Chapter Twenty-Four

Maddox wasn’t at the FBI field office. I declined to leave a message, instead enjoying the stroll back to the agency where I’d left my car earlier in the day. I finished up the paperwork for the Dugans, including the information that the reward money was now in doubt payable and only partially so. More likely to be dispersed across a small number of people. Then I updated Claudius Bridge about the jewels, knowing he would find the outcome fascinating, and sent off my report to my salon client, Marie. I also fielded calls from a journalist from The Gazette, who was reporting on Rachenstein’s official visit.

Mom had insisted everyone arrive as early as possible for dinner so I texted Solomon to let him know I’d meet him there. That gave me enough time to dash home and change into a pretty red summer dress, perfect for an evening outside, before heading to my parents’ house.

Before I’d even reached the front door, I could hear my nieces and nephews tearing around the backyard and the sound of my dad chasing them. I let myself in, aiming for the kitchen, where I found my Mom.

And Maddox.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” I said.

“Hiding? Who? Me?” Maddox pointed to himself with a look of innocence.

“I tried to find you at your office and I called you and texted. Repeatedly. No one wants to double text!”

“He brought tarts from that deli you like,” said Mom, reaching for a box to waft under my nose. It was hard to resist the sweet sugary scent but I was tough, I could do it. I could eat it later.

“You tore off out of there like you were on fire,” I said.

“Out of where?” asked Mom.

“Not even an explanation,” I continued. “Who is she?”

“Who is whom?” asked Mom.

Maddox shrugged. “I have no idea what your daughter is talking about.”

“Don’t your daughter me,” I said.

“I didn’t. I your daughtered your mom.”

“I’m confused,” said Mom.

“You know exactly whom I mean,” I said.

“I don’t,” said Mom.

“Not you, Mom! Maddox!”

“Adam, dear?” asked Mom.

Maddox remained blank.

“Cass Temple.”

“Who?” asked Maddox.

“Do you have a girlfriend?” asked Mom, her eyes lighting up. “Why didn’t you bring her?”

“I do not,” said Maddox.

“You can never bring her here,” I said.

“Lexi, that’s not a nice way to behave towards Adam’s lady friend. You have a nice husband. Adam deserves a nice girlfriend.”

“That’s not the point, Mom!”

Mom sighed. “Would anyone like a drink?” she asked.

“Spill.”

“I pour carefully,” said Mom.

I narrowed my eyes at Maddox.

“Oh! Cass Temple !” Maddox leaned in. “Is that a little bit of steam coming out of your ears?”

“Who is Cass Temple?” asked Mom. “Is she your girlfriend?”

“That’s what I would like to know.”

“Me too,” said Mom, waiting.

“That’s a really good question,” replied Maddox. “Who is Cass Temple? I’d love a beer, Mrs. G.”

“I’ll get…” started Mom.

“No beers for you,” I cut in, grabbing Maddox by the elbow and steering him out of the kitchen and into the empty living room. I shut the door behind me, despite my mother’s protestations. “I want to know what’s going on that you aren’t telling me about. You’ve asked a bunch of weird questions about this case and you know Cass Temple. I saw the way you two looked at each other. She’s not just a suspect. You know each other.”

“Cass Temple is one of the world’s worst thieves,” he said.

“She’s bad at it?” I frowned. I thought she was excellent at it. She’d gotten in and out of a police station’s secure evidence locker without even a whiff of suspicion. She’d run rings around us before we even knew who she was.

“No.” Maddox cracked a smile. “No, she’s very, very good at it. I’ve been on her tail a long time and I can’t catch her. She’s like a sneeze that disappears into vapor and gets carried off by the wind.”

“That’s the weirdest metaphor I’ve ever heard.”

“It’s a simile.”

“Whatever.” I crossed my arms, entirely unsure who was correct.

“Regardless, she’s a thorn in my side and I was this close to catching her,” he said, holding his thumb and forefinger up.

“How did you even know she was here?”

“I didn’t. I had a feeling she might surface, given the Queen’s Ruby discovery, but not so fast. It’s just the kind of thing she likes.”

“Priceless jewels?”

“I don’t think she has anything against them but it’s the story that would have attracted her. She’s made a life out of repatriating questionable goods.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Queen’s Ruby has a dubious history. They’ve tried to wash it out of history, and I’ll bet they’ve paid good money to cleanse all mention of its provenance from the internet, but there’re still rumors of how they came to own it. It all boils down to colonialism, empire, and theft.”

“Go on.”

“I’m sure you know the official version. The ruby was a gift to the nation from a country in the Far East.”

“I read that.”

“But the real story behind it was that Rachenstein was an occupying power. They plundered the resources that were valuable at the time. Silks, spices, precious metals, textiles, but there were also beautiful temples rich with jewels and antiquities. The ruby was one of them. It was the centerpiece of a large statue in an important temple. Rachenstein insisted on having it. Maybe it was through threats or promises, who knows? But the ruby was removed and given to Rachenstein. Numerous diplomatic missions have made attempts to recover it. Both countries insisted it’s rightly theirs and then it disappeared. Rachenstein thought they might have stolen it. While the other side thought Rachenstein had intentionally made it disappear. That created a whole new diplomatic argument with each insisting the other didn’t possess it.”

“Wow.” I paused, thinking. “And that’s where Cass Temple comes in?”

“That’s where Cass Temple comes in.”

“You think she stole it to return to its country of origin.”

“Return. Give. Tomato, tomahto .”

“What about the diamonds that also disappeared from the evidence locker?”

Maddox laughed. “Why am I not surprised to hear that?” he asked. Sobering up, he asked, “A nice bonus to add to her commission. Or perhaps she took the bounty. What did she say to you anyway?”

“She seemed to know Ben. Gideon. She knew I’d seen her inside the police station. She denied taking the jewels but I guess she had them on her when she came to my rescue.” There was something I was missing, but what was it? As soon as the thought came to me, another pinged like a lightbulb. “She knew my name. She knew who I was, or knew about me, but I can’t think of why. I’m sure our paths have never crossed. She’s never been a suspect in any of my cases.”

“Did she say something to that effect beyond your name?”

“No, it was how she looked at me. I can’t explain it. Like she was confirming something, or judging me but not harshly. Just… curiously, I guess.”

“It’s unlikely she’ll come back.”

“She said something like that.”

“But if she does, I need you to tell me. Lexi, promise me?”

I nodded but said nothing. There was definitely something missing. What Cass Temple didn’t say then. What Maddox wasn’t saying now. Yet if I pressed, I knew I wasn’t going to get anywhere. Maddox would clam up. The truth always unfolded somewhere along the line; it would come to me eventually, whether he liked it or not.

The living room door opened and Solomon stepped inside, holding onto the door like he didn’t intend to stay. “Garrett and I just got here,” he said. “Do you want an update on the case?”

“Kelvin Huff?” I asked, wondering if his story had tumbled out under interrogation.

“That’s right. The Dugans just got here too. Apparently, your mom invited them.”

“I’ll be right there.”

Solomon glanced over at Maddox, nodded, and withdrew, closing the door behind him.

“I don’t know what’s going on with your pursuit of Cass Temple but it seems like she isn’t your regular thief,” I said.

“She isn’t.”

“So why not leave her be? Isn’t she performing a service? Operating in ways the justice system can’t?”

“Many would argue that, but it’s still theft. Don’t romanticize what she’s doing. She can’t be judge, jury, and executioner. That’s not how it works. Plus, whatever you think about the ruby, she still stole the diamonds. I’m assuming there’s nothing dubious about their provenance.”

“It looks like Charlie Black stole them from a jewel merchant around the same time as he stole Rachenstein’s jewels. Our contact was able to track the serial numbers. Insurance paid out, the merchant later folded. The insurers will collect the diamonds we do have and there’s no one to prosecute.”

“The police won’t pursue Cass Temple?”

“I don’t think they have a clear shot of her on camera. There’re no fingerprints. No evidence at all. I saw her but she was in disguise so I couldn’t even give an accurate description that would stand up in court. Whom are they going to prosecute?”

“Typical Cass,” snorted Maddox. He reached for the door handle, pulled the door open and indicated for me to go.

Garrett was waiting in the backyard, beer in hand, with Solomon. Serena was giving them an earful about not scaring the kids with talk of unearthed corpses and murderers running around the neighborhood.

Her daughter, Victoria, snuggled into Delgado’s arms sleepily, looked up and smiled at him. “Dead. Body,” she whispered and giggled as she tapped his nose. “Bash on the head. Bop. Bop. Roger!”

Lily passed me on the way to the kitchen, shooting me a look, mouthing “psychopath in the making” with a side glance to Victoria, and darted away to join Ruby who was chatting to Alice.

My mom was dashing around the yard, making sure everyone had drinks and snacks while my dad was busy grilling at the far end of the patio. He wore a “Kiss the Chef” apron and was enthralling the grandchildren with an over-exaggerated story from his police days.

I waved to the Dugans, wondering if they were relieved or disappointed at the outcome of the case. The disappointment of not receiving a fat check for the discovery of the jewels could only be offset by the vindication that they weren’t involved in Black’s death.

My nephew, Sam wandered over to me with a hotdog. I watched it hopefully as he said, “Did you really find a dead body called Roger, Aunt Lexi?”

“I didn’t find him but I helped on the case, and he’s not really called Roger.”

“Was it gross?”

“The case?”

“The body.”

“Not really.” I’d hardly seen it in the morgue. I’d hit the deck too fast.

“Dad told Mom you puked. He said it was spectacular. Mom laughed.”

“I would never,” said Traci, Sam’s mom, as she zoomed past in pursuit of her youngest child, Chloe. “Garrett didn’t say a thing.”

I sighed. Of course that story was going to make the rounds.

“Patrick said he plans to go to medical school and see dead bodies all the time,” continued Sam.

“Okay,” I said.

“Do you think he can bring one home?”

“Uh…” I grimaced.

“They must have spares,” continued Sam. “It would be like having a cool pet.”

“A dog would be nicer.”

“Maybe we could get a dead dog. Grandpops wants to know if you want a hotdog? Hey, this hotdog is kind of a dead dog.” Sam guffawed and chomped on the end. Ketchup squirted out the other end and he laughed some more.

“I’ll get food soon, thanks.” First, I wanted a lengthy lie-down in a dark room. Maybe some therapy.

“Okay,” said Sam before he wandered off again.

“Tell me you have good news,” I said to Garrett who was pretending not to have heard any of that.

“I do but I think we should tell the Dugans too,” he said, calling for them to join us. When he had our family and friends’ attention, he started. “Good news. Kelvin Huff sang like a canary. Huff had seen his buddy that he knew as Timothy Wright undertaking work that was not on their maintenance schedule and figured out what was going on. When the jewels disappeared, that clinched it. Yet Black hung around. It seems Huff was biding his time, trying to figure out what Black had done with the jewels and keeping an eye on him. When Black up and quit, Huff got lucky and figured out where he was going and followed him here. But the wait got too long; it was going to be too hard to keep tabs on Black so Huff got desperate and confronted him.” Garrett paused to take a sip, his audience fully captivated.

“It seems Black taunted Huff where the jewels were hidden and how Huff couldn’t possibly dispose of them. When Huff demanded money instead, Black mocked him that no one would believe him anyway so why would he pay him? They fought and the gun went off. According to Huff, Black died instantly. If Huff called for help at the time, he might have gotten a manslaughter charge or less but not reporting the death and hiding the body changed everything.

“Huff was convinced the jewels were hidden nearby and spent days searching for nothing. Despite Black trying to convince him the jewels were in a safe deposit box, Huff gradually came to the conclusion while he was inside that the jewels were still somewhere in the house and once he was released, he would be able to recover them. The unearthing of the body created a problem in his plans. The discovery of the jewels ruined it.”

“So he’ll go back to jail?” asked Carrie Dugan.

“Yes. There will be a trial but it’s an open-and-shut case,” said Garrett. “His ex will testify that he tried to rub a huge payday in her face. Plus, the woman he tried to hoodwink here remembered that he boasted about hiding a gun in a basement once. She called in the tip. With the Dugans’ permission, we were able to locate a weapon that we matched to the bullet that killed Charlie Black.”

“You never said any of this,” said Solomon softly to my ear.

“It’s news to me too,” I said, enjoying Garrett’s moment of glory.

“Well done,” said Mom. “You’re a brilliant detective!”

“This case was truly a team effort,” said Garrett. “Without Lexi, Lily, and the tip from Ruby, we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere close to the truth.”

Lily and Ruby high fived.

“Good job,” said Mom and gave me the thumbs up. Before I could reply, she hurried on, asking, “What about the ruby? I’ve been hearing all kinds of rumors.”

“Us too,” said Carrie Dugan excitedly. “We thought we found it, then turns out it disappeared again, and the thief was killed at our home! A TV producer called us just this morning about being in a documentary that details it all.”

“We’ve had several calls from journalists too,” added Pete Dugan. “There’s going to be a big story in The Post about the mystery of the ruby. And we’re eligible for some of the reward money.”

“Me too,” said Ruby. “I got a call from Rachenstein’s reps just as I was getting into my car to come here. I don’t know what I’m going to do with it. I’ve never had that kind of money before!”

“Maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I’m enjoying being a part of the ruby’s history. Imagine that it was in our yard all this time and that we were amongst the last people to see it before it disappeared again!” said Carrie.

“I was there too!” said Mom. “I should speak to someone at The Gazette ! Are you going to be on TV, Garrett?”

“I hope not,” said Garrett.

“Lexi?” Mom turned to me.

“I don’t have anything to add,” I said.

“You’d look so good saying nothing,” said Lily. “Just stand there looking mysterious.”

“I could do that,” I agreed.

“I love this scarlet dress. You should wear it on TV. Sexy and mysterious,” Lily added while waving a hand at my dress.

“Most definitely.” I nodded along, warming to the idea.

When the conversation descended into a riotous mix of questions, theories, and more questions about the reward money, I slipped away. I got a burger from my dad and found a chair to drop into. Lily came to sit next to me, having offloaded Poppy onto Jord.

“I’m trying not to cling onto her,” she said watching the two playfully bond. “That asshole, Gideon Black has a lot to answer for.”

“I really don’t think Poppy was ever in any danger.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s the thought of it. I’m glad this case is closed. I hope he’s as far from Montgomery as he can get and never comes back.”

“Do you want to make sure?”

“How?”

“His father’s funeral is tomorrow. Do you want to come?”

“Duh. Of course I want to come. I have the cutest black dress.”

“I’ll pick you up at ten.”

“Do you think Gideon will show?”

I’d thought a lot about that. “Only if he’s crazy,” I decided.

~

The Eternally Resting Hills cemetery was a sprawling, undulating lot filled with a whole trove of dead folk. A long, winding road cut the lot in half and the gravesites ranged from large stones with carved angels filled with long, loving, testaments to their occupants to small, simple crosses. I couldn’t imagine this being my final resting place but I knew I had relatives here somewhere just waiting for my unearthly mayhem.

“I am not getting buried,” said Lily. She smoothed the pencil skirt of her black dress and adjusted her black velvet headband. She looked like a Mafia doll but I didn’t tell her in case she was too pleased.

“Why not?”

“I don’t like the idea. Cook me up and spread my ashes somewhere pretty. Or!” She grinned excitedly. “You could keep me on the mantel and chat to me.”

“Why are you dying first?”

“I don’t want to see you die. Every time you get injured, I think you’re going to die, and it sucks.”

I gulped down my guilt. “Sorry.”

“Plus, I want someone to watch over Poppy and who could I trust more than my best friend?”

“Your husband?”

“Like I said.”

“Okay, cool. I love Poppy but I expect her to be super middle-aged by the point I actually have to watch over her. I don’t expect to do a great deal. I’ll make her dinner and tell her what I think of her partners and be her hype girl.”

“Deal.” Lily extended her hand and we shook. “I hope you give her cousins.”

“Working on it,” I said.

“Do you need tips?”

“No!”

“Suit yourself. So what happens now?”

I wiggled my toes in my ankle boots and looked around, tallying our location with the guide I’d been given. The burial plot overlooking the town had been dug and was draped with cloth. A simple coffin rested on the plinth. Two workers had retreated a discreet distance away. The minister had parked a golf cart on the edge of the road and was striding towards us, Bible in hand. “We stand here and look pretty,” I said.

“Easily done. I can probably spring a tear if necessary,” Lily added. “But I have to draw the line at throwing myself into the grave.”

“You don’t need to do either. Just look solemn. I didn’t think the city would spring for something like this.” I’d expected a pauper’s grave in a quiet corner of the cemetery, although my only experience of what one of those would be like was from watching period movies. Something simple, at least, was what I’d assumed. Yet the coffin seemed good quality and it was draped with a beautiful bouquet of white lilies. I reached for the card peeking from under the foliage, surprised at the signature.

“We should have held the wake at my bar.”

“No one would come. We’re the only two people here.”

“Three,” said Lily.

“I forgot the minister.”

“Oh, four then.” Lily pointed. My mom was barreling towards us, clearly in a race with the minister. She passed him a few steps before he reached the graveside and stopped next to us, heaving a breath.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I did know him,” she said.

“You probably met him twice. Years ago.”

Mom bristled. “It would be rude not to come. I’m sure he would have done the same for me.”

“He would wait until your burial was underway and the house was clear, then rob you.”

Mom gave me a dirty look and before she could retort, I waved her quiet, as the minster began his short sermon.

Afterwards, as we thanked the minister and shook hands, my mother peppered him with questions. I turned away and caught movement from the corner of my eye. Just a blur of a shadow next to a tree.

“Keep her occupied,” I said to Lily quietly.

I walked towards the treeline, watching for more movement, but there was no sign of anyone. When I reached the trees, I stopped and said clearly, “I saw you.”

“I intended you to,” said Gideon, emerging from behind a thick oak, just enough that I could see him while remaining obscured from the burial plot.

“It was a nice service for your father.”

“Probably better than he deserved.”

“Wouldn’t you rather he was interred with your mother?” I wondered.

“She was cremated,” he said.

“Did you choose this spot?”

“The city did after my representative paid.” Gideon gazed past me, then redirected his attention to me, a sad smile on his face. “It’s nice. Peaceful. I don’t think my father had a very peaceful life,” he said. “He reined in his tendencies while my mother was alive but once she was gone… well, he needed to fend for me. That’s what I told myself anyway.”

“There’re plenty of ways to do that without getting involved in a life of crime.”

“Guess he didn’t get the memo.” Gideon smiled now, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “It was good of you to come,” he said.

“I wanted to make sure he got a proper burial.”

His eyes sparkled. “You wanted to see if I would come.”

“That too.” We were silent and I was surprised he didn’t hit the road at knowing I’d anticipated his presence. “The Dugans sent the flowers.”

“Thoughtful of them.”

I nodded, unsurprised that he knew their name or that they now lived in his father’s brief home. “You took a risk coming here.”

“I suppose I did. Are you going to arrest me? Oh! Silly me. You can’t. You’re not a police officer.” He winked.

“No, I’m not.”

Gideon smiled this time, all the charm returning to his face. “I heard the ruby disappeared. It wasn’t me.”

“I know.”

“But I would’ve stolen it if I could.”

“You certainly tried. You also tried to make sure we were out of the way so you could.”

Gideon winced. “Sorry about that. I didn’t want you foiling my plans. Turned out it wasn’t you I should have been worried about.”

“You threatened my niece,” I hissed.

“A regrettable decision. I’m sure you know now that she wasn’t in any danger.”

“It doesn’t matter. You should have never threatened her at all.”

“Would an apology help?”

“No.”

“I’m not sticking around, just so you know.” Gideon thrust his hands into his chino pockets, looking relaxed as he leaned against the tree.

“I never thought you would. Too many rich women out there to swindle.”

“They secretly enjoy it.” Gideon grinned. “And I only take what they don’t need when I need an occasional side hustle. If I’d gotten that ruby, I would have packed it all in.”

“I doubt that.”

“Well, it’s a nice idea. Any idea where Cass Temple is?” He rubbed his head where she’d whacked him.

“None.”

“You might want to ask your friend, Special Agent Adam Maddox.”

“I know he’s on her tail.”

“Is it just that? Work?” Gideon smiled and I had the suspicious feeling he knew more than he was letting on. “He hasn’t told you all his secrets, has he? His and Cass Temple’s?”

“What do you want from me?” I asked, knowing he wasn’t going to tell me anything anyway. Not when he thought he had the upper hand. He was simply going to taunt me. At least Maddox was cute with it, but Gideon? Gideon had an undercurrent of something I didn’t like.

And Cass? Cass impressed me. Whatever secrets she had, they would come out eventually. I wasn’t going to beg Gideon to reveal them.

“Just to say thank you,” said Gideon. “Thanks for finding out what happened to my dad. Thank you for putting his killer away.”

“Team effort. You’re welcome.”

“Until next time.” He raised an imaginary hat, saluting me.

“Gideon?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t come back.”

“Take care, Lexi, and thanks for letting me go,” he said as I turned away, ready to return to my family. And what was left of his.

I paused, glancing over my shoulder. “Who says I did?” I asked and laughed as Gideon’s face turned to panic. A police siren sounded and I turned toward the road, momentarily startled. When I turned back, only seconds later, Gideon was gone. Of course he was. He would never have come here without an escape route meticulously planned in advance.

“Was that him?” asked Lily when I returned to her as a trio of squad cars sailed past along the road. She’d waited and watched. My mother was chasing after the minister as he retreated to his golf cart, anxiously checking behind him to see if she followed.

“Yes.”

“Do you think they’ll catch him?”

“No.”

“Just a simple game of gem warfare then,” said Lily, hooking her arm with mine. Ahead of us, my mother was climbing into the golf cart. I hoped she wasn’t quizzing the poor minister on how to be ordained.

“I’m not sure who the winner is,” I said. I wasn’t sure if I should be mad at Gideon for evading prosecution once again, or relieved that he was gone. Probably both.

“You. You solved the cold case.”

“And lost the jewel.”

“You get to fight another day and look fabulous doing it.”

“I do, don’t I?” I smiled. Yes, I did. And unlike Gideon Black or Cass Temple, I wasn’t going to spend every minute of my life looking over my shoulder.

They may not have played by the rules, and Cass may have won this match, but I’d definitely won the game.