Page 50 of Out of the Shadows
Tess pulled up the Bishop report on her computer. “Near downtown,” she muttered and clicked through to street view. “Not a very good neighborhood by the looks of it.”
“Where’s the lawyer located?”
“Oh, I see what you’re thinking—his office is also downtown, but in a high-rise.”
“Mom,” Margo said, “call them, you can get them to talk.”
Ava looked at her with an expression that said,I can’t move mountains.
Then she picked up the letter and went into her office.
“She’ll get something,” Margo said with confidence.
Fifteen minutes later, Ava returned. “Charlie Barrett did in fact meet with Mrs. Willis’s lawyer yesterday afternoon. He brought a picture of an antique box that contained a diamond-and-sapphire necklace. Also in the box was a note from Mrs. Willis to John Thornton about the history of the necklace. The lawyer asked where he’d obtained the piece, and Charlie told him he’d bought it at an auction and wanted to know more about it and where he could get it appraised, because he planned to give the necklace to his wife.”
Margo winced. “Any reputable auction house would have an appraisal available to bidders.”
“That is correct,” Ava said. “The lawyer was suspicious. However, he knew that John Thornton had died and therefore didn’t suspect foul play in how Charlie had obtained the piece. He even provided Charlie with a copy of the appraisal that Mrs. Willis had done five years before she passed. The piece is worth—” she cleared her throat “—a hundred thousand dollars.”
“Holy shit,” Margo said.
“But the lawyer said John was bequeathed two items—the necklace, which was custom made for Mrs. Willis by a master jeweler for her tenth wedding anniversary. And a Burma ruby.”
“Is that something pricey?” Margo asked. She knew next to nothing about jewelry.
“Only the most expensive ruby out there,” Tess said. She turned to their mom. “Are you serious?”
“Yes. It’s two carats and worth just over two million dollars.”
Margo couldn’t speak.
“What happened to the ruby?” Tess said, almost breathless.
“The lawyer didn’t mention the ruby to Charlie because, as I said, he was suspicious. But once we got our credentials out of the way—and chatted about common acquaintances—he told me the ruby was stored in a special compartment in the same jewelry box. Charlie may not even know it’s there.”
“The third bidder,” Margo muttered. “He knew. Maybe he didn’t know where it was, but he figured it out after the auction was posted.”
“And tried to steal it first,” Tess said.
“And figured out who Charlie was. That’s why he cut into his safe. That’s why he went to Laura’s house, thinking he might have given it to her. But why not search her bedroom?”
“Perhaps,” Ava said, “they were looking for where Charlie had gone, since he hadn’t returned home, and thought Laura might have contact information.”
Tess said, “John Thornton was a widower. He left behind a son and daughter and five grandchildren. All local. The son—John Jr.—is a high school math teacher, and the daughter, Abigail, is a stay-at-home mom. Her husband is a police officer down in Queen’s Creek.”
“They could sue for the jewelry,” Ava said, “but I doubt they would win the case. They would have to prove either theft or fraud, and that would be difficult, especially now that John is deceased.”
“So where do we think Charlie is now?” Tess asked.
“Driving back here?” Margo said. “Want to bet he’s going straight to Laura’s house to give her the necklace? Completely oblivious to everything that’s been going on here. But that third bidder wants the jewels. As soon as Charlie comes back into the picture, he’s in danger.”
“Who is that guy? Someone who worked for the lawyer?” Tess asked.
“My guess? Mrs. Willis’s grandson.” Margo tapped her computer screen. “She had two daughters, one daughter had a son, Jerry Aberdeen. He’s thirty-five, lives in San Diego according to the obituary. Maybe you can find more about him. Like a photo that we can compare with what Rapperson’s lawyer sent.”
“Great idea.” Tess started typing and Margo saw their mother nodding her approval.
Margo had never thought she needed a team as a PI. She still liked working alone, picking her own cases, planning her investigation.
