50 people. All the people who stayed. Mara was crying before it started. Lila was the flower girl. She threw petals and books. Agent Reyes came in her uniform. "Off duty," she said. "Couldn't miss this." --- I wore a simple dress. White. From the boutique on 3rd. $120. Damian wore a suit. Navy. No tie. Sleeves rolled up. No prenup. No lawyers. No cameras from the press. Just us. The officiant was the old librarian from downtown. She'd retired last year. Came back for us. "Dearly beloved," she said. "We're here because two people chose each other. Not money. Not status. Each other." Damian looked at me. Didn't look away the whole time. --- Vows. "I chose you when I had nothing to offer," he said. "And I'd choose you again with
"Case closed." Agent Reyes said it on a Monday. In person. At the library. "All three charged. No threat left. You’re clear." Damian exhaled. Like he’d been holding his breath for months. "Thank you," he said. Reyes smiled. "And good news. City approved the grant. $80,000. For security. Cameras. Doors. The works." I looked at Damian. He looked at me. "We can keep it open," I said. "Yeah," Damian said. "We can." --- That week felt different. No police cars. No news vans. Just people. Parents. Kids. Students. Lila brought us a drawing. The library. With a big sun. And us holding hands in front. Damian put it on the wall. --- Friday. First author event. We were nervous. Would anyone come? By 6PM, 200 people were in folding chairs. Spilling into the aisles. Local author. Mystery novel. She read a chapter. Signed books after. Kids asked questions. Adults bought coffee. Mara handled the register. At one point Damian leaned over to me. "See
The interrogation room was small. White walls. One table. Kyle sat with his head in his hands. Agent Reyes across from him. Damian and I watched from behind the glass. "He's giving us names," Reyes said over the speaker. "Two of them." She wrote on a notepad. Slid it across. Name 1: Derek Vance. Former Cole Industries. Accounting. Fired 9 months ago. Name 2: Marcus Hale. Former Cole Industries. Security. Quit 6 months ago. "Both still in the city," Reyes said. "Both angry. Both blaming you." Damian didn't blink. "Arrest them." "We already did," Reyes said. "30 minutes ago." --- By noon it was on the news. 3 ARRESTS IN COLE INDUSTRIES THREAT CASE FBI SAYS DANGER HAS PASSED Damian turned the TV off. "Is it really over," I asked. "The criminal part," he said. "Yes." He said it like he didn't believe it. --- That night we went home. No officers outside. No cameras. Damian checked the locks anyway. Once. Then stopped himself. "Old habits," he said.
11:58PM. The library was dark. Except for the desk lamp. 4 officers inside. 6 outside. Damian by the front window. Me by the back. "Nothing yet," Officer Chen said into his radio. "Copy," the voice came back. "We've got eyes on the alley." Damian looked at me. "You sure about this?" "No," I said. "But we're doing it anyway." 12:00AM. The lights flickered. Once. Twice. Then the back door rattled. Everyone moved. --- "Police! Hands up!" A shadow ran. Backpack. Hoodie. Kyle Mercer. He didn't stop. He ran between the shelves. Knocked a cart over. Books everywhere. "Stop!" Damian yelled. Kyle turned down the kids' aisle. Cornered. He pulled something out. Lighter. "Don't," I said. He looked at me. Eyes wild behind the mask. "You ruined us," he said. "All of us. For your library." "Put it down," Officer Chen said. Gun steady. Kyle struck the lighter. Flame. My heart stopped. And then I stepped forward. Before Damian could grab me. "Kyle," I s
"It's not human." Agent Reyes said it twice. Like she didn't believe it herself. "The blood in the car. Dog. German Shepherd." Damian and I were at the station. 8AM. Coffee cold in our hands. "But," Reyes said. "We got a hit on the other DNA. From the hat." She slid a folder across the table. Name: Kyle Mercer. Age: 32. Former Cole Industries Security. Dishonorably discharged. Missing: 6 months. "Peterson's guy," Damian said. "Yeah," Reyes said. "He has a record. Assault. Vandalism. Hates the Coles." Damian closed the folder. "Where is he?" "We don't know," Reyes said. "But he just posted something." She turned her laptop. Video. Dark. Mask. Distorted voice. "Cole Library. Tonight. Midnight. It burns." 12 seconds. Then black. --- Mara was already at the library when we got there. Shelving books. She saw our faces. Dropped the book. "What," she said. "Kyle," Damian said. "They found him." Her hand went to her mouth. "No. He said he left
The whiteboard in Agent Reyes' office had names. Lots of them. Damian Cole. Ali Carter. Board Member #1. Board Member #3. Sophia Cole. IN CUSTODY. And now: Mara Jenkins. Library volunteer. She's getting threats too, Reyes said. So is Peterson's lawyer. So is the judge from the civil case. Damian stared at the board. It's not just us, he said. No, Reyes said. It's everyone connected to Cole Industries. --- The library was full when we got back. But different. Quieter. Parents kept looking at the door. Damian did his speech again. "We're safe. We're open. We're not leaving." Most people nodded. Some left anyway. I don't blame them, I said. Neither do I, Damian said. He stayed late. Helped shelve books. Fixed the printer. Made coffee. Like if he kept busy, the bad thing wouldn't happen. --- Monday. Letter came to the jail. For Damian. From Sophia. He didn't want to open it. I told him he should. Inside: one page. Her handwriting. Damian, I did







