Avery stopped reading. “There’s more, but that’s the relevant part I remembered. I guess Nate didn’t know Francesca had gotten to meet Renell in person—at least someone did. He’s so adamant that he only communicate with Goldie and me. He never says why, but don’t you think the way he’s so specific with all of this is a little strange?”
“I wish I’d had the benefit of meeting the man. He definitely sounds concerned about getting all the details on record here,” Art said. “Maybe something about Francesca rubbed him the wrong way? Have you ever known that to happen with any of the other jobs you’ve had through MOA?”
She shook her head. “No. If anything, people seem to love working with her. She’s well-spoken and sharp, and she sort of has this way of making whoever she’s with feel special. It’s not just Sir Robert, though I admit he’s totally obsessed with her.”
“It seems she wasn’t successful at making Renell feel special,” he said. “What’s this?” He pointed at another email in the same thread between Avery and Renell.
“He was replying to my request asking if we could meet in person. Of course he said no.”
“Not that part. Here.”
She read aloud. “ ‘There is an important matter we should speak about after the authentication is completed.’ ”
“I take it you never had a chance to speak with him about whatever he’s referencing?”
“No. This is so maddening. I wish he’d been more forthcoming. I’m sure he felt it wasn’t safe.”
“I know the investigation’s still in process for Renell’s murder,” Art said. “I haven’t heard yet whether anything helpful was found in Renell’s hotel room. I’d love to know what his aversion to Francesca is.”
“She’s somehow in the middle of this,” Avery said. “Dad and Mom wouldn’t have put these photos on this flash drive without good reason. I don’t know this man.” She pointed to the dark-haired man Francesca was with in the first photo. “But Francesca does. These photos are significant; we just don’t know in what way. Especially since Dad risked his safety—and, by extension, ours—in order to add the most recent photo of Francesca and Renell. That must be why the bank manager reacted so strangely when I said both my parents had passed; he’d been in recently to add to the flash drive.”
“Definitely important.”
Avery pointed at the screen. “Renell met with Francesca on June second, the same day he had the ruby couriered to Goldie. He didn’t waste any time after this meeting. Art.” She swiveled in her chair to face him. “I know who we can ask.”
Chapter
Twenty-One
Avery made it to the Manhattan office early Tuesday morning and had coffee brewing when Sir Robert arrived.
“Oh, it smells delicious in here! Where’s your car? I didn’t see it outside. Thought you’d be at MOA today,” Sir Robert said.
“The Jeep’s in the shop,” Avery said, her first lie to Sir Robert. She and Art had vehemently disagreed on several points. Art wouldn’t budge on his stance that Sir Robert was not to be told about the explosion or the visit to the bank. Avery had tried to convince Art that no matter what was going on with Francesca, Sir Robert couldn’t possibly be in on it. But Art’s cop brain didn’t see it that way. “I have a rental. And I’m heading to MOA in a bit but had some things to work on here this morning.”
“Any word on Micah?” Sir Robert asked. He set his briefcase at his desk and moved through the shop to the back, turning on the rest of the lights.
“I talked to Noah on the way in. Micah’s in critical but stable condition in the ICU. I hate how that sounds.”
Sir Robert nodded. “That’s a non-update. It tells us nothing. And how are you, after your day yesterday?”
“A little shaken up from finding Micah on my own that way. But nothing I won’t survive.”
“Now, I didn’t quite catch all of it. You decided to use your lunch break to go and check on Micah, and when he didn’t answer, you used your key? And he’d been shot? It’s just so hard to believe!”
She nodded. “The police are pretty sure it has something to do with our assignment. The ruby and now the medallion.” The coffeemaker finished, and she poured them each a cup. She looked at Sir Robert over her shoulder. He appeared to be texting someone on his phone. “Are you still three sugars, no cream?” she asked.
“Absolutely. Leopards don’t change their spots, you know. Thank you, Avery,” he said as she set his coffee on his coaster.
She set hers down next to his at his desk and then dragged her chair over, sitting near him. She tried not to think about her phone in her pocket. She’d dialed Art on arrival this morning and kept the line connected while he muted his end. “I need to talk to you about something, Sir Robert.”
He raised his eyebrows and gave her a small grin. “Of course. Oh no. Is this about your turkey sandwich in the refrigerator that went missing?”
She smiled. “Nope, though I suspect Micah.”
“Good. Yes. It was definitely Micah.”
“I need to ask you about a few things concerning Francesca.”
“Oh? She’s stopping by in a bit; shall we wait? Then you can ask her directly.”
“No. I’d like this to stay between us, please.” Avery took a deep breath. “Were you aware that she met with our collector who submitted the ruby? She met Renell in person.”
Sir Robert’s expression didn’t change. “No, but that’s her job.”
“It’s just . . . he was extremely reclusive with me and Nate and even Goldie. None of us was ever able to actually meet with him, though we tried. Nate said none of MOA’s team had ever seen him in person.”
“Nate must not have been aware of Francesca’s meeting with him, then. Or . . . and maybe I shouldn’t suggest this, but it should be said . . . perhaps Nate has something to gain by twisting information.”
“Like what?”
Sir Robert shrugged. “Who knows? But I’ve seen the rivalry there. Francesca has put her time in, she travels looking for good opportunities, she’s got all the contacts, she’s responsible for bringing in many more acquisitions than Goldie’s grandson. But you’ve met him. He’s just waiting for his next step up that corporate ladder.”
“I do see that,” Avery admitted. Art had told her not to push. There was always the chance that Sir Robert was in cahoots with Francesca in some way, though she was still having trouble wrapping her head around that possibility.
“All set then?” Sir Robert sipped his coffee.
“Almost.” She leaned back in her chair. “Sir Robert, you know I’ve been going through my parents’ notes from the Emperor’s Twins case. I noticed that my mother signed the certificate of authenticity two days early. It was turned in to Goldie June eighth, but Mom signed June sixth.”
“Yes. Micah asked me about that too. It does seem odd.” Sir Robert’s brows were drawn together in puzzlement.
“So you don’t know what compelled her to sign early? It was the day of the accident.”
He shook his head. “I wish I could help you with that one. I’m sorry.”
Avery pushed on. “I thought perhaps if I got a look at the original instead of just our fuzzy yellow copy—which has since been stolen—then maybe I could at least verify that it really was her signature on the front page. It’d be so much clearer to read. Then I’d know for sure that it was just an anomaly, she signed early for whatever reason, and it’d stop nagging at me.”
“That’s a good idea. Goldie would have the original. I’m sure she could show it to you.”
“Ah, good idea. I’ll have to ask her.” Avery bit the inside of her cheek. Careful, careful. Art had warned her not to give anything away, and to their knowledge, Sir Robert might not know about the original being stolen. “I’ve got to ask: how did Goldie receive the certificate that Monday? My parents were gone, obviously. And I’m told Micah was out that day, as he was too distraught to work.”
“That was an awful day. An awful time.
The work seemed so much less important in light of the loss. I wasn’t involved in that assignment, but I did know of it, as high profile as it was. We found the certificate on Micah’s desk, complete and ready to be submitted. I believe your mother must have left it there for him in case he came in before she did Monday morning. Your parents would typically go straight to MOA when they had a case there, and then Micah would meet them later to pitch in and discuss findings. Much the same as the two of you seem to operate now.”
Avery frowned. “I wonder why she wouldn’t have planned on taking it directly to Goldie herself on Monday,” she mused.
“Oh, your parents and Micah always held a little quarterbacking session prior to submitting certificates or reports. I’m sure she wanted to make sure Micah reviewed it before it went to Goldie.”
That made perfect sense, especially in light of William’s message to Micah saying they needed to talk before the certificate was completed. Though that alone made it more unlikely that her mother had signed it early.
We. Sir Robert had said the word we. Art’s voice in her head told her not to push, but she needed to know. “Who found the certificate on Micah’s desk? You said we, but Micah wasn’t here.”
“Francesca did!” He smiled at Avery. “Good thing, too; I wouldn’t even attempt to find anything in that organized chaos,” he said, looking over at Micah’s desk. “She always seems to be in the right place at the right time. So helpful.” He smiled at the photo he kept on his desk of the two of them at a swanky fund raiser last Christmas.
“Oh! Good thing, for sure.” She suddenly remembered what it was that had nagged her so since last night, concerning Prince Ivan. The couple had said they’d gotten their beautiful rings from a little shop below the High Line, and Goldie had remarked that she thought it was the same shop that handled some of their collector’s independent appraisals. She hadn’t been sure, but she’d said Nate would know for certain. Avery was almost positive the place Prince Ivan’s husband Colin had mentioned was Rizzolo’s. “I’m off to MOA. Will you be here for a while yet?”
“I’m afraid so. I thought we had the Barnaby’s auction house account in the bag, but I have one last meeting tomorrow and I need to prep.”
“You’re the best,” Avery said, smiling. “I’m sure you’ll convince them. Oh! I almost forgot. I noticed on the Emperor’s Twins intake form that the collector agreed to take the medallion for a third-party appraisal before he submitted it to MOA.” She’d indeed noticed, both when she and Tilly were browsing through the files at home that were later stolen and again last night on the flash drive, but Sir Robert didn’t need to know that little tidbit.
“Yes,” Sir Robert said. “Most collectors don’t take that extra step, but Francesca feels it’s always prudent to recommend.”
“Makes perfect sense. I’m not surprised at all that she’s so thorough,” Avery said, buttering Sir Robert up. Any compliments aimed at Francesca were an indirect compliment to him. Avery could see it in the way his eyes brightened.
“You know,” he said, “I’ve been in this line of work a long time, and I’ve never come across anyone in acquisitions who’s as invested and passionate about their work.”
Avery nodded. “I can see that too. Hey.” She put a hand on the door and turned back, as if her next question was an afterthought. “Does she have preferred places she sends collectors for appraisals? I mean, I know we’d be a conflict of interest for the MOA jobs, since we look at the piece once it’s submitted. I saw a jeweler called Rizzolo’s on the medallion intake form. They must be good for her to recommend them.”
“Never heard of them,” Sir Robert said. He turned toward his computer and pulled the keyboard closer.
Avery groaned inwardly. She really couldn’t tell if he was simply Francesca’s clueless beau or her inside man. “Sir Robert.”
He glanced up from typing.
“I wonder if Francesca pushed Oliver Renell to have the ruby appraised before he submitted it. His intake form says he declined an outside appraisal, but seeing as Francesca met with him—”
Sir Robert interrupted her, finally allowing his exasperation to show. “Avery. How would I know?”
“Renell refused to work with Francesca at all after she met with him,” she blurted, her eyes wide.
“What?”
Avery let go of the doorknob and came back over to Sir Robert. “I should have just come out with it. I’m sorry. I had been emailing with Renell before he died, and after his initial meeting with Francesca, he specifically stated that he refused to work with anyone other than Goldie or me. He was adamant on that point. He seemed almost paranoid about the security of the ruby. If Francesca pushed a little too hard for him to have it appraised beforehand, that could be why.”
Sir Robert sat back in his chair, staring at her. “You’re saying Renell refused to deal with Francesca because he didn’t trust her? Based on nothing but his own paranoia? You think she’s running some kind of racket where she sends people for appraisals and, in return, what? She gets a kickback from the appraiser or something? Rizzolo’s, right? That’s what this whole conversation has been about?” He stood, leaning on his hands and glaring at her.
Avery was stunned at how quickly he’d gotten from point A to point B. She’d mentioned Rizzolo’s only once. “I don’t know. Honestly. I’m trying to make sense of things. You can’t deny there’s a lot of theft and death tangled up in these assignments.”
He threw his hands up in the air. “And now she’s a murderer too. Do you hear yourself right now, Avery Ayers?” His expression was twisted painfully; he looked as if he was about to either cry or explode.
Avery put her hands out in front of her in a calming gesture. She sat down in the chair opposite his desk, looking worriedly at him. “Yes. I hear myself, and I’m sorry. Sir Robert, please, calm down. I didn’t mean to insinuate Francesca had anything to do with anyone dying.”
He sat back down. He looked furious. “If you believe she had anything to do with any of what’s happened, then you might as well accuse me too. Go ahead.”
She shook her head, making her tone cajoling. “No. Listen, I adore Francesca. She’s charismatic and vibrant and interesting, and I know you love her.” She put her hand on the desk, trying to appease him. “I think I have too many small pieces of the puzzle, but I was never given the box, so I have no idea what the big picture looks like. If that makes sense. I’m just asking questions, that’s all. I promise.”
Sir Robert took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I see.”
“I’m sorry.” She stood. “I really am. I never meant to upset you.”
“Join us for dinner tonight,” Sir Robert commanded. “If you had the opportunity to spend some time with Francesca, maybe you could put this line of thinking to rest. Eight o’clock at Mexicana Villa. We choose a different Mexican restaurant every Taco Tuesday. Just come, have a conversation, enjoy a taco. Maybe it will help.”
“I’d love that,” Avery said, relieved that his anger was short-lived. “I’ll see you at eight.”
Half an hour later in MOA’s lab, Art came through the door with the other guard. This time, they each carried a locked case. Avery stood back while both were opened, revealing the Emperor’s Twins medallion and the lone ruby from Oliver Renell.
Art stayed this time, and his partner left. “I don’t care if there’s only one way in and out of here; I’m not leaving you alone today. Especially with Micah gone,” he said.
“Thank you,” she said, looking up at him. “I always feel safer when you’re around.”
Something crossed his features—pleasure or embarrassment; Avery couldn’t be sure which. He didn’t reply but took a seat in front of one of the two lab computers.
“I’m finishing this today,” Avery said, determined. “I was nearly there yesterday.”
“Pretend I’m not here. I’m going to check in with a few people for some updates on Renell’s case and your break-in.”
; They worked in silence. Avery picked up where she’d left off yesterday morning, which seemed like a lifetime ago. She set the scrap of paper with her father’s handwriting on the counter top beside her for reference as she examined the dragon’s existing ruby eye, pulling up her computer simulation of both eyes in place in the medallion for comparison. By early afternoon, she was starving but finally had conclusive results.
She straightened her back, stretching her arms up over her head. This job sometimes meant too many hours hunched over microscopes and dichroscopes and laptop screens. At the other end of the lab, Art had his back to her; he must have finished what he was doing on the computer. He leaned back in his chair, head down, and at first glance Avery assumed he must be on his phone. When she came around to his side, she saw he was sound asleep, his chin on his chest.
She perched on the edge of the workstation and cleared her throat. He awoke with a start, sitting up abruptly and looking up at her. “I wasn’t.”
Avery laughed. “You weren’t what?” She smiled at him. “I get the feeling you find artifact appraisal boring.”
He removed his guard cap and scrubbed a hand through his hair. “Are you kidding? Wait’ll I tell you what I know.” He tipped his head toward the computer. “I heard from Detective Graham.”
“Oooh, really? Tell me.”
“You first,” he said, standing. “I’m guessing you’ve figured something out with our dragon friend over there?”
Ruby Red Herring Page 25
