by Cindy Bell
“Sounds good to me.” Samantha walked off towards her villa while Jo walked off towards hers. Eddy stood and watched them go, ever-vigilant.
Chapter 9
Alone in her villa, Jo shed her clothes and changed into pajamas. She crawled into her bed with the hope that her exhaustion would slow down her thoughts. The moment her head hit the pillow, they began to race. They were filled with one person. Drew. In her wildest dreams she never thought she would run into Drew again. He was the type of man that a woman never forgot. But he was also the type of man that every woman tried their hardest to forget. He crawled into her heart and settled there, despite her protests. He made an impression on her that lasted a lifetime. Again, she reached up and touched her neck where the necklace should have been. Her eyes closed as her mind traveled back to the day he gave it to her.
“There’s this necklace, called the ‘Rose Diamond’, it’s sought after by every master thief. It’s very valuable, and it would look perfect around your neck.”
“Drew, you know I’m not interested in things like that.”
“I know you say you’re not. I also know that you deserve to have valuable things. Right now, this is the best I can offer. Consider it a place holder for the real deal, okay?” He held out the jewelry box to her. She opened it to find a silver necklace with a small rose charm. It was the first and last gift she received from a man. Though others tried, she always refused. Drew was the last man she allowed to crawl into her heart. Now he was back, not for her, but for that necklace that he was obsessed with.
As Jo began to fall asleep she thought about the sound of his voice, and the curve of his lips. Had she lied to Samantha when she said she let him go for the purpose of getting more information out of him? In the shadows of the room, as her heart slowed into a steady rhythm she wondered if he was capable of killing Valda. There was a time when he would do anything to get that necklace. Did that anything include murder?
* * *
Jo woke up still troubled by the thought that Drew could have killed Valda. She forced herself into the shower and then headed out to her garden. She always found peace with her hands in the dirt. There was a sense of freedom that came with giving life to plants. As she watered a few of her tomato plants she heard someone walk up to the garden. For just a second she hoped that it would be Drew. Instead it was Samantha.
“I heard from my contact. Tony Farie was paroled three months ago.”
Jo dropped the hose. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, and not only that I saw him in the diner the other day,” she said. “The day Valda was murdered.”
“Really?” Jo said bewildered. “How did you know it was him?”
“I managed to get a picture of him and he has this distinctive scar,” Samantha said. “I’ll never forget a scar like that. It is jagged and goes from the base of his hairline to his mouth.”
“That seems like such a coincidence.”
“I know.” Samantha nodded. “I tried to get his last known address, but they couldn’t access it.”
“So, he was in the area on the day of the murder and there is a very good chance he’s still here. There is an even better chance that he’s going to go after Roger.”
“The question is, does he have the necklace?” Samantha frowned. “We still don’t know where it’s ended up.”
“No, we don’t, but I can tell you that if it’s anywhere nearby, Drew and Tony will stick around until it’s found. If Roger somehow kept it, then he is in some serious danger.”
“I think it’s time we had a conversation with our friendly, new neighbor. We need to find out once and for all if he has that necklace,” Samantha said.
“I agree,” Jo said.
“But I’m not sure how we’re going to do that.”
Jo spun the bracelet on her wrist. “I think I can manage it. But we should meet with Eddy and Walt first to let them know what is going on.”
“Yes, we’d better. Do you want to meet up at the café?”
“No, I have a better idea. Let’s meet down by the water, in one of the gazebos. I want whoever might be watching us, whoever might be involved, to know that we are meeting and discussing them.”
“Wow, I thought secrecy was your thing.” Samantha said.
“Normally it is, but in this case a little creativity is going to be required. I think we need to draw them out. We have no idea where Tony is, or where Drew is. We have no idea where Roger might have stashed the necklace.”
“I don’t know if he would have had time to stash it. According to Walt and Eddy he was at the buffet most of the night.”
“That’s why I think it has to be in the house somewhere. If we hadn’t been so rudely interrupted, we would have found out for sure.” She clenched her jaw. “There’s a good chance that Drew will do whatever it takes to get that necklace.”
“Then we need to be extra cautious. You finish in your garden, just join us when you’re done.”
Jo nodded. She started to collect her gardening tools as Samantha walked away. She did her best not to feel it, but there was some disappointment within her that Drew hadn’t bothered to come back in search of her. She did her best to push it out of her mind as she carried her tools to her shed. When she opened the door of the shed she was startled by the presence of a shadowy figure inside. She jumped back, poised to yell for help, but she was too late. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the shed, then slammed the door shut.
Through the shadows Jo could see a very familiar body shape. Even after all of the years they were apart his shoulders and the slope of his neck were exactly the same. She drew long, slow breaths to try to slow down the pounding of her heart. Was he there to kill her?
“Drew, my friend is just outside.”
“Your friend?” He smiled as he stepped closer to her. “No, your friend is already gone. Besides, is she really your friend if she knows nothing about you?”
“Samantha knows a lot more about me than anyone else. She wrote articles about me. She’ll know that something is wrong if I don’t show up to our meeting.”
“Are you afraid of me, Jo?” Drew reached out and touched the curve of her cheek. “Really?”
“Shouldn’t I be? You just pulled me into a dark shed.”
“There was a time when that would have a different effect on you.” He chuckled.
“A long time ago, Drew.”
“Maybe, but time doesn’t change everything, does it, Jo?”
“Why are you here?”
“You know why.”
“I know, for the necklace. But why are you here, in my shed?” Jo queried.
“I’m here because you need to be more careful. You’re lucky it was me that you caught breaking into Clem’s place. It could have been someone else, and you would have faced some serious consequences.”
“I’m lucky? I’m trying to enjoy my peace, my retirement, and you and your band of thieves are interfering with that.”
“My band of thieves?” He laughed. “Okay if you want to put it that way, that’s one perspective. But you’re aware of how dangerous some of these thieves can be.”
“Yes, I haven’t forgotten that.”
“So, you need to back off,” Drew said earnestly.
“I don’t understand why you are even still here?” She squinted to get a clearer view of his face. “Does Clem still have the necklace?”
“No one knows for sure. Most people think he does.”
“And you? You know something, I can tell.”
“I know Tony’s out. I know he’s been in the area. If anyone is going to have it, it will be him.” He shrugged. “In a way it’s rightfully his.”
“Do you think he killed Clem’s wife to get it?” Jo watched his eyes intently. Drew responded with an open gaze.
“I think it’s possible. You still think I did it, don’t you?”
“I don’t know what to think. I did catch you breaking into Clem’s house.”
“And why would I do
that if I already had the necklace?” He shook his head and sighed. “I wouldn’t kill for anyone or anything, Jo, that hasn’t changed. But some of these guys will, and if they think you might have the necklace, which they will once they discover who you are, they will come after you. That’s why you have to stay out of this.”
“Thanks for the advice.” Jo locked her eyes to his. “I think you’ve said enough.”
“Oh?” He stared at her for a moment and then nodded. “All right. But this belongs to you.” He held out the necklace that she gave to Bucky. Jo watched it dangle between them for a moment.
“Are you going to take it? It belongs to you.”
“I gave it to Bucky.”
“I know you did. Now, I’m giving it back to you. Please, I want you to have it.” He drew a slow breath. “I know that things will never be what they once were. But the memories have kept me company throughout the years, and I hope they’ve done the same for you.” Jo took the necklace without saying a word. “I’m going, I’m going.” He held up his hands. “But think about what I said, Jo. This is a dangerous game you’re in the middle of.”
Jo moved aside so that he could exit the shed. It took all of her strength to resist reaching for him. She had let him go once before, and with good reason. She knew that she had to let him go again. Once the door closed behind him, Jo looked down at the necklace. He was right, it did give rise to fond memories. She tucked it into her pocket to put away in her jewelry box later.
When Jo stepped out of the shed she decided to walk down to meet her friends. She wasn’t ready to be alone in her villa. If Drew were to come back, she wasn’t sure what she would do. The path to the gazebo was littered with leaves and grass shreds. Ahead of her she could see Samantha, Walt, and Eddy already at the gazebo. She wondered if she should tell them about her encounter with Drew.
“Jo, over here!” Samantha waved to her. Jo quickened her step. When she reached the gazebo Eddy and Walt were deep in conversation.
“So, he’s moved near here?” Walt asked.
“Yes, about twenty minutes away.”
“Who?” Jo’s heart skipped a beat as she guessed they were speaking about Drew.
“Tony,” Eddy said. “I pulled some strings and I managed to get his address. He’s just registered a new one with the parole board.”
“Great! Then the police should be able to pick him up right now and all of this should be settled.” Samantha sighed with relief.
“Wait, what about the necklace?” Jo looked between them. “If we have the police arrest Tony what if they don’t recover the necklace? Plus we don’t know if Tony and Clem were in on it together.”
Eddy studied her. “Why would Clem work with Tony to kill Valda?”
“Why would Tony kill Valda if all he wanted was the necklace?” Jo raised an eyebrow. “Thieves aren’t usually murderers.”
“Maybe he was trying to get revenge.” Samantha shrugged. “He wanted to take everything from Clem, not just the necklace, but his wife, too.”
“I don’t know.” Jo shoved her hands in her pockets. “I’m just not convinced that Tony would kill her. Take the necklace, sure, but kill her?”
“Or maybe you just want to get your hands on that necklace?” Eddy smiled a little. “Old habits and all.”
“All right, I do. But not for the reason that you think. If the police arrest Tony and don’t recover the necklace, then Clem will still be in danger. Every skilled thief in the country will be after him to find the necklace, even if he doesn’t have it. So, he will have lost his wife, and be hounded for the rest of his life. Does that seem like justice to you?”
“Maybe not, but neither does letting a murderer remain free. I mean Clem is still a thief.” Eddy sat down on the edge of the picnic table and settled his gaze on her. “Do you want to tell me what this is really about?”
“It’s really about the police not just going after the easy mark. That’s who Roger, or Clem is.”
“So, you don’t think Clem did this, and you don’t think Tony did this?” Samantha blinked. “Then who do you think did?”
Jo lowered her eyes. “I’m not sure. I’m not saying that neither of them did it, I just think that we should find out for sure before we go to the police.”
“Well, there’s one way to know if Tony has the necklace. We have his address now. Why don’t we go take a look around?” Samantha looked over at Jo. “What do you think?”
“I guess it couldn’t hurt. Maybe we’ll find something that will give us a clue as to what really happened to Valda.”
“I think it’s also important not to forget that Clem hasn’t reported the necklace stolen. He either has it, or he knows that someone stole it. I’m sure he’ll want to get it back if it’s been taken.” Walt stood up and strolled over to the edge of the gazebo. “I think we should be cautious in general.”
“You’re right. In fact, you should all know that some of the thieves that are looking for this necklace, will do just about anything to get it. Make sure you think through every choice you make, because they are smart and fast.” Jo pursed her lips.
“It sounds like you have some familiarity with these people. Is that true, Jo?” Eddy frowned.
“Why?” Jo sighed.
“Listen Jo, I just hate to think of you being around people like that.”
Jo’s eyes widened with surprise. “Really?”
“So many thieves are always going to be looking for the easy road and what works to their advantage, if you’re their friend or their enemy. Being surrounded by people like that can’t be easy.”
Jo twirled the charm on the necklace in her pocket. Eddy was right. She was coming to realize that maybe Drew never truly cared about her. Maybe he cared more about what he could get from her.
“No, it wasn’t.” She smiled as she met Eddy’s eyes. “I am much happier with the friends I have now.”
“Good!” Samantha barreled towards her for a hug. When Jo pulled her hands out of her pockets to hug her in return she felt the necklace drop out of her pocket. Samantha hugged her so tight that she couldn’t free herself right away. Walt leaned down and picked up the necklace.
“What’s this?” He held up the necklace and met her eyes.
“It’s nothing.” She plucked the necklace from his hand. “Thanks.” She held his gaze and hoped that he wouldn’t tell the truth. It wasn’t as if she really had anything to hide, but she didn’t want to have to explain herself, especially to Eddy.
“All right, let’s go if we’re going.” Eddy clapped his hands together. Walt looked towards him and then nodded at Jo.
“While you guys are doing that I’ll see if I can dig deeper into Valda’s past. See if she had any enemies that wanted her dead,” Walt said. “Maybe her murder had nothing to do with the necklace.”
“And I will dig deeper with my resources. I want to know if Clem and Tony’s relationship ended after Tony was arrested. I’ll check to see if Clem has been to visit him at any time while he was in prison. I’ll look into common associates as well. We should be able to turn up something. Just be careful, all right?” Samantha looked between Jo and Eddy. “Anyone that is willing to kill for a necklace is going to be willing to kill for freedom, too.”
“We’ll be careful.” Eddy tilted his head towards the parking lot. “I’ll drive?”
“Good. I just need to stop at my villa for a moment. Want to pick me up?” Jo asked.
“Okay.” Eddy walked with Samantha back towards her villa. Walt lingered behind. As Jo started to walk away he cleared his throat.
“Jo. How did you get that necklace back? It’s the same one that you gave to Bucky in exchange for information.”
“I know that.” Jo frowned. “Don’t worry about it, Walt.”
Walt sighed and pulled off his glasses. He brushed them against the front of his shirt then slid them back on. “I’m afraid I will, Jo. I mean, you’re not the only one involved in all of this. We are all in knee deep now. Did
you go back to see Bucky on your own?”
“No.” Jo met his eyes. “It’s not important right now.”
“It is to me, Jo.”
“I understand that, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to waste our time on this nonsense when we should be on our way to Tony’s house to find out what he is up to.” Jo tightened her lips. She knew that Walt wasn’t easy to fool.
“Jo, I feel like you are holding something back here. I know that this must have ruffled some old feathers. But you must remember, no matter what old feelings are coming up for you now, you can still trust me. Me, and Eddy, and Samantha. Maybe these thieves, these criminals were your friends once, maybe you felt an obligation to be loyal to them, but things have changed. We’re your friends now. We are the ones that you can trust, and I can assure you that we will be loyal to you. No matter what is going on, all you have to do is be open about it.” He reached out and awkwardly touched her shoulder. “You’re not on your own anymore, Jo.”
Jo blinked back unexpected tears. They surprised her as they burned. Walt’s words meant more to her than even she realized. Her heart fluttered with the notion of being open, completely open with someone.
“Okay Walt. Thank you.”
He nodded.
She waited for him to demand more information, to insist that she reveal the truth, but he didn’t. He only remained beside her, waiting. She reached into her pocket and pulled the necklace back out.
“When I started out as a cat burglar, I made a very big mistake, one that should have cost me my freedom, and even my life. A man, Drew, stepped in to help me. Not only did he protect me from the consequences, but he took me under his wing and taught me how not to get caught. He was a big part of my life. One day, he gave me this. It was special to me, because he didn’t steal it. He went out and bought it. He had expensive jewelry at his fingertips, but he gave me something he had paid for. Anyway, not long after he gave me this, we went our separate ways.”
“That’s why Bucky called it a piece of history. True love between thieves.” Walt smiled.
