paperback [open]
Plum stood in the foyer of Joe’s Bookshop, running her right index finger over the spines of the store’s latest additions. Joe’s was a semi-regular stop for the Hartfield resident; the prices were reasonable and they bought used books, so she’d typically stop by to see if something looked interesting and occasionally sell a few of her own titles gathering dust on her bookshelf. A bright yellow sundress hung from her rather sonsy frame, exposing her freckled neck and arms. She seemed at once focused and dreamy as if she was completely in the moment, but that moment happened to be filled with daydreams and a familiar tune in addition to her search for entertainment. A novel caught her eye and she pulled it from its hiding place, scanning the cover for signs of intrigue. She knew you weren’t supposed to judge a book by its cover - but the covers of actual books often gave great insight into what was inside. She flipped the book over and scanned the description. A gay woman in the 1960s recruited by the CIA. “Huh,” she said curiously, glancing up to see if Joe was anywhere to be found, but he seemed to be upstairs or in his office. Deep brown eyes surveyed the room and found another nearby customer. She held the book toward them with a warm smile.
“You heard anything about this book?