Ruby Red Herring

by Tracy Gardner

  “What do you mean?”

  “You rekindled things at a pivotal time. He offered something you needed just then. It ended. But look how you’ve changed from when you met him until now. Don’t wish your time with him away or regret it happened. You’ve both grown and now can move on.”

  They walked the rest of the way in silence. As with so many other things, Aunt Midge was right.

  Chapter Six

  Monday morning, Avery squared her shoulders and pushed through the Springfield County sheriff’s office door. She was determined to leave there with her parents’ papers. The same woman from Saturday looked up at her.

  “Good morning, Sergeant Tunney,” Avery said. “We spoke the other day. I came back to retrieve William and Anne Ayers’ things.”

  The sergeant turned to her computer screen and tapped the keys. “If you’ll just—”

  Avery rested a hand on the sergeant’s desk. “Look. I know you said I’ll have to wait for the detective on the case to release the file. But it’s been nearly a year. My family and I need those documents. I didn’t have any luck getting through to the detective, but I don’t see why he needs to sign off.”

  Lynn Tunney cleared her throat. “I was about to say, if you’ll just wait a moment, I’ll get the file for you.” She met Avery’s gaze over the rims of her glasses, her stoic expression unchanging. “The detective did receive both your messages.”

  Avery was sure she shrank two inches as she stood there in front of Sergeant Tunney. She stepped back, feeling appropriately chastised. “Oh.”

  Tunney’s chair rolled out behind her and hit the wall as she stood and left the reception area. She returned a few minutes later with a fresh, steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a file folder in the other, which she handed to Avery. “Is that all?”

  She nodded. “Yes, ma’am. This has been a difficult time for me. But that’s no excuse for rudeness. I’m sorry.”

  “Of course,” the woman said. “You have a good day, Ms. Ayers.”

  Her stop at the sheriff’s office added an extra twenty minutes to her drive into Manhattan. After a quick call to let Micah know she’d be at the MOA lab by ten, Avery hit the Caff-N-Go drive-through just before the expressway for a large mocha latte. Her therapy appointment couldn’t come soon enough. She’d come a long way in the past few months, but she needed to do better about keeping her foot out of her mouth. It only ever happened when her hackles were up from some perceived injustice or slight—but that seemed to happen far too often. Not everything needed to be a fight. She was getting tired of having to apologize for her own behavior all the time.

  She glanced at the unassuming file on the passenger seat beside her. There were so many things she didn’t know about that night. She’d known there were holes in her memory from the concussion, but she hadn’t realized she was missing details that could be important.

  Yesterday had marked the one-year anniversary of the accident. By some unspoken agreement, she and Tilly and Aunt Midge had spent a quiet Sunday at home together doing nothing. They’d cooked breakfast, read, and then napped before making Avery’s dad’s lasagna for dinner. It was an odd sort of feeling, simultaneously wanting to mark the date while wishing it gone. Avery had been relieved to wake up this morning with it behind her.

  She exited the elevator on the third floor of MOA as two guards were leaving the lab. They must be up here dropping off the jewel, which meant her partner was already there. “Good morning,” she said as they passed. The shorter guard met her gaze and nodded, returning the nicety, but the taller one pulled his visor lower over his brow and kept his focus forward. Not a morning person, obviously.

  “Perfect timing!” Micah smiled at her, the potential ruby in one white-gloved hand while he poked at it with a pair of calipers in the other. “Grab the dichroscope, would you? I need the specs from this angle . . .”

  She never had a chance to jump in and pick Micah’s brain about what she and Tilly had found over the weekend. They worked until just past noon before breaking for lunch. A different set of guards came to lock the jewel away until they got back. In the sunny MOA cafeteria, Avery chose a table near the courtyard that was dappled with light from the block glass set into the vaulted ceiling. She was dying to get Micah’s thoughts on the strange timing of the completion of the Emperor’s Twins job, but she dug into her salad and let him get a few bites of his Reuben before she began. She pulled out the file Lynn Tunney had given her and set it on the table. “I have questions, Micah.”

  “Hmm?” He looked at her curiously and set his sandwich down.

  “Aunt Midge brought me up to speed this weekend on some of what happened the night my parents died. She said you drove all the way out to Lilac Grove in the middle of the night to help sort through their office for the police. And Tilly and I discovered that the Emperor’s Twins assignment was completed on June sixth, the day our parents died in the car accident—Mom signed the certificate of authenticity that day. Did you know that?” She heard her own tone, and it sounded accusatory. “I mean, did you remember that when we started making comparisons between this job and the medallion?”

  Micah’s gaze went from the manila folder to Avery. “Was it the sixth? That very day?”

  She nodded. He looked genuinely surprised.

  “I guess that’s possible. We were in the middle of things with the Emperor’s Twins right around that time. She signed it the actual day you were in the accident?”

  “She did,” Avery confirmed. “Goldie countersigned two days later, on Monday, presumably when the report and certificate were submitted. We just thought it was strange Mom signed it that Saturday . . . I wasn’t at the house, I was on my way in from Philly, but Tilly says it was a crazy day. I met Mom and Tilly and a friend in the city, then rushed home to Lilac Grove for the choir concert and dinner at Bello’s. I think we’re surprised Mom would have squeezed in finalizing the certificate that particular day. Why not wait until Monday?”

  Micah was frowning. “I don’t know. But now you’re jogging my memory. I got a message from your dad.”

  Avery inhaled sharply. “When?” She leaned forward across the small round café table.

  “It was a day or two before the accident, I think. On my house phone—your dad knew how I felt about these things,” he said, tapping his dated flip phone in his breast pocket. He steadfastly refused to upgrade to a smartphone.

  Disappointment washed over Avery. She’d thought for a second he’d meant recently. “What was the message?”

  Micah looked up toward the skylights as he thought. “He just said he wanted to . . . go over something or show me something about the Emperor’s Twins piece. Ugh, I can’t remember exactly. It didn’t seem pressing; we’d send emails or leave phone messages whenever we needed to communicate something about a job. You know we were hardly ever all in the same place at the same time, between the shop, on-site jobs, this place.” He gestured around him.

  “Did you ever end up connecting with him?”

  “I don’t think so. I don’t think I saw him after that; it must have been the Friday before . . .” Micah’s voice trailed off. He looked at Avery, the corners of his mouth drawn down. “And then it was the furthest thing from my mind when we came back to work Monday.”

  She nodded. “I get that. Do you know who submitted the certificate and report to Goldie that Monday? Was it you or Sir Robert?”

  “Sir Robert took care of it. What exactly are you getting at? Do you think the final report was tampered with?”

  “I don’t know. I guess I have no reason to think that. Mom signing ahead of time is strange, that’s all, on top of the timing—the medallion job coinciding with losing them. And then getting our current assignment. I haven’t told you this, but there have been some odd things happening at the house.” She filled him in on the letter and the scent clinging to Halston when she’d let him inside Friday night.

  Micah’s eyes were wide. He opened his mouth to speak but then didn
’t.

  “I know. And now Tilly thinks Dad is alive.”

  “Oh no. Oh, poor thing,” he said, his brow furrowed in concern. “There’s got to be an explanation. Let me help, please. Keep me updated if anything further happens, will you?”

  She nodded. “I don’t need any extra excitement in my life, so hopefully nothing else will happen. Oh. And what about these? I just picked this up this morning from the Springfield County sheriff’s office.”

  “Why are they just now giving them back?”

  “Because I asked for them.” She leaned forward on her elbows. “I don’t understand why they even wanted information from my parents’ office. I thought it was just an accident. Did the authorities initially think it wasn’t? That it was connected to one of their cases? The medallion must have been the most high-profile case at the time. Certainly the most valuable.”

  Micah frowned, thinking. “We were swamped. I was handling a couple jobs Robert had gotten us through Barnaby’s auction house, and your parents were dealing with the medallion on top of a porcelain doll trio from a private collector. Sir Robert and I had pitched in a little with historical research and coordinating with the collector for the medallion assignment, though it was mainly your parents’ case. The two detectives that night asked for basic information on all active cases the business was working on.” He slid the file folder over and flipped it open. “Have you had a chance to look through this yet?”

  She shook her head. “I just got it this morning. This all started because I was looking into Mom and Dad’s notes on the medallion; the further into this ruby assignment we get, the more I wonder if it could be the missing dragon eye.”

  “I’d love to think that. You know we’ve got to follow the process through first. But as long as the gem is authentic and once we’re able to value it, I’m intrigued at the idea of comparing it to the existing ruby and the empty eye socket.” He turned the folder around to face Avery. “All right, so all I did that night was make copies of the intake forms for each case that was still active the date of the accident.”

  She lifted the first few pages, scanning them. “That’s all?”

  He nodded. “The only thing I could figure at the time was that they were looking into the cause of the accident. Now you know, that in itself has always seemed a bit strange. Dry roads, minimal traffic that time of night—it’s not surprising the police wanted to make sure it was really an accident.”

  “I suppose. I didn’t get to speak with the detectives when I picked up the papers. I’d still like to—” She stopped talking as a shadow fell over their table.

  The actor from the elevator the other day stood looking down at her. “I thought that was you.” He flashed his thousand-watt smile. “Avery, right?”

  “Yes,” she said. “It’s nice to see you, Tyler.” Chadwick, she read on his badge. She’d have to remember to tell Tilly.

  He pulled up a chair beside her, nodding briefly at Micah. “Do you mind if I join you?” He rested a hand on the back of Avery’s chair and trained his intense blue-eyed gaze on hers. “I was hoping I’d bump into you again. I’ve been hanging out by the lunch counter waiting to spot you.”

  She laughed. “You have not.”

  He raised one eyebrow. “You took off the other day without giving me your number.”

  Avery glanced at Micah and then back at Chadwick. As she recalled, he was the one who had taken off. She’d given him directions back to his movie set in the south wing and he’d followed them. “Um.”

  He sat back, letting go of her chair. “I’m sorry, Avery. Maybe I misread our little meet-cute?”

  She felt heat flood her cheeks as she smiled widely. Had he really just said meet-cute? He was a movie star. She spent most of her time behind a microscope staring at molecules. He watched her, waiting. She didn’t have a tenth of the willpower needed to resist this man’s flirtations. “No, I think you read it perfectly,” she said, lowering her voice. Lord, what was she doing? She had a sudden flash of Saturday night at Old Smoke and a very different gentleman at her table. She’d promised Dr. Singh she was going to work on herself for now; she was in no shape to start some kind of fling with a movie star.

  Visibly more relaxed, Chadwick put his hand back on her chair rail. He lowered his voice a notch as well and tipped his head toward her. “I’m glad you feel that way. Are you free tonight for dinner? I’d love to take you out.”

  Avery took a deep breath. Dinner. That’s all it was. She’d need to eat dinner, whether it was by herself or with him. “That sounds great.”

  He stood, looking triumphant. He swung his borrowed chair around and pushed it back in at the other table. “Does eight o’clock work?”

  “Yes. But—” At eight o’clock she’d be home in Lilac Grove. Unless . . . “Let me give you my address.” She pulled one of her mother’s dozens of neon scrap papers from her purse and jotted down the number and street name, handing it to him.

  Tyler Chadwick grinned devilishly at her and pressed the paper back into her hand. “Not so fast. Your phone number too, please, Miss Avery.” He winked with the miss.

  She did as he said and had a thought as he took the paper. “Tyler. I need yours too.” Had she seriously just demanded a movie star’s phone number?

  The man took the pen from her, capturing her hand in his and turning it palm up. He wrote his digits across her palm and gently folded her fingers over them, closing her fist. “I’ll see you at eight, Avery.” He backed up, glancing over at Micah. “Sorry for my intrusion, Mr. Abbott.”

  When he was gone, Avery finally met Micah’s gaze. His expression was every bit as skeptical as she’d expected it to be. “I know, okay?”

  Micah shook his head. “That guy . . . all that attitude and arrogance. You’re really going out with him?”

  “I am.” She speared a chunk of lettuce and cheese and popped it in her mouth.

  Micah made no further comment. He used his napkin and then smoothed it out, setting it beside his plate. His silence was louder than anything he could have said.

  “It’s just dinner.”

  “You don’t know him at all. He could be an ax murderer.”

  She stared at him. “I doubt he’s an ax murderer. It’ll be fine, Micah.”

  “You don’t know that. How did he even know my name?”

  Avery looked pointedly at Micah’s MOA badge clipped to his shirt.

  “All right, well, where is he picking you up? Did you give him Midge’s address?”

  “Yes.”

  He nodded. “At least there’s a doorman. They don’t miss a thing. Keep your cell phone with you, and for God’s sake don’t give him your Lilac Grove address until you get to know him. You can’t be too careful, Avery.”

  “It’s just a date! He’s an actor in a movie being shot here; it’s not like he’s some unknown entity who’s going to ax murder me and then disappear into thin air. And in case you didn’t already know this, Micah, I’m not exactly the damsel-in-distress type. I’m trained in jiujitsu.”

  He didn’t crack a smile. “I know that. I just worry. Someone’s got to look out for you. I don’t care if you’re Tilly’s age or twenty-five or forty-five. Your parents would have cautioned you when going out with someone you don’t know; I’m just trying to do the same. You’ll check in with Midge too, right, so she knows you’re staying at her apartment?”

  Avery took the tray from him. “I will. Thank you for worrying, Micah, but please don’t. Okay?”

  They took a detour before heading back to the lab, making their way to the east wing of the main floor. The Xiang dynasty exhibit was one of three at MOA that was a major draw for the public. As they walked, Avery’s phone dinged with an email notification. “Renell answered us! There’s an email from him.” She turned the screen toward Micah and then read aloud:

  Hello Ms. Ayers,

  I appreciate you reaching out. I’m happy to provide any necessary information you require during the course of your appr
aisal and certification. I’m quite pleased the task will be handled by Antiquities & Artifacts Appraised. My deepest condolences on the passing of your esteemed parents, Ms. Ayers; a great tragedy, to be sure.

  In response to the questions you’ve asked, I acquired the ruby at a flea market in Munich approximately a month ago. The gem was in a child’s wooden keepsake box with a jumble of costume jewelry and beads; it was being sold at a booth as one lot. I’m sorry I can’t explain how such a valuable gem came to be in this odd collection. The woman running the booth spoke a German dialect I’m not versed in, unfortunately. She was quite certain, though, as I perused the contents and noted the gem, that she still wanted to make the sale.

  I believe MOA to be the best fit for the gem. Following my initial discussion with acquisitions liaison Ms. Giolitti, my only point of contact at Museum of Antiquities has been Mrs. Goldie Brennan. Mrs. Brennan did utilize the services of her grandson Nate, who I understand works in acquisitions, to deliver the contingent contract to me, though we did not meet in person. I then had the gem couriered to MOA, care of Mrs. Brennan, on Wednesday, June 2nd, at which time it was signed into custody by Mrs. Brennan herself. I respectfully request to limit my communications strictly to Goldie Brennan and yourself. Ms. Brennan is aware and has agreed to honor this request. It should be stated on record that the gem never left my sight between Munich and the moment I gave the package to my private courier. Suffice it to say, I guarantee you are working with the gem I acquired in Munich.

  I look forward to learning the outcome of your investigation. I do feel there is more to this piece than you might at first deduce.

  Please let me know if I may offer any other information. I prefer to handle my affairs remotely. I’m always reachable through this email address.

  Thank you for your interest.

  Oliver Renell

  “Well.” Micah had slowed his pace to the point that they were barely moving down the long hallway. “Interesting.”

  “He puts a whole lot of focus on the fact that he was in possession of the gem until it arrived here.” Avery frowned. “Odd. One more oddity, I guess, though maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. I’ve never dealt with a collector more reluctant to meet or speak in person, you know?”