Elizabeth Duncan - A Killer's Christmas in Wales

“Victoria, come back, please, now. Don’t ask any questions. Just come back.”

Penny pressed the button to end the call and with a dreadful desperation began turning over the things on her desk. Why is it, she wondered vaguely, when you’ve lost or misplaced something you keep looking for it in the same place? If it wasn’t there the first time you looked, why would you expect it to be there the second time? Or the third? Or the fourth?

She checked the floor around her desk and then hurried down the hall to Rhian’s reception desk.

“Rhian, stop what you’re doing and help me look for that jewelry box. Clear everything off your desk right now, please.”

Rhian did as she was told, but as Penny dreaded, the box was nowhere to be seen. She stepped back from Rhian’s desk just as a breathless Victoria burst through the door.

Penny gestured toward her office and the two women walked quickly down the hall.

“For God’s sake, Penny, what is it? What’s happened? I’ve been imagining all kinds of awful things on my way here. Tell me what’s happened.”

“You know that snowflake brooch Gareth gave me? It’s gone missing. I’ve looked everywhere and I can’t find it.”

“It’ll turn up, surely,” Victoria said. “You probably set it down somewhere where it didn’t belong, and when you least expect to see it, there it’ll be.”

Penny shook her head and whispered, “No. The brooch was in its little box, and I remember very clearly putting it in my bag this morning and then closing the zipper. I came here, set the bag down on the reception desk, went to the jeweler’s, came back here, and when I looked for it, it was gone. Rhian and I have looked everywhere.”

“Right. Well, before we panic, call the jeweler and see if you left it there.”

“No,” said Penny emphatically. “I didn’t take it out of my bag. He had already done the appraisal, so he didn’t need to see the brooch. In fact, he made it.”

“Oh, right. OK, well then, go home and look for it there. Perhaps you only think you put it in your bag, and it’s sitting on the table or counter or wherever you had your bag. Is that possible?”

Penny pursed her lips and closed her eyes. “I suppose it might be possible if I didn’t remember so clearly setting it in my bag. I will look at home, though, just in case.”

Victoria made an apologetic little gesture that included a shrug and something approaching a grimace.

“Was it very valuable, or dare I ask?”

Penny handed Victoria the appraisal document. Victoria’s lower jaw dropped and she breathed in sharply.

“The awful thing is I know I should call the police, but I can’t bear to tell him I lost it,” Penny said. She hesitated. “One thing, though, did cross my mind, and that is that the jeweler who did the evaluation told me he had made the brooch. I was thinking maybe I could ask him to make a duplicate, and then I wouldn’t have to tell Gareth.”

“No,” said Victoria. “You don’t want to do that. You know you don’t.”

“No, I guess I don’t. But I really don’t want to tell him, either.”

Victoria brightened. “Look, how about this? Go home and see if it’s there. I really hope it is, but if it isn’t, then call Bethan, and ask her to come and see you. You can talk to her about it. She’ll know what to do and how to handle this.”

Penny considered the suggestion.

“Here’s the thing, Penny. It’s an expensive piece of jewelry. If it’s been stolen, the police need to know that. There may be others. And besides, telling them is probably the only way you’ll get it back.”

Seeing the wisdom in that, Penny agreed and reached for her coat and then gave a little start.

“Oh, no,” she said. “I’ve just remembered something. Mrs. Lloyd and Florence came in for a chat. We were in the quiet room, and at one point, Florence excused herself to go the loo. If Rhian was away from her desk and Florence spotted the bag just sitting there, she might have…”

“Don’t jump to conclusions. Go home, and if it’s not there, call Bethan.” She started to leave and then turned back.

“And contact Jimmy. He’s got connections that might be useful.”

A few months ago, at a seniors’ home in Llandudno, Penny had met an elderly man who, in his younger days, had been one of the best break-and-enter artists in the area. If anyone could find out quickly who was trying to fence a stolen diamond brooch, it would be Jimmy.

Sergeant Bethan Morgan closed her notebook and leaned forward.

“All right, Penny. Have you told me everything that happened since you unpinned the brooch from your dress this morning? You’re sure you didn’t leave anything out? Even the smallest detail can be important.”

“Yep. That’s everything that happened.” Penny unclasped her hands. “As you can imagine, I’ve gone over and over it in my mind. I haven’t been able to think about anything else.” She took a moment to collect her thoughts while Bethan waited to see what she would say next.

“What about Florence? I guess you’ll have to speak to her,” Penny said.

“Yes, I will. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Florence may have seen someone when she was out in the hall.”

“I didn’t think of that. But, tell me, do you think she could have taken it?”

“Penny, I don’t think anything at this point. One of the first things you learn in this job is not to assume or make quick judgments. We’ll keep an open mind, investigate, and see what turns up. Now then, when Florence returned from the loo, did you notice any change in her demeanor? Was she fidgety? Seem uneasy? Anxious to leave?”

Penny thought for a moment. “No, I don’t think she was any different.”

Bethan wrote a few words in her notebook.

“And what about Gareth? Will you tell him?” Penny asked.

Bethan gave her a wry look. “You know I have to. He’d be very annoyed when he finds out later and he didn’t hear it from us. And of course, he will find out. There’ll be a report and he’ll read it. But for now, let’s see what happens, shall we?” She gave Penny a soft, reassuring look. “I can tell you he’ll be very understanding, not to mention extremely motivated to find the brooch and the person who took it.”

Bethan looked at her watch. “Right, well, I’d best get on it. But I’m really glad you told me. We’ve had a few incidents of theft reported and, you never know, this might tie in with those.”

“Thefts? What kind of thefts?”

“Little things taken from shops. Nothing nearly as valuable as this.”

She stood up. “Thefts like this are crimes of opportunity,” she explained. “Someone saw your unattended bag, unzipped it, saw the little box on top, and just snatched it. It was all over in seconds. The receptionist pops out for a moment, the coast is clear, the thief is in and out. And he counts on the theft not being discovered for a while, and in the meantime all kinds of people have come and gone. And you might have even forgotten the details of when you last had it.”

“Those other thefts,” said Penny, “I don’t suppose you could tell me about them. Or let me have a look at the file?”

“Have a look at a confidential police file? Absolutely not,” replied Bethan with a smile. “That would be completely against proper police procedure. But I don’t suppose anyone would notice if I happened to take a photocopy.”

She took the evaluation form Penny offered her, glanced at it, and then tucked her notebook in her pocket as they made their way to the front door.

“We’ve been that busy with the opening of the new spa that Christmas has completely slipped my mind,” said Penny. “But it’s almost upon us. We’d love to have you join us, if you can.”