The first part of the story can be found here
The phone on Riggs' desk rang giving Hermia something else to do for a moment. "History Department, Mrs. Lodur." Lyell noticed a look on his brother's face that showed disappointment at hearing her say Mrs "Yes, just a moment." she handed the receiver out to Riggs moving as far from the statue as she could. Riggs shook his head laughing at her.
"Yes." the large man said into the beige phone wiping at the corners of his mouth. "I can have that for ya tomorrow morning, will take some time to find it in the stacks." he cradled the phone on his shoulder as he removed the gloves tossing them down on the desk. "Okay, see ya then." he hung up turning to look at Hermia with a deep sigh, rubbing both pale hands over his face. "I think I might have to cancel our dinner plans doll, that new intern of Mr. Moore's is demanding stuff again." he turned to address both Lyell and Galvin then. "Thinks he's the big bad now that he's running the department right now. Our real boss is off having surgery, won't be back for months."
"Oh, you two are married?" Lyell asked his arms crossed over his chest, casting a sideways glance at his brother, who was very busy wiping an invisible something from the knee of his jeans. "But no wedding rings."
"Yes." Riggs said at the same time Hermia said "No" Galvin looked up his dark eyes wide waiting for an explanation.
"Legally." Hermia volunteered as she started to shift through the large books on her desk that they had helped her carry. "For another five months anyway." she blushed wildly, clearing her throat. Riggs' eyebrows were knitted together in an expression of worry as he scratched at his jaw.
"I'll be in back, looking for his sword." he nodded towards them. "Nice to meet ya both." Turning he walked into the depth of the bookshelves his large shoulders rounded in what could only be considered defeat.
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"He obviously loves her." Lyell said wiping a paper napkin over his mouth an hour later. The two brothers were sitting in the coffee shop next door to the university, wrappers from burgers and fries scattered on the two brown plastic trays between them. He watched Galvin twist and turn in his seat for a few seconds, his jaw in a clench.
"I forgot my bag. My notes are in it. You going wait for me here or what?" Galvin asked tapping the top of the table.
"Where you think you left it?" he pushed up his glasses then stretched. His brother was always forgetting stuff, it was the whole reason he had bought him a new messengers bag.
"Either the library or the basement."
"You just want to go back and see Hermia again. Mrs Lodur. What a name Eh?" Lyell giggled standing up and collecting both their trays. "I'm done might as well come with you." They walked briskly across the campus lawn their shoes crunching on the fallen leaves. "So?" Lyell asked not looking at his brother.
"So what?" Galvin said breathing deeply letting the night air slice at his throat.
"I don't think you're her type. Even if her marriage isn't a real one." Galvin shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he picked up his pace his head down not looking at his older brother. "Not too mention Mr. Lodur seems to be in love with his wife. Or at the very lest comfortable." they entered the glass doors to the front of the main building crossing the small lobby as silently as they could. "You're setting yourself up for big trouble."
"Thanks for that. Can you shut your gob now please." he nearly spat as he opened the door to the library heading towards the table they had occupied awhile earlier. The messenger's bag was not there. "I don't see it. I must have left it down stairs." he let out a deep sigh his hands behind his neck. "You remember the way to that place?"
"Not a clue."
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The elevator was dimly lit even though there were two overhead lights and mirrored walls. It came to a jerking stop once they hit their stop. "Now where to?" Galvin asked trying to remember what direction they had turned earlier when they had followed Hermia.
"Hang on. Let me try something." Lyell said taking his cell phone out of his back pocket and dialing his brother's number. "You go that way and I'll go this. One of us will hear it in a minute." Lyell started towards the left leaving his brother to the right. Galvin stopped dead in his tracks when he turned to find a dead end. Doubling back, he followed the hallway Lyell had gone down. Galvin suddenly felt dizzy as he walked past a door. He looked up seeing a small window over it open slightly, faint light coming from the far end of it. He did not like that feeling at all, as if walking against the wind.
There was a soft noise of shuffling and things being moved around coming from the hallway a few feet to their left. The two boys had caught up to each other and were now standing in front of the History Department door, which was wide open. Lyell put his cell phone away knocking on the open door just as they heard something fall and a male voice swearing. Riggs was standing in the middle of what was a mess of half opened crates his right hand at the back of his neck, his eyes closed. In front of him was now a broken shelf and all it's contents sliding off.
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Part 3 soon
