Fathomless by Anne M. Pillsworth Read Free Book Online

gambit he would have tried next. “Hey, check this out—I’m not the only one who brought books. And we brought a lot of the same ones. Perdido Street Station and Gormenghast and Jonathan Strange and what else?”
    â€œ Franny and Zooey, ” Daniel said.
    â€œOh my God, Franny and Zooey ! I can’t believe that. And it’s your favorite book, too?”
    â€œPretty much,” Daniel said, and looked from her to Sean, and dropped his eyes again. “My father gave it to me because we have the same last name as the characters.”
    â€œI’ve never had anyone to discuss it with before.”
    Because Sean hadn’t even gotten through the first part, all that soul-searching in restroom stalls.
    â€œHow many times have you read it?” Eddy went on.
    â€œAround five, I guess.”
    â€œFour here. That bathroom scene, where Bessie sits on the toilet and talks to Zooey? I’d have to drown myself if my mom did that.”
    There was a bathroom toilet-sitting scene in addition to the restroom toilet-sitting scene? Sean stifled a snort. Salinger dude had a one-track mind.
    â€œZooey’s behind the shower curtain, though,” Daniel said.
    â€œYeah, but still. Your mom.”
    Daniel hesitated, then agreed: “Yeah, your mom.”
    Anyhow . “It must be time for Helen to come back,” Sean said.
    Eddy chucked her stacked books onto the lowest shelf. “Hope so. I’m starving. You, Daniel?”
    â€œI could stand some pizza.”
    â€œWell, I’ll finish the books later—better go change.”
    As usual when on a mission, Eddy was through the door like a house cat escaping into the forbidden outer world. Eyes wide, Daniel turned to Sean, who had to laugh.
    Which turned out okay, because Daniel laughed, too. “She’s on the track team, right?”
    â€œTrack team and cross-country and swim.”
    â€œI should have known. This place we’re going for pizza? Do we have to change?”
    â€œ You don’t,” Sean said. He checked his T-shirt and shorts. There was sawdust on his right sleeve, but it brushed off. “And I don’t feel like it. I think I’ll crash until Helen’s ready.”
    He fell into a recliner. Daniel pushed his empty pack off the ottoman and perched there. “Ms. Arkwright asked me to call her Helen, too. I was surprised when I got here. I thought she’d be older.”
    â€œSo’d I, when I heard she was an archivist at MU. Well, assistant archivist. Professor Marvell’s the boss.”
    Daniel’s teeth, perfectly aligned, gleamed movie-star white. Whatever else they had in Chelsea, they had killer orthodontists. “You don’t call him Theophilus?”
    â€œNo way. He’s definitely Professor to me.”
    â€œMe, too.”
    â€œNot like he’d get mad, but anything else wouldn’t sound right. He’s got like this—” Sean hunted for the right word.
    â€œAuthority?” Daniel suggested.
    That’s what you got for reading as many books as Eddy: a quick-draw vocabulary. “Yeah, authority. Where’d you go with him today?”
    Daniel foot-scrabbled his empty backpack into reach, then folded it. “I’ve never been to Arkham, so he was showing me around.
    â€œDid you go to Horrocke’s Bookstore?”
    Daniel nodded. “That back room’s amazing.”
    â€œWhere the tomes are?”
    â€œExactly.”
    Should Sean ask about the real secret of the North End? Why not. “Did you go to Geldman’s Pharmacy?”
    Not satisfied with his first go at the pack, Daniel shook it out and straightened the straps. “Yeah, we walked by.”
    â€œWas it, you know, open?”
    Daniel nodded. “But we didn’t go inside. He was out sweeping the sidewalk. He said he’d seen you earlier, and a young lady. That must have been Eddy?”
    Like Sean hung with a few dozen young ladies.