Page 558 of Lodestar

“Bear left me a key if you recall.”

“I do,” Rachel confirmed. “To a safety deposit box.”

“I fell ill earlier this year. As a result, I lost my job. I had no intention of ever retrieving whatever he left for me, mostlybecause it felt like I’d be opening Pandora’s box. I had no idea what it could be and, as much as I loved him, Bear was the biggest mistake of my life. I compromised my morals for him; I became something I vowed I’d never…” She swallowed. “I said to myself that I’d only open the box if I was desperate, and I never imagined that day would come because I’d have to be on the brink of homelessness before that would happen.”

“You came close to losing your house?” I asked quietly.

Nervously, she nodded. “My boss retired and he was replaced by this corporate youngster with a bank balance for a heart. When he eventually fired me, he refused to write me a recommendation.

"I was too weak to wait tables so I tried to…” She sighed. “You don’t need to know what I’ve done to make ends meet, but I realized how ridiculous I was being when Bear would have provided for me.” Her smile turned wistful as she opened the zipper on her purse and curled something around her fingers. “He always did.”

That was when she revealed a chain of rubies to our astonished eyes.

Peering at the jewels, Rachel queried, “May I?”

“Of course. Bear thought that you’d be able to help me sell them.”

“Me?” Rachel repeated as she lifted the chain to the light. “I’m not a fence. I don’t have?—”

“You’re friends with the Valentinis,” I finished for her, piecing Bear’s intentions together faster than Rachel did.

“You think these are the rubies they’re seeking?” she asked, staring down at the antique settings.

“Why else would Bear think you could sell them for Maria?”

She blinked. “Good point.”

Maria released a relieved breath. “You can find a buyer for me?”

“If they’re authentic, then yes.”

“Bear said they weren’t fakes,” was Maria's worried retort.

“No, I don’t doubt that Bear would… I mean, the person I’m thinking of is looking for a certain item.” Rachel waved a hand. “If they don’t want to buy the rubies, then I’m sure there’s someone in my client list?—”

“List of crooks, more like,” I muttered, earning myself a glower from her.

“—who’d be more than interested in a piece of this quality.” Rachel studied the chain and then glanced at Maria. “I’ll get in touch with the family I’m thinking of now. One of them is my best friend. She’ll give you a more than fair price if it’s the piece they’re seeking.”

“I don’t know what a fair price is,” Maria admitted.

“I’m sure Rachel knows someone who can appraise it on your behalf.”

Rachel nodded. “I can think of a few people. Can you stay in West Orange for a few days so we can make arrangements?”

Maria shook her head. “I promised myself that I’d never stay around here again and I meant it. I’ll head to Verona. It’s cheaper there anyway.”

“Maria, I’ll gladly fund your trip?—”

“I don’t take charity.” Maria grimaced at the rubies. “Usually.”

“You can pay her back with the funds from the sale,” I said simply. “Don’t stay in Verona. Go to the city. You might as well. Any appraiser will be there anyway and so is Aurora Valentini.”

“I can’t afford to!”

Getting to my feet, I snagged the rubies from Rachel’s grip and evaluated the stones. “These are worth a couple million, Maria. You can afford a suite at the Plaza if you want.” I studied the chain which was too long to be a bracelet but too short to bea necklace. The gems were cool to the touch as I inquired, “Why did you wish to speak with me?”

Maria reached into her purse again and, this time, she retrieved a letter and a larger envelope, one that was packed full and sealed with a strip of Scotch tape.

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