It was about 2:15 when Ami returned, asking for the key, barely restraining her impatience. Anthony nodded, and smiled at the girl. [color=Khaki]"Sure, just remember to let me in when I come back! It'll probably be around midnight or so, sorry if I wake you up!"[/color]  With that, he went back to work stacking the shelves. Eventually, Ms. O'Niel approached him, apologetic look on her face. 

"Um... Anthony, there's... something Mrs. Grady and I would like you to do in the back room." Anthony, smiling, set down the books on the cart, and turned to her. 

[color=Khaki]"Why of course, Ms. O'Niel! I'd be happy to help!"[/color] Leaving the book cart behind, he followed Ms. O'Niel, making light conversation. They chatted all the way there, but when they reached the room, Ms. O'Niel got quiet, and acted uncharacteristically nervous.

"Hey, I don't want to presume, or anything, but... Inside, there's a really, really heavy box that neither Mrs.  Grady or I could budge. Could you move it out of the way, please?" The look on Ms. O'Niel's face was so pitiful, so morose that she couldn't do it herself, that Anthony [i]had[/i] to do help her out, even if he wasn't going to already. 

Laughing, Anthony patted her on the shoulder, and passed her, entering the back room. The room everyone called the 'back room' was actually the library's archives, with a fairly high ceiling, and with stacks of cardboard boxes, manila folders, newspaper clippings, VCR tapes, journals, and other firsthand accounts. In the back of the room, in a dusty corner, a heavy wooden steamer trunk, banded in metal, not locked, but secured against flopping open at any old time. 

Moving over to the box, he smiled at Mrs. Grady, and rolled up his sleeves, and picked it up, grunting after he found out it weighed much more than expected. Walking over to where the librarians had wanted him to move it to, a sorting room, with white collapsible tables that had various other documents awaiting categorization. Setting it on a table, he unlocked the latch, and flipped the lid open. Inside, were a whole bunch of dusty papers, photos, and thick, metal-bound books. Cracking his knuckles, he waved the librarians over, and they got to work. 

[hr]

[color=Khaki]"Have a good day, Ms. O'Niel, Mrs. Grady!"[/color] Anthony waved at the two librarians as he left via the front door. Organizing the trunk's contents had taken quite a bit longer than expected, although there was more than enough time to get ready for his date tonight. Walking out to his Crown Vic, he unlocked the door, and got into the car, backing out of the parking space. 

Maybe he would take the scenic route today, he decided. After all, it was a nice day, and there wasn't any reason not to. Acting on his whim, he turned right instead of going straight, and headed through the good looking, scenic neighborhoods around the church. 

As he drove around with a general direction in mind, meandering for no particular purpose, he spotted something. Rather, some[i]one[/i], Elliot from the diner this morning. And... he had a... dog? Oh well, couldn't hurt to offer him a ride to wherever he was going. 

Pulling up alongside him, Anthony rolled down the window. [color=Khaki]"Need a lift? Your dog can go in the backseat, if you like."[/color] Anthony didn't mind if the dog sat there, mangy as it is. His car was spotless, inside and out, so any mess the dog made could be cleaned up easily.

[@Snagglepuss89]