Page 79 of Gem Warfare

“The dead guy’s son.Apparently.Gideon Black. Ben Rafferty.He’s in town!”

“The rat! I can’t believe he showed up.”

“If itishim. That’s what we’re going to find out.”

“What do you think he wants? Why would he visit Bea? Do you think he’s going to seduce her and swindle her?” Lily’s questions came thick and fast.

“I can imagine he wants answers about his father’s death but I don’t know why he thinks Bea has any or how he even knew whom she was or where to find her.” I paused. “I suppose he couldn’t go to the police and the landlady has passed so Bea was the next best thing.”

“He could go to the police. They’d know more.”

“No, I meant there’re multiple warrants out for Gideon’s arrest across the country. If it’s him, he must be clutching at any tentative connection to find information and you know how charming he is. Of course he went to talk to Bea. Throw in flowers and charm, and he expected her to sing like a canary.”

“He is charming,” agreed Lily. “And handsome.”

“Annoyingly so.”

“I’m surprised he didn’t just go straight to you and try hiring you.”

“I’m sure he knows I wouldn’t be happy to see him. Plus, he can’t possibly know I’m involved.”

Lily raised her eyebrows. “I wouldn’t place a bet on that.”

I thought about that. I wouldn’t either. Then I thought about the creepy feeling of being watched and shivered. What if Gideon were watching me already? What if he were stalking me, looking for an opportunity to get more information? Of course, I could understand why he wanted to know what had happened to his father but what if he knew about the jewels too? What if he’d always known about them but thought his father had run off with them, abandoning him. If he knew that wasn’t the case, then perhaps he felt the jewels were his inheritance. If he knewabout them at all.

If, if,if.

I needed more than that.

Of course if he were looking for answers, perhaps he hadn’t known where his father had been all this time.

I hoped Bea would have some answers for me.

When we pulled up outside the Harmony Retirement Village, I waited a full minute but no cars passed by or drew up behind us. That reassured me.

“Why are you being so jumpy?” asked Lily, looking at me curiously.

“No reason,” I said, not wanting to freak her out.

We were almost across the road when several motorized scooters zoomed out of the driveway and aimed directly at us. Lily froze.

“Outta the way!” yelled the man in front. He brandished his cane, pointing ahead. “Charge!” he cried and the others hurtled after him.

I grabbed Lily’s hand and leapt onto the sidewalk, dragging her behind me, dropping her hand so we could both catch our balance before we lost our footing.

An orderly in pale blue scrubs tore around the wall and raced after the tearaways. A moment later, another man in scrubs hurried after them, checking both directions. “Which way did the crazy old people go?” he asked, pausing and heaving for breath.

“That way,” I said, pointing towards the man in blue as he ran down the street, the cavalcade in sight until they screeched around a corner.

“Thanks,” he wheezed and took off after them.

“I hope they make it,” said Lily looking after them wistfully.

“Do you know where they’re going?”

“No, but I know they need to make it.”

I shook my head, unwilling to enter into whatever fantasy Lily was entertaining. The most important thing was confirming Bea wasn’t amongst the marauding elderly. I hoped that meant we’d find her in her apartment or playing something sedate like Scrabble.

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