Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things

by Rachelle J. Christensen

  I turned around to see Wes and Dad pointing at something in the water and Mom heading toward me. Then I saw something out of my peripheral vision and jerked my head to the right. A silver car had pulled up to the stop sign on the canal bridge. My throat tightened as I studied the vehicle, wondering if it was the same car I had noticed on my way to Shayla’s. The car was only about fifty yards from me. It was time to find out if this man was following me. I took off in a dead run toward the car, my eyes glued to the driver.

  Chapter 13

  Bryn’s Raspberry

  Cheesecake Squares

  Spread cream cheese on one graham cracker. Top with raspberries and chocolate chips.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com.

  “What are you doing, Adri?” Mom called after me.

  The stop sign on the bridge stood just before the slope so the driver could see down the country road before descending into oncoming traffic. A fertilizer truck approached from the west, and the car was forced to wait at the stop sign. Pushing myself, I closed in on the sedan, which I now recognized as a Toyota Camry. I wondered if the driver had seen me or if I was making a fool of myself.

  Twenty-five yards from the car, I saw the driver turn to look behind him and to the right. We made eye contact. As I continued running toward him, his eyes widened, and then he punched the gas and zoomed out in front of the truck. His tires screeched as he made a sharp left turn and then accelerated up the road. The truck honked and swerved to the right, the tanks of fertilizer sloshing as it came to a stop.

  The panic ratcheted up my heart rate even though I told myself to remain calm. I didn’t know for sure that the car had anything to do with me, but at the same time, I couldn’t convince myself it was a coincidence.

  “What the—” Wes ran up beside me and craned his neck, peering after the car. I heard my dad cuss and felt Mom’s hand on my arm.

  “What were you doing?” she asked.

  How could I explain that I had spotted a suspicious car and wanted to see who was driving it? And I was right. The man driving that car had been looking for me. The way his eyes widened when our eyes met explained away any false hopes I might have had in my own paranoia.

  With a deep breath, I closed my eyes. I wanted to capture the man’s features before they melted into the adrenaline of the moment. His hair was dark, his face clean-shaven. There had been something sparkling near his face as he turned his head, and I struggled to reconstruct what I had seen in that split second.

  “Adri, are you okay?” Mom grabbed hold of my elbow, and my eyes flew open.

  “I’m fine, just trying to remember details,” I mumbled.

  “Did anyone catch the plate number?” Wes asked.

  “No, and the truck left, so I doubt the police would come out here anyway. That car is long gone.” Dad gestured to the truck farther down the road. I watched as it grew smaller in the distance, then I turned back toward the direction the Camry had taken to escape.

  “Why were you running?” Wes asked.

  “That car looked suspicious. I wanted to see who was driving it.”

  Dad chuckled. “Do you have some mobster after you or something?”

  I forced a laugh and ignored the concern creasing the wrinkles near Mom’s eyes. “No, it was just the way he pulled up to the stop sign. He wasn’t watching the road—he seemed to be looking for something.”

  “Probably just rubber-necking,” Dad offered. “People always think there’s something better to look at than the road.”

  “We should head back,” Mom said. She tugged at my hand, and we turned toward home.

  “Yeah, I stuck around to see if you’re up for a game.” Wes bumped my arm, and I bumped him back.

  “You’re on. Hope you’re ready to lose.”

  When we returned to the house, Mom served us what she called a new delicacy inspired by Bryn. We laughed as we ate the graham crackers spread with cream cheese and topped with raspberries and chocolate chips. I took a few pictures to post on my website because they were incredibly yummy.

  We played Settlers of Catan. After Wes won two games in a row, Mom said it was time to play Sorry. Wes ribbed me about losing, and normally it would’ve bothered my competitive streak, but my head wasn’t in the game. Worry over the man who might have followed me from Ketchum kept the tendons in my shoulders taut. He had to be connected to the diamonds. I admitted to myself that I was dealing with more than I’d originally thought. Whoever had smuggled those gems into the country surely didn’t mean for them to be delivered to me. So who was supposed to receive them?

  Wes interrupted my disjointed thoughts. “Adri, you lost again? This must be a record for you.”

  He was right. I decided I’d better call it quits. “I’m bushed.”

  “Ah, it’s only ten o’clock,” Wes protested. “Plenty of time for more games.”

  “I know, but my brain is struggling. It needs sleep.”

  “Adri’s had a busy week, and so have you, Wes,” Mom said. “Let’s call it a night.”

  “What time do you have to leave tomorrow?” Dad asked.

  I bit my bottom lip. Originally I’d planned to leave right after dinner, but now I wondered if being here was putting my family in danger. “I want to go to church with you in the morning, but I’d better leave after lunch. If the police find out anything about Sylvia’s missing gown, I want to be there.”

  “Well, I’m glad you could come, even for a short visit,” Mom said.

  “Thanks for staying to play, brosky.” I gave Wes a hug. We all walked out to the front porch and stared up at the stars twinkling in the cloudless sky. I thought about Dallas naming constellations and smiled. He had texted earlier, wishing me a good weekend. I hoped I’d have time to see him in the next few days. Maybe I could give him a call.

  After Wes left, I stayed outside and dialed Dallas.

  “Hey, Adri. How are you?”

  “I’m good. It’s nice to see my family, and it’s beautiful here in Rupert.” I could hear the sprinklers in the background and the crickets trying to compete with other night noises.

  “Are you doing okay? You sound different,” Dallas asked.

  I don’t know why but it made me happy that Dallas was intuitive enough to recognize the stress underlying my words. For a moment, I wished I could tell him about the diamonds, but I thought better of it. “I’m worried about Sylvia’s missing wedding gown.”

  “I’m sorry. I wish I could help you. Maybe I could check back at the pawn shops. Or do you think someone dumped her dress like they did the others?”

  I sat on the front step. “I hope not, but it’s a definite possibility.”

  “Have the police checked the thrift stores?”

  “I’m not sure, but that’s a good idea. I’ll give Tony a call.”

  “Adri, will you let me help you?” Dallas’s voice was soft, yet I could feel his strength through the phone.

  He was so thoughtful and kind. It was evident he cared about me and could tell I was struggling. I cleared my throat. “Just knowing you care is a help to me. Thanks for worrying over me, Dallas.”

  “My pleasure,” he replied.

  I could hear his smile through the phone and also my mother’s approaching footsteps. “I’ve got to go now, but I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  “Sweet dreams. I’ll be thinking of you,” Dallas said.

  I clicked end just as the front door opened. “Ready to call it a night?” Mom asked.

  I stood and stretched. “Yep, I’m dead tired.”

  Even though talking to Dallas had soothed some of my stress, my nerves were jittery as I got ready for bed. My mind wandered back to my question of who was supposed to receive, or maybe intercept, the wedding dresses carrying the rough diamonds.

  The dresses were specially made for Lorea’s new business. It seemed unlikely the smugglers could make such a mistake.

  Then a thought came that made my gut twist with anxiety. Walter Mayfield. He had
approached Lorea with the idea of bringing in the dresses from China, and then he offered to lend her the money for the first order. His cousin Roland had been eager to help and waived part of the shipping fee.

  I recalled the pages from Natalie’s wedding binder dumped in Walter’s trash. Tony and I had both figured they had been put there by the thief, but what if the thief was Walter? He had been sick the day the dresses were delivered. His store was closed when I went to tell him the good news about the shipment. Then the dresses were stolen, so he’d never even seen Sylvia’s gown. I racked my brain to recall just how much Walter knew about the dresses beforehand. Did he know that Sylvia had already put a deposit on hers? We had been expecting the shipment, so if the plan was to smuggle the diamonds in specific gowns, the person would have to know enough about the gowns to select the right ones and plan on robbing my store.

  My head churned with conversations I’d had with Walter. He was well-spoken, kind, and genuinely seemed to love his business. A dull ache started behind my eyes. I massaged my temples, trying to relieve the stress. It couldn’t be Walter. But I had heard him mention how the price of diamonds continued to rise, making it difficult for him to be competitive with larger jewelry stores.

  If Walter was involved, Roland surely had to be the mastermind behind the crime. His ties to the shipping industry and the actual dressmakers pointed to him as the more plausible criminal. But Roland lived somewhere on the east coast, so why would he ship the diamonds to Idaho? Unless Walter knew someone close by who could cut the stones and be discreet about it.

  Even with my limited knowledge of diamonds, I had heard enough about jewelry in my training to know that there were few master craftsmen in the world qualified to cut and shape diamonds. Specialized equipment and years of training were needed to perform more than fifty cuts with precision for a brilliant, or round, diamond—my favorite cut.

  There was also the coincidence of Walter moving up his trip to Belgium right after the dresses were stolen. Tony hadn’t been able to reach him when I found the papers in his trash.

  The possibilities continued to spin through my mind, but my focus always came back to the mystery man driving the Camry. An unsettled feeling wouldn’t leave me, and I knew I didn’t want to wait until something bad happened. The diamonds were calling, and the man who wanted them had followed me—had located my parents’ home. I didn’t want to think that the man could have been Roland. I’d never met him, but I knew Walter cared about him a great deal. I wondered just how many people were involved.

  That thought led me to consider how many more people could be involved if things went wrong. Bryn’s happy face came to mind, and I imagined what a desperate diamond smuggler could do to my family. I clenched my teeth and frowned. Tomorrow I would do what I should have done already—call Tony. He could help me figure out what to do.

  Chapter 14

  Don’t Peel the Potatoes!

  When making Idaho mashed potatoes, scrub the potatoes thoroughly and then use a paring knife or peeler to remove three strips of skin, one on each end and one in the middle. Cut, boil, and mash the potatoes.

  Courtesy of www.mashedpotatoesandcrafts.com.

  Sunday morning was a blur. My lack of sleep and the tension I was feeling made it difficult to put on a happy face and attend church services with my family, but I did my best. After church, I enjoyed another delicious meal of my mom’s home cooking complete with her signature recipe of mashed potatoes. Even though I wanted to stay longer, the worry of putting my family in danger was too great.

  It always tugged on my heartstrings to pack up and leave my family in Rupert. Each time, I would picture my little shop with its antique rosebushes growing out front and the weddings I had on the docket. Dreams took hard work and sacrifice, and I did feel fortunate to work in the Sun Valley area.

  Before I left, Jenna pulled me aside. “I meant what I said about Luke, even if you didn’t like it. I could tell you feel something for him.”

  “But I don’t—”

  She put her hand on my arm. “It’s okay if you don’t want to date him. I just don’t want you to talk yourself into dating someone else for spite, or whatever reason. Love can’t be forced. You either feel it, or you don’t.”

  I didn’t know what I felt for Luke or Dallas, but I was looking forward to seeing Dallas again. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  “But do have fun.” Jenna smiled, and her blue eyes lit up with mischief. “And kiss plenty while you can.”

  “Jenna!” We both laughed, and I gave her a hug. “Take care of yourself and that baby.”

  I tucked a few more items behind my seat, and Mom stashed some frozen meals and a loaf of homemade bread beside my suitcase. “Thanks, Mom. You’re the best.”

  “I worry about you.” Mom took my hand and looked me in the eye. “I see the part of you that still aches. I know it was hard to pick up and start over. Please don’t overdo it. If you need something, I’m only a phone call away.” She patted my cheek. “Your dad and I want to come up for a visit again, so let us know a good time.”

  “That’d be great.” I hugged Mom and saw Dad step out onto the porch. “I have a honey-do list for you, Dad.”

  He shook his head. “Just tell me which tools to bring.” He put his arm around my shoulder. “You be careful.”

  “I love you.” I waved as I got into the Mountaineer.

  “We’ll see you on the Fourth of July,” Mom said. I noted that it wasn’t a request.

  I blew Bryn a kiss and backed out onto the road. As soon as I put the Mountaineer in drive, I felt a pang of loneliness. A passenger would be the perfect thing to keep my mind off the worry overpowering me. I swallowed and pushed play on my favorite Rascal Flatts CD. The music took the edge off, and even though I kept a lookout for suspicious vehicles, I sang at the top of my lungs.

  My cell rang about forty-five minutes into the drive, and I clicked off the music when I saw it was my mom.

  “Adri, I’d love to hear more about that Dallas fellow you mentioned. And don’t you dare roll your eyes. I’m your mother, and you’re my only daughter. We only get to do this once, and I want to enjoy it.”

  I didn’t roll my eyes. Instead, I filled my mom in on all the details of my three dates with Dallas. She demanded a full physical description, and I was happy that he wasn’t lacking in that area. Part of me wondered if Jenna was right as I described how kind yet nervous Dallas was, and how hesitant he’d been even to kiss me. Still, a part of me kept thinking of Briette and how she wanted me to give guys a chance so that I could find love one day. She was the reason I had decided to give Dallas a fighting chance.

  Mom and I talked until my Bluetooth told me I only had ten minutes of talk time left. A few minutes later, I pulled up to my condo and got out of the vehicle smiling—grateful for her mother’s intuition. She might be nosy, but I needed her love and attention all the same.

  My throat clenched when I noticed the paper flapping in the doorjamb. Goosebumps scattered across my arms. The pictures left on my door passed through my mind, and I wished I didn’t live alone. The loose board on my steps creaked as I took tentative steps toward the front door.

  I pulled the paper out and unfolded it, then breathed a sigh of relief. It was an announcement for a community yard sale taking place next week. Unlocking the door, I tossed my bags on the floor and hurried back out to grab my suitcase from the Mountaineer. When I reached out to put my keys on the side table in the hall, my hand froze. A note was tucked under the lamp. I grabbed it and scanned it quickly. This one wasn’t about yard sales.

  The note was handwritten, and there were no pictures this time. My jaw tightened as I read the script in all caps:

  You have my diamonds. No one will be hurt if you return them to me. I’m watching you. Put the diamonds inside the lunch bag you take to work. Leave the bag behind the dumpster at roxy’s tomorrow morning. Don’t call the police. I’ll know if you do.

  A wave of fear overtook me, a
nd I felt tears welling up inside. At any moment, the delicate dam holding back my hysteria would break. I struggled to think clearly. He needed the diamonds. If I called the police, he couldn’t do anything to me because he still needed the diamonds.

  Criminals always tell you not to call the police. Anger flared in my chest, and I dialed the cell number Tony had given me. It went to his voice mail, and I hung up. I dialed 911 but didn’t push the call button. Holding the phone so tight it hurt my fingers, I walked through my house.

  It had been searched, but no one would know that but me. The cushion on my secondhand couch had a nickel-sized stain on one side, and I always put that side down. The dark brown spot caught my attention as soon as I entered my living room. Whoever had searched my house had done so methodically and carefully. They didn’t want the search reported to the police.

  But I had an eye for detail. Wes often teased me about my anal-retentive qualities, but it served me well in the wedding business—and now. The afghan that draped over my grandma’s chair had been shifted to the left side. In my room, the picture of Briette and me had been moved just enough that it caught the glare from the light. I reached out to move it back but stopped. Would the police dust for fingerprints?

  No. If this person had searched my home so carefully that only I would know, he wouldn’t be dumb enough to leave a fingerprint. My house was empty. I hadn’t noticed anything amiss when I first entered. Hopefully that meant the quilt still kept my secrets.

  I could taste the fear as I entered my front room and stared at the interlocking rings of cream and sea-foam green fabric spread across the wine-red background. Each circle had a dark green square where it intersected with another ring. The squares reminded me of a diamond sitting atop a solitaire engagement ring.

  The quilt was folded exactly as I’d left it. I knelt down and pulled back the edge until I could see the signature block. A whoosh of breath escaped when I felt the bump sewn into the fabric. The diamonds were still safe, but what about me?