Анна Керн - Deadly Diamond

Alyx said, “That’s because those monsters are big enough to cover the whole state!” She added, “I wonder how many insurance policies will be cancelled, next time.”

“Our condo insurance more than doubled last year and so did the insurance I carry for the inside of my unit, although it won’t cost twice as much to replace the contents,” said Maggie.

A man waiting for his take-out order, someone I didn’t know, joined the conversation.

“The insurance companies have changed their philosophy of doing business. It used to be they bet against something happening while we bet it would happen. Now it’s the reverse; they bet that something will happen and charge accordingly. They have us right where they want us and they know it. People are too scared not to carry insurance, and rightly so.”

Maggie redirected the conversation to Novie. “Speaking of insurance, have you heard anything more about the diamond robbery?”

“Chet Hall came in for lunch yesterday, and I asked him about it. He said the police haven’t caught the thief, and they have no leads––they think he had a driver waiting for him outside, or he disappeared into one of the crowded businesses next to the jewelry store. They came in here and asked all of us if we’d seen anyone fitting the description they gave us––we didn’t.”

“The police talked to all of us as well,” said Maggie, “and at our next meeting, Alyx and I are going to suggest that the Merchants Association make a formal request for a greater police presence, especially during peak tourist periods.”

Novie said that after what had happened, she didn’t think there would be any opposition to the suggestion.

Later after lunch and back at the shop, Maggie’s tone of voice said it all when she told Alyx, “She doesn’t like the tiles in the courtyard.”

An audible groan escaped Alyx, “Too bad. We had nothing to do with that. She picked out her own contractor to do that job. I knew we shouldn’t have let her do that.” Alyx looked around the room, and her eyes fell on the rich-toned fabric left over from another job. “Not to worry, Maggie, I have the solution. We simply recover all the cushions with that striped, brick red fabric left over from the Carabba’s home.”

“Do we have enough?”

“Just enough. Do you want to show the fabric to our client first?”

“Not today.”

“Alyx, you’re a genius, you know.”

“No, just a good designer, and so are you.”

“Do you sometimes think we’re too good?”

“You mean because we’re so busy?”

Maggie nodded, “Alyx I need a break after this job.”

“I know you do. It’s hard dealing with the varied personalities of the customers on a daily basis. There are some I’d like to ban permanently from entering the store.”

“That overweight, screaming man who insisted on buying Althea’s desk, for example?”

“Exactly.”

“Listen, I have a few things to take care of, and I think I’ll do that now if you don’t mind,” said Maggie.

“Okay, Maggie, I’ll see you later.”

Alyx measured the fabric, put it back on the shelf, and then pulled the tissue-wrapped pillbox from her purse; she set it down in front of her and perched on the edge of the chair behind the desk. She folded her arms on the desk, and I placed my paw on her forearm, both of us staring at the silver object.

“What do you know, fur-baby? Did you sense something else when you found this?”

Alyx abruptly stood, knocking me off balance, and the flash of insight that was starting to form in my brain disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

Maggie came back to the store a bit later, to pick up some information she’d forgotten, making small talk while she looked for it.

“I had a heartwarming experience at lunch yesterday,” she told Alyx. “I meant to tell you earlier but forgot.”

“Where did you go?”

“I had an errand to run for George, and on the way I stopped at a beach side diner called Betty’s. The first thing I noticed when I walked in was the clientele––they were all senior citizens.”

Alyx raised an eyebrow at that.

“I know that’s not an unusual sight around here. What was unusual was that all the servers looked to be in their seventies, and the cashier had to be well over eighty.

“So what happened?”

“Nothing happened. The interaction among the servers and with the cook was touching. In fact, I thought they were all related, so when I left I had to ask, and it turns out that Betty, the cashier, was the original owner of the diner back in the sixties when they were located on Main Street. She sold the place ten years later, and the new owners moved the diner to its current location. What I find amazing is that all the employees that worked for Betty at the Main Street location stayed on to work for the new owners. No one left, Alyx. They are all still there.”

“That’s a nice story. It says a lot about Betty and the new owners, doesn’t it?”

“We’re nice employers. Do you think Nelda and Bernice will be that loyal?”

“Work ethics aren’t what they used to be. Let’s just say, I won’t take it personally if they decide to leave.”

Maggie eventually found what she was looking for and left. Alyx went looking for Bernice and waited for her to finish up with a customer, then asked, “Do you feel comfortable being left alone for an hour or so?”

“No problem.”

“I have to run a few errands. If anyone’s looking for me, have them call me on my cell, and if they don’t have the number, tell them to call me here, later.”

“Cats are a mysterious kind of folk. There is more passing in their minds that we are aware of.”

––Walter Scott

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: An Amateur Sleuth with a Cat for a Partner

Alyx turned over the small, silver pill case to Detective Smarts––not mentioning that I was the one who’d found it.

“Do you think the killer might have left it behind?” she asked.

“Not necessarily; it could have been dropped by anyone at any time.”

“So, it doesn’t help anything?”

“I didn’t say that, Ms. Hille. Many other things have to come together, such as a suspect, a possible motive, and an opportunity. Of course, we’ll check it for prints.”

“It seems to me, Detective Smarts, you’re taking a lot of time to put those things together, unlike your action in my son’s case.”

Detective Smarts expelled a breath of air from his puffed cheeks. He leaned forward in his chair and looked her directly in the eyes. “Ms. Hille, I’m truly sorry about what happened to your son. At the time, he was the only suspect with motive and opportunity. If it were to happen again, I’d have to say I’d do the same thing. As far as my reluctance to talk to you about the case––I see you as an amateur sleuth with a cat for a partner. No excuses, I just can’t take either one of you seriously.”

Alyx stared at him for a full five seconds before she shook her head and laughed. “I guess I can’t blame you when you put it that way.”

She stood, slipped her bag over her shoulder, and at the same time, extended her hand. “If I can help in any way, as a concerned citizen, let me know. As far as my cat is concerned, I can’t make any promises; he has a mind of his own.”

The handshake said they had a temporary truce. As for me, I didn’t care what Detective Smarts thought of my detective skills. I had a job to do, and I intended to do it.

Unlike Smarts, there were several suspects with motive and opportunity on my list. All I needed was a little help to ferret them out into the open. Although I’d figured out that Simon wasn’t as altruistic as he wanted me to believe, it was necessary that I spend more time with him and his friends see what I could learn. I fervently hoped that I was strong enough to resist the temptation to join forces with him.