Overdue Item by Peter Menadue

Author:Peter Menadue [Menadue, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: crime, suspense, murder, mystery, humour, caper, library, australian
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

The next day, a Saturday, the library was only open between 9 a.m. and noon. Julia and Gary were rostered to work.

About half-an-hour after the library opened, she was sitting at the borrowing counter, staring into space, when she heard a buttery voice.

"Excuse me."

She shook herself out of her revere and saw a silver-topped guy, in a tweed jacket, standing in front of her. He looked familiar. Then she remembered that he gave Tex McMillan a hard time at the Author Talk the previous evening.

"Yes?"

He held up a book. "I want to borrow this book."

"Do you have a card?"

"I'm afraid not. I just moved to this suburb."

"Then you'll have to become a member. The joining fee is $20, unless you're a pensioner, in which case it's zero. We don't offer frequent flyer points, I'm afraid."

He smiled. "I'll pay the $20."

"Alright, give me your name and address."

He said his name was "Ralph Finetree" and gave her an address in Bradfield.

She typed those details into the computer. "Do you have some ID?"

He showed her a driver's licence, which she barely glanced at, and handed her $20, which she stuck in a drawer.

"You can borrow now. Your card will be sent out in the mail."

"Thank you". He handed her a book called "The Historical Jesus."

"You're interested in biblical history?"

"I was an Associate Professor in Biblical Studies at Sydney University, until I retired."

She'd always assumed academics were dry and dusty types. He was far from that. Apart from being good-looking and stylishly dressed, he had the air of someone who'd seen a lot and done a lot; he'd tested himself and not been found wanting.

"You must have retired early."

A smile. "Thank you."

"Why did you come to the Author's Talk last night?"

"Oh, just idle curiosity. I wasn't going to say anything until he criticised academic historians. Then I lost my rag, I'm afraid. He's entitled to write rubbish and call it fiction. He can even mess around with the facts, if he wants, to sell books. But he shouldn't pretend to know more than specialists in the field."

"I'm glad you turned up. You certainly livened up proceedings."

A gentle smile. "Thank you."

She swiped the book and handed it back to him. "I'm afraid our ancient history section is rather thin."

"True, but I've been looking around for this book. Thanks for your help."

"No problem. I hope to see you at a few more Author Talks."

A grin. "I'll try to attend."

He strolled off, leaving her mildly curious, because exotic guys like him rarely wandered into the library. He must have published numerous academic books and articles. With nothing better to do, she surfed the internet, looking for references to him or anything he wrote. She found none - zero. Strange. Maybe she lent the book to an imposter. If so, she didn't care.

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