Анна Керн - Deadly Diamond

“My ex told me that she’s been harassing you,” he said apologetically.

Alyx looked up, surprised, and turned to face him. “She told you she followed me home and almost sideswiped me?”

Now it was his turn to be surprised. ”No, she didn’t tell me that. She said she called you several times during the night, but she said nothing about following you. How do you know it was Joann? Did you see the driver?”

“No. It was too dark.”

“How about the car? Did you see the color or make?”

Alyx shook her head. “What kind of car does she drive?”

“A black BMW. Alyx … listen, I’m sorry about all this. I had a long talk with her and she promised not to bother you again. This isn’t like Joann; she has more class than that.”

“You came here to make excuses for her?”

“No, Alyx, I came here …”

Alyx put her hand up to stop him from continuing. “She says she’s going to stop? What does she want you to do in return?”

He took a deep cleansing breath, “She wants to have dinner with me once or twice a month. I agreed. It seems like precious little if that’s what it takes to stop her from bothering you.”

Alyx got up slowly, and ponderously walked to her desk as if she were trying to get herself under control.

“ Bothering me? That’s what you call it? I call it stalking me. Thanks for trying to protect me, David, but don’t do me any favors, I think I’m capable of taking care of myself. Now, if you don’t mind I have some work to do.”

He didn’t move. “It won’t last long, Alyx. I promise. She’ll get tired of me.”

“David, please go.”

He lingered at the door. “I’ll call you.”

“I don’t think you should do that for a while.”

She turned her back to him, waited for him to leave before she answered the phone, and for the next half hour listened without really hearing a client describe the decorating elements of the private home she was staying at in Palm Beach.

Maggie returned about an hour later and asked her if she’d found anything important in the condominium. Alyx showed her the silver object I’d found that Alyx had now wrapped in a tissue.

“Murfy dug up something very interesting.”

“That’s a nitroglycerine pill case, isn’t it? Where did he find it?” asked Maggie.

“I saw him digging at the base of the stairs where I’d found Althea’s body. He alternately tried to dig it out with his paws and pick it up with his teeth. I’m afraid he probably wiped off any prints, or at least smudged them pretty good.”

“It’s still a clue, one that would have been overlooked otherwise.” said Maggie, examining the case closer, without touching it. “It looks like this was attached to something.”

“It’s like the one Al Jacobs clips to his belt loop,” said Alyx, “It might belong to whoever killed Althea.”

“Which means the killer would be someone with a heart condition.”

“In other words, someone with a bad heart and a motive––no pun intended,” joked Alyx.

“Are you going to turn it over to Detective Smarts?”

“Eventually.”

“Won’t you get in legal trouble if you don’t? You should call David and ask him what to do.”

Alyx’s emotions flared. “I can’t ask David.…”

With that, Alyx told her all about David’s visit, and Maggie put her arm around her shoulders. “David will work it out with his ex, honey. You’ll see.”

“I’m not so sure he can,” said Alyx. “He said he’s doing this...this business of allowing himself to be intimidated into seeing his ex-wife for me, but I can’t help but think it’s because he hasn’t disconnected from her yet. She’s manipulating him, Maggie. I can’t help wondering what else she’ll coerce him into doing next. Don’t you see where this is going?”

Maggie tried to calm her down. It was apparent Alyx was in no mood for logical arguments; she was hurt, and, yes, she admitted, she was jealous.

“I want him to be free of his ex-wife, not to get more entangled.”

She walked out of the workroom and stopped to listen when she overheard a customer ask Bernice what she found most enjoyable about working at Antiques & Designs.

“That’s easy. It’s the people who walk through the front door,” Bernice answered. “I’ve watched people come and go through that door and wondered about their lives just by the look on their faces. Couples come in sometimes so in tune with each other that they don’t even have to speak, and you say to yourself, ‘that’s how I want my marriage to be. What can I do to make it like that?’ I see single women obviously starting over––not sure that they can make it on their own, going forward anyway, and you have to admire their strength and be inspired to get over any little setback you might be experiencing. Then there are the older couples who look so much alike you think they’re genetically related; their hair is cut in the same style, and you know they must use the same hair color.”

The customer laughed at that. “You should write a book; you certainly have an endless source of material.”

“Maybe one of these days,” said Bernice, “when I have more time to play.”

A wistful smile whispered over Alyx’s lips. Was she wondering what her customers saw when she came into view? Did they see a strong, successful woman, or the one scared to take a chance on love? I wondered that myself.

At home that night, I told my housemates about the day’s events. They understood that whoever had dropped that pill case must be frantic to get it back, and that meant vigilance on all of our parts. The plan was as before; Pooky, would be in charge of security at home, while Misty and I had the store.

“Cats are glorious creatures––who must on no accounts be underestimated. Their eyes are fathomless depths of cat-world mysteries.”

––Lesley Anne Ivory (from Glorious Cats: The

Paintings of Lesley Anne Ivory)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: Far Away Places Not Far from Home

Mornings at Antiques & Designs are usually slow, and everyone is relaxed, enjoying their morning coffee. Customers trickle in until lunchtime when it starts to get busy. I monitor what goes on whether there is one customer in the store or twenty.

A young couple walked in that I’d never seen before and Alyx greeted them warmly.

“Hi, Alyx, remember us … Melissa and Sean?”

“Of course, I do. We sat at the same table at the masked ball. I’m so glad you decided to stop in.”

Melissa looked over at Sean, “We’re ready to start looking to buy. I wanted to see those items you told me about, so that when we look for a place to live, we’ll know approximately what size and room configuration to look for.”

“That’s very smart of you.”

Melissa put her arm around Sean’s waist, her eyes bright with adoration. “It was Sean’s idea.”

The first item Alyx wanted to show them was Althea’s bed. She never made it to the rear of the store, however, as Melissa spotted the slant-front desk, and Alyx knew she wasn’t going to be interested in looking at anything else.

“Oh…honey, isn’t it beautiful!” I’ve always wanted a desk like this. I love all the little pigeon holes, and the leather top. And look at the inlaid work, Sean.”

“It’s really not my style, a little too delicate for my taste,” he said, and then seeing the disappointment on her face, he quickly added, “It’s perfect for you, though. If you like it, let’s get it. How much is it?”

“I’m sorry; this desk isn’t for sale right now. I promise I’ll let you know if I decide to sell it. I have some other pieces from the same estate that you might like though,” she said pointing them to the rest of the items from Althea’s condominium.