You were a new librarian in town.
The first thing you were required to attend to was late fees.
Your predecessor wasn't very good at enforcing the rules, leaving you to do what she had failed to.
You had to track down all overdue books and collect late fees.
They had been relatively easy to track down, belonging to mischievous teenagers or stressed out college students.
Only one remained.
How to Kill a Mockingbird, borrowed 3 years ago by a Shawn Spencer.
That was the longest overdue book.
You looked up Shawn Spencer in the library system.
He was a grown man.
He seemed to have trouble returning books in the past.
Which was to be expected, seeing as he only borrowed comic books spread out over the course of ten years.
You placed a call to his residency listed.
"Hello?" you heard an older man answer.
"Hello. Is this Shawn Spencer?" you asked.
"No. What did he do now?" you heard the man groan.
"I work at the [Name of Library], and it seems he hasn't returned a book in 3 years," you stated.
"What book?" he asked.
"To Kill a Mockingbird," you said.
"You've got the wrong guy. My son doesn't read books without pictures," he replied, hanging up.
You stared at the phone.
You would just have to stalk the guy.
You really needed to keep your job.
You searched for the guy online.
You learned he was a psychic detective.
You also learned from his social media that he was a man-child.
You copied down the location of his agency.
The next day, when you got off work, you drove to it.
You entered and were met by two men.
You recognized the one you were looking for.
"How can I help you today?" he smiled at you.
"Well, you can start by returning the book you owe [Name of Library]," you spoke.
Shawn raised his eyebrow.
"You're only here because of a book?" his partner asked.
"Oh, and the grand in late fees," you added.
"I'm out," his partner said, walking outside.
You looked at Shawn expectantly.
"What book are we talking about here?" he asked, nervously.
"To Kill a Mockingbird," you sighed.
"Oh," he said, reaching into a desk drawer and pulling it out.
He handed the book to you.
"There we go,?" he paused.
"Y/N," you told him.
"Y/N," he smiled.
"And the $1000 you owe needs to be paid within the week," you told him.
"How about I take you out to dinner and we call it even?" He asked.
"How about you pay the fine, and then we'll see about dinner?" you responded, walking away.
Two days later, you were texting your friend that you were about to get off work when someone knocked on the desk in front of you.
"How can I help you?" you asked, putting your phone away and looking up.
Shawn was in front of you.
"I believe this is where I pay the fine?" he asked.
You smiled and nodded.
He handed you a credit card.
"Here you go, Y/N," he smiled.
You paid the fee, handing him back the card.
"All done, Mr. Spencer," you said.
"That's it?" he asked.
"Oh, there is one more thing. Can I see your library card?" you asked.
"Sure," he said, handing it to you.
You took out the pair of scissors from under your desk and cut it in half.
"You are banned from all libraries in Santa Barbara," you declared.
Shawn gaped at you.
Then, he shook it off.
"So, about dinner?" he asked.
"Now?" you asked.
"Why not? What could happen?" he asked.
You grabbed your things, seeing your replacement enter.
"Okay," you nodded.
"Okay?" he repeated.
"Okay," you said.
"Okay," he smiled.
He held out his arm and you laughed, taking it.
He walked you outside.
"By the way, I never even finished To Kill a Mockingbird," he told you.
"After three years?" you questioned.
"There weren't any pictures."