Page 192 of Heartless Legacy

“I agree. This outing would definitely cut into their party time and social life.”

“I was talking about the amount of research and perseverance it takes to figure these clues out and not quitting when you hit a dead end. Nobody can match your energy on that, Holden.”

I give him an appreciative smile. “Thanks, man.” The business card only had seven digits. I called a lot of different area codes before I landed on one that made sense. I don’t know what I’m looking for, but my gut is telling me there’s another clue here.

The air conditioner in the shop is so loud it drowns out the noise coming from the street, and the ticking clocks up against the far side of the wall. “Be with you in a second.” The clerk calls from behind the counter where he’s haggling with a man about a watch.

Finn drifts off to the hunting knife collection and I wander the aisles. The shop isn’t much to look at from the outside, and the inside reminds me more of the thrift shops Thea likes to frequent instead of the pawn shops you see on tv.

I move closer to the watch displays, taking in the antique pocket watch that someone extremely hard up for cash left behind. The display case also has older style Swiss watches, which no one will buy, except for nostalgia’s sake.

The end of the case has necklaces, rings, and bracelets. One bracelet catches my eye. It’s a delicate silver chain with a rose charm, a butterfly, and a key. The design etched in pewter on the fourth charm is familiar. I see it almost every day. Someone’s made a charm to look like the initiate pin.

“What can I do for you?” The clerk asks, finally making his way over to me.

“How much do you want for the charm bracelet?”

“Three grand.”

I look up at him. “Excuse me?”

“Three grand.” He repeats.

“The bracelet is silver-plated, and I can see it’s tarnished on the clasp. It’s gonna turn somebody’s arm green. It’s barely worth five bucks.”

“Look, the person who sold it to me was very clear. I couldn’t sell that bracelet for less than three grand.”

“Did you give them three grand for it?”

“Hell, no.” He snorts. “But they’ve been paying me to keep it on the display shelf for ten years now, and the amount of money they’ve paid exceeds the three they asked me to sell it for.”

Someone wanted this bracelet seen and the price point is astronomical. They had to know that nobody would agree to pay three grand for costume jewelry. Well, I guess I’mnobody.I hand over my card and wait for him to finish ringing it up. He goes into a room in the back and comes out with a wrapped square package before retrieving the bracelet from the case and passes them both to me.

“What’s this?” I ask, staring down at the package in my arm.

“This goes with the bracelet. I don’t know what it is. I never unwrapped it, per the instructions given with the bracelet.”

Finn walks over and scoffs. “I hope to hell you’re not giving that to someone. Their arm will fall off.” He scratches his arms as if just looking at the bracelet is giving him hives. “Three grand?” He looks horrified as he reads the receipt. “Is this a joke?”

I hand him the package to put in his backpack. Once outside, he asks, “Seriously, Holden, tell me you didn’t pay three grand for the bracelet.”

“I did, but I’m pretty sure what I really paid for is whatever’s in the wrapping paper.”

Finn and I brought the box straight to the bunker. He insisted on it, since he thinks Vale Tower’s compromised. He left a few minutes ago to have dinner with his parents. Unwrapping the package reveals an antique jewelry box. Following on my hunch that all clues are connected, I retrieve the key Finn found and slot it in the lock. After three turns, the box pops open and a tune from Stavinksy plays.

Inside the jewelry box is a plastic sleeve with a tattered document in it. I pull out the sleeve and read the neat cursive script on the faded parchment.

To establish our place in the world, we propose an equipoise brotherhood. The joining of the three. Committed to guarding and protecting, influencing policy and procedure, and preserving the history and legacy of our members and the worlds they inhabit.

Signed this day in good faith.

On the left-hand side of it where I assume the first signature line was something with-nakis,in it.I hold the document up to the light.The darkened edges on the scrap of paper appearto be burn marks. Turning the document sleeve around, I find a second scrap of paper behind it that has lines and columns which remind me of old style accounting ledgers.

Is that it? Thea’s clue led me to the cemetery in Colorado, and eventually to Finn’s challenge item. The label plate on the desk sent me to the safe deposit box, and then on to the pawnshop and this jewelry box that Finn’s key opened.

I don’t know what the source of east side money matters means, but it could have something to do with accounting. Or my clue could be totally unrelated to these and connect to another group. I close the box, placing it on an empty shelf, along with the key, and power off my computer. I need to take one of those mental breaks Finn’s always talking about.

“Prospect Sullivan, how can I help you?” I’m asked as I stop at the counter in the archives.

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