Page 18 of A Breath of Life
Echo soaked up the attention she received but never moved from her spot at my side. No one tried to pet her, so for once, I didn’t have to grump at anyone. Her weight against my leg grounded me.When I needed extra support, she was within reach, and I ran my fingers through her fur or scratched her floppy ear. Echo defused my hair-trigger temper without even trying. She calmed the storms that had raged inside me all my life. I didn’t know how I had lived without her.
Tallus and I shared looks on occasion as we waited for Joshua’s verdict. All we had gotten from the man so far were scattered hums and annoying mouth noises that meant nothing. I earned a few wary glances, but that was typical.
Tallus seemed to grow bored and studied the contents of the display cases as he wandered about.
I studied him, curious what he was thinking, returning to that troubling conversation about rings. Fucking rings. Really? He wanted a fucking ring? A proposal? A wedding?
Nope. Process later.
After a time, Joshua set down a final instrument and rested his hands on the counter, bracketing the card. “Well, this is quite unique. Exquisite, to be honest. I’ve, um… never seen anything like it. The quality is simply superb.”
Instantly alert, Tallus leaned against the counter and glanced between the card and the jeweler. “What’s it made of?”
“Well…” Joshua stood taller, if not stiffer, than before. “The main body, the black, is titanium, but its craftsmanship is incredible. The cuts and angles are marvelous. Precise. A sophisticated patterning, and it makes a lovely backdrop. The inner core of the card is crafted from twenty-four-carat gold. It’s not plated, but filled, which significantly increases its value. I honestly didn’t believe it at first, but the marking I discovered is authentic and accurate.”
He offered Tallus the magnifying device and showed him where it was located.
“What does that mean?” I asked. “Filled?”
“When something is gold-filled as opposed to gold-plated, it means the layer is much thicker. At least five percent, which makes it more durable and also more expensive. Now, the inlaid spade. This is outstanding. It’s—”
“Silver, right?” Tallus said, handing back the instrument.
Joshua shook his head with a tight grin. “No. It’s platinum.”
Tallus’s eyes bugged. “No fucking way.”
“Indeed. Exquisite, like I said, and engraved beautifully. The artistry is wonderous.” Joshua carefully turned the card to show the design on the back. “Here we have more gold and titanium. Again, the craftsmanship is superb. The interlocking pieces flow flawlessly into one another. It’s smooth and elegant.” At this, he ran a gloved finger over the surface. “No ridges, except where it’s engraved within the spade on the other side. The stones here are pure onyx. Truly magnificent.”
“What’s it worth?” I cared less about the breakdown than I did the final verdict.
Joshua whistled, brows raising as he waffled his head from side to side. “There are more tests to be done, and I would want to consult with a colleague before giving you—”
“Ballpark,” I interrupted. “I don’t need exact figures. Give me a rough estimate.”
Joshua gnawed his lip and stared into the middle distance for a beat. “Knowing what I know. I would say… roughly ten to fifteen grand. Likely more.”
Not caring about fancy gloves and smudging the precious metals, I grabbed the card and leather pouch off the counter and handed them to Tallus. “Put it away. Now we know. Let’s get out ofhere.”
Tallus, visibly stunned by the estimate and gawping like a fish, didn’t immediately register my statement. Knowing my boyfriend, he was likely tripping over dollar signs inside his head.
When the gears finally caught, Tallus fumbled and sputtered as he put the card back in its pouch. “T-ten to fifteengrand? Are you sure?”
Joshua smirked. “At least, and I would lean more to the latter number. Like I said, possibly more.”
“That’s… Oh my god. D… D, did you… Is this… We have to… Oh, wow, I’m dizzy.” He clutched the counter. Tallus was officially broken.
I snagged his arm to keep him upright and addressed Joshua. “I assume this meeting is protected under client confidentiality?”
The man frowned and hesitated, flashing his gaze once at a flabbergasted Tallus before responding. “I… That’s not a thing in the jewelry industry. In fact, by law, if we suspect—”
I leaned over the counter, getting in the man’s space and making him stumble back a step. “Make it a thing, or I won’t be back.” Lowering my voice, I added, “I could be a rich man in a few days, and my boyfriend, as you can see, has a hard-on for expensive shit, including jewelry, apparently. I can always take my business somewhere else.”
Joshua might have been too posh for my liking, but he wasn’t stupid, and I suspected he made most of his money on commission. Standing straighter and nodding furiously, he stammered, “My lips are sealed. P-please, take my card.” Rooting around the countertop, he found what he was looking for, and with a noticeable tremble in his hands, he held a slim business card between us.
I tore it from his grasp and skimmed the details before meeting the jeweler’s eyes. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Stroud.”
Yanking Tallus by the arm, I left the store. My boyfriend stumbled to keep up, staring after Joshua the entire time while blubbering, “Tento fifteen grand? Ten to fifteen grand. Did you hear that? That can’t be right.Or more, he said. You heard that, too? I didn’t imagine it?”
