“That’s what I need to find out. Your church is right across the street from the library—that makes you next-door neighbors. Endor is a small town; I figured there’s a pretty good chance you have a key.”

“You’re asking me to unlock the door and let you in?”

“That isn’t necessary. You could just loan me the key—and a flashlight if you have one handy.”

Gunner looked at his watch. “The library closed two hours ago.”

“The place is dark. No one would see me come or go.”

“Do you have a warrant? Is this against the law?”

“No, I don’t have a warrant, and yes, this is against the law. Look, I’m one of the good guys—I may be bending the law a little, but it’s for a good cause. I need your help, Gunner. You don’t have to be directly involved if you don’t want to—just give me the key and look the other way.”

Nick held out his hand.

He approached the front door of the library, sticking close to the hedge to blend into the shadows. He peered through the glass; the library was dark except for a faint glow of light from one small room. He put one hand on the glass and felt it give a little; he tested the door and found it unlocked. That was easy, he thought. Life in a small town—must be nice.

He slipped through the door and carefully closed it behind him, though he wasn’t sure why; he probably could have left it wide open and no one in Endor would have raised an eyebrow. Still, there was no sense advertising his presence—this was breaking and entering after all, and people who represent the law aren’t supposed to do that sort of thing.

He listened but heard no sound; he switched on the flashlight but kept the beam low to prevent it from being seen by anyone passing by on the street. He shined the beam along the base of the walls, searching for the card catalog—if the grave registries were still in the library, that would be the first place to look. It was an older public library, and he knew the library’s collection wasn’t likely to be online yet. That was a good thing—that meant he wouldn’t have to boot up a computer and fill the room with a monitor’s glow. Halfway along the far wall he found it—an old wooden card catalog lined with row after row of little square drawers, each with its own alphabetical identifier in a tiny brass frame.