Part 17 (1/2)
”Where have you looked?”
”I thought she'd be here, so this is my first stop.”
Marian dug in one of the many pockets of her cargo shorts, came up with a cell phone and dialed a number. A moment later, Liddy offered hers to Ellie.
”I hate these things,” Ellie said, but she took it gingerly, pressed on, and started punching b.u.t.tons.
Marian's poised, modulated voice made Liddy feel a bit dizzy.
Marian the Librarian from River City could do phone s.e.x with a voice like that. ”Hey, Terry, Sandy wouldn't by any chance be bring-ing Buster in, would she? No, just trying to get her a message. Her dad's at the hospital again. Thanks.”
Ellie was far more agitated. ”Hey, Patty, was Sandy going to play tennis with you later? I really need to get ahold of her.”
In five minutes, Liddy thought, every d.y.k.e in Iowa City would be on the lookout for Sandy.
100.
Marian abruptly waved in victory. ”She is? I should have thought of you first. Yeah, just tell her to call her mom, but it's not serious.
Thanks, Mary Jane.”
”Oh, of course.” Ellie handed back Liddy's phone. ”Thanks, I appreciated using it.”
Marian said, ”It's one place she'd switch her phone off. I should have called there first.”
”Okay, that's a relief.” Ellie's usually perky expression was dimmed. ”I hope her dad's okay. I like her folks. They're sweet.
Maybe I'll get flowers and go over later. He hasn't been well at all.”
”I bet Sandy's mom would like something other than hospital food later on,” Marian suggested.
Ellie brightened. ”Sandwiches from Hy-Vee. Thanks, M'Sue.”
”M'Sue?” Liddy watched Ellie hurry in the direction of the library.
”Marian Sue. Marian Sue Pardoo, if you want the whole deal. I can't tell you how pleased my entire third grade was that it rhymed.”
”Ah.”
”And?” Marian turned away from the library. ”My car's this way.”
”And what? We could take my car if we're going exploring in the countryside.”
”I told you my middle name in a scary fit of self-revelation. I wasn't planning on leaving any paved roads.”
”But we could in the Hummer, you know. It's got a winch.”
”So what's yours? I don't think we're going to need a winch.
Besides I need to move my car to the ramp near work.”
”Okay, we'll take your car.”
They walked in silence for a minute, then Marian said, ”Is it a secret, your middle name?”
”Emma.”
”A lovely name, what's wrong with it?”
”Nothing. Just . . . say my whole name.”
”Liddy Emma Peel. It's very-oh.”
101.
Liddy waited for Marian to tease her, but all Marian did was chuckle quietly. She explained quietly, ”My legal last name is Hartwell. But my mom remarried right after I was born and I've always used my stepdad's last name. So the Emma Peel thing wasn't even on purpose.”
”That sort of makes it worse, doesn't it?”
”Yeah. It wasn't too bad until cable brought back the Avenger reruns. I was so teased in school, especially when I took up karate.”
”I always loved Diana Rigg. I wanted her to read to me. And kick my brother across the room.”
”Hey!” Liddy stared at the pavement. ”What are these?”
Marian paused. ”Nice, huh? You're looking at the Iowa Avenue Literary Walk.”
Liddy carefully stepped over the words engraved in a binocular-shaped bronze plaque sunk into the pavement. ”aI have noticed before that there is a category of acquaintances.h.i.+p that is not friends.h.i.+p or business or romance, but speculation, fascination.' Jane Smiley. Interesting.”
”All the quotes are from people with ties to Iowa. I'll show you my favorite, right up here.”
It felt odd to be walking along while staring at the sidewalk.
Liddy stopped to read another quote, set off by gold letters on a manhole cover. ”aWe are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.' Kurt Vonnegut. Yes, that makes a lot of sense.”
”This is it,” Marian said, pointing.
This plaque was book-shaped. ”Mildred Augustine Wirt Benson-that's a mouthful for a name. aI'm afraid there's more to this than appears on the surface.'” Liddy frowned. As a favorite quote it seemed obvious.
Marian's smile broadened. ”There's more to her name than appears on the surface. You might know her better as Carolyn Keene.”
”Oh!” Liddy grinned. ”Nancy Drew.”
102.
Marian nodded enthusiastically. ”That's her. She was the first woman to get a journalism master's here at U of I.”