Ice and Steel
Page 15
“They did and found it empty. The safe was opened, and it too was empty.”
“So why are you here?”
“Because,” Mia said as she lifted the panel up, twisted it, brought it down, and handed it to Audrey, “it wasn’t in the safe. It was…” she stopped talking, climbed another step and reached above the safe, and as her fingertips touched something, she smiled. She adjusted her body and angled her small but muscular arms until she got hold of her quarry.
“The diamonds were in a black leather briefcase, four inches wide,” Audrey read off her notes.
Mia grunted but managed with some pulling and pushing to align the briefcase on its side. She then lowered it out of the hiding place. Mia climbed down the ladder, warning, “Don’t touch it unless you have gloves on. The cops are still looking for the thief.”
Maude followed Mia into the kitchen where she set her dusty prize.
“My suggestion is for you to call the police. Ask for whoever is in charge of the Masters Robbery cold case, and invite them over,” Audrey advised.
“Why me? You found it,” Maude said.
“If we’re right, and there is a reward, Mia and I would like you to have it,” Audrey said.
Mia shook the briefcase, smiling. “We’re right. Mind if I open it?” she asked Maude.
“If you don’t, I’ll have a stroke, young lady,” Maude said with her hand on her head.
Mia reached into her pocket and brought out a set of picks. She worked on the lock until it sprung open. Inside was a velvet-covered case. Mia pulled it out and set it on the table. She lifted the lid.
To say the diamonds caught the light and sparkled was an understatement. There were so many of them that the light reflecting off the facets caused the women’s eyes to have a hard time focusing.
“They look like icy snow,” Maude said. “I can see why they got the nickname of ice.”
Mia touched her ear com. “Teddy Bear, I have some good news and bad news. What do you want first?”
“Better give me the bad news, Minnie Mouse,” he replied.
“You lost the bet.”
“You mean…”
“Yup. We found them.” Mia turned to Maude. “Would you mind if the rest of our team came up to see them?”
“The more the merrier. I’ll put on another pot of coffee,” she said absently, still staring at the diamonds.
Audrey put on a pair of gloves and began to search the briefcase for anything that would give them an idea of who had stolen them in the first place. She shook her head. “All I see here belongs to Masters.”
Mia got up and walked out of the room. She climbed the ladder and reached her arm into the space once again. She moved her hand on top of the safe to no avail. She drew out her hand and called, “Murphy.”
He appeared, and she asked, “Would you mind looking in this wall on top of the safe. See if you can find anything?”
He nodded and moved upwards and through the wall. He came out quickly and nodded. “Move your hand to the right. There is a pouch.”
Mia did as she was told and found, balanced precariously on the edge, a small leather kit bag. She must have moved it when she was wrestling with the briefcase. She drew it out. “Thanks. Come in the kitchen, and see what we found.”
He followed her. Mia watched his face as he studied the contents of the case. “Pretty,” was all he said before he disappeared.
Mia handed the pouch to Audrey. “This was up there too. Murphy helped me find it,” she explained.
Audrey opened the pouch and smiled. “There’s some lock picks and…” she drew out a small folder. Carefully, Audrey unfolded it, and she and Maude looked at it.
“It looks like an American Airlines ticket,” Maude said.
“A first class ticket belonging to Gabe Woods for a month after the robbery,” Audrey said as she carefully eased it out of the folder. Behind it was another ticket. “Bambi Bouche. I wonder who she is?”
“I bet she’s the real reason Gabe Woods bit the dust. I bet Mora got wind of the affair and offed her husband,” Mia said. “Poor Bambi probably never knew what he had done for her.”
“You would take the tramp’s side,” Audrey said, shaking a finger at Mia.
“Hold on, I’m confused,” Maude said and asked, “Explain it to me?”
“Gabe Woods was married to his fifth wife, Mora, at the time of the robbery. He took the diamonds and hid them in the empty apartment until the heat died down. He planned on leaving Mora and the country with Bambi and the diamonds. He died before this could happen,” Audrey said.
“Still, someone must have had an inkling that Gabe took the diamonds,” Mia said. “Otherwise, how do we explain the dead man in their chimney?”
“Rumors, again, I suppose,” Audrey shrugged.
There was a knock on the door. Maude walked out and returned with Burt, Mike, Cid and Ted. They oohed over the diamonds and argued whether Audrey’s and Mia’s theory was correct.
“Time to pay up, Theodore,” Mia demanded.
Ted winced and opened his wallet and extracted a piece of paper. He handed it to Mia, and she read it and smiled.
“What did you win?” Cid asked.
“She gets to name our invention Curly,” Ted said.
“What would you have lost if we found the briefcase first?” Cid asked Mia.
“I would have had to go to Comic Con dressed as Wonder Woman,” Mia answered, wrinkling her nose.
“Damn,” Mike said. “I’d like to have seen that.”
“I bet you would,” Mia said. “And now you never will. That bet is off the table.”
Burt chuckled. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Ted has a few tricks up his sleeve yet.”
“Nope, no golden lasso for you boys. I have my standards.”
Chapter Sixteen
“Diamonds! You found a million and half dollars’ worth of diamonds?” Ralph asked, not believing his ears. He had simply asked how Mia kept herself busy while house sitting.
“I imagine they’re worth more than that now, but you get the idea,” she said, presenting her godfathers with a large box.
“What’s this? We’re supposed to bring back a gift for you. Honestly, someone has to teach you etiquette,” Ralph scolded halfheartedly.
“Leave the girl be,” Bernard said. “Open the box.”
Ralph lifted the lid and revealed a set of tropical bird towels from Horchow. “OMG! Whatever did we do to deserve such a gift?” he said, pulling out a towel and bringing the plush cloth to his face.
“I ruined your guest towels, “Mia admitted. “Soot doesn’t come out of Egyptian cotton. Sissy Seeley said you’d probably accept these as a replacement.”
“You know Sissy Seeley?” Ralph gasped. “Sissy/Sarah Seeley of the Seeleys?”
“Yup,” Mia said. “I didn’t remember it, but evidently I used to play on their beach when I was a tot. She and Naomi were friends with my grandmother.”
“Out with it. I’m sure there’s a story in it somewhere,” Ralph said, hugging the towels.
“It all started with a scream…”
***
Alexie Aaron
After traveling the world, Alexie Aaron, a Midwestern native, returned to her roots where she’s been haunting for years. She now lives in a village outside of Chicago with her husband and family.
Her popular Haunted Series was born from her memories of fleeting shapes rushing around doorways, an heirloom chair that rocked itself, cold feelings of mysterious dread, and warm feelings from the traces of loved ones long gone.
Alexie also writes the Cin Fin-Lathen Mysteries. These cozies set in England and south Florida combine action and intrigue with a liberal dose of humor.
Table of Contents
The Doorman
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Alexie Aaron