Page 76 of Gem Warfare

“Always,” I said. Yet, as I stepped out into the sunshine and headed for my car, I had the strangest feeling that I was being watched.

Chapter Seventeen

My phone buzzed as I reached my car.

“Hi, Mom,” I said.

“Lexi, do you have any news?” she asked, her voice reminiscent of the days when she asked why I’d received detention and didn’t have better grades.

“Um…” I thought about it but before I could answer, Mom continued, “I went to see the Dugans and they told me they’re in the clear, because of course they are. No one could possibly suspect such nice people. You should probably give them the jewels as a thank you.”

“They’re not mine to give.”

“Whom should I call?”

“Garrett, I guess, but he’s not going to just give them to the Dugans. We need to trace where they came from first.”

“And then they’ll get them back?”

“The jewels didn’t exactly belong to them in the first place.”

“When your father and I bought our house, the previous owners left a vase. We kept that.”

“Uh…”

“It was worth two hundred dollars!”

“Okay?”

“We sold it. It was ugly. But it was ours. The house sale was final.”

“I’m happy for you?” I said, frowning and feeling uncertain.

“I went to see Bea today who used to live in the house next door to the Dugans and she was just shocked at all the goings on over there, but do you know what she said? Hmm, Lexi?”

“I’m sure you’re going to-”

“She said Joe’s son had come by to see her today and had brought her flowers. She said he wanted to make sure she wasall right after the horrible news! Wasn’t that thoughtful of him?”

“Wait… what? Charlie Black’s son is in town?” I frowned hard.

“No. Joe Smithson’s!”

“Charlie Black is Joe Smithson’s real name! Hissonis in town?”

“Of course he is! Catch up, darling. I assumed Garrett located him and called him. Bea said she was surprised to see him as she didn’t recall him ever visiting when his father lived next door to her, but she said he remembered her well and he’s obviously a well brought up and successful young man. He was driving a Tesla!”

“Did she get his license plate?”

“No! Why would she do that?”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, not because it was mature, but because my mother couldn’t see me to get the full effect of my exasperation.

“Did he give his name?”

“Joe.”

“The son!”

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