The bell above the door of “The Wandering Quill” tinkled a cheerful, if slightly off-key, welcome. Elara Vance, proprietor, chief curator, and occasional therapist to the book-loving denizens of Willow Creek, didn't look up from the precarious tower of antique ledgers she was attempting to catalogue. The scent of aging paper, her favorite perfume, was particularly strong this morning, mingling with the robust aroma of dark roast coffee from Mrs. Gable's bakery next door — a daily olfactory battle that always ended in a delightful truce.
