Chapter 5 - WHAT ELI SAW
Naomi did not touch it.
“How do you know which container to open?”
Vanessa blinked.
“It's the obvious place to hide jewelry.”
“Then let's wait for the police.”
Ethan stepped between Cole and the door.
“Nobody searches anything.”
Vanessa stared at him. “You're choosing her over me?”
“I'm choosing not to hold a trial in a hallway.”
From the stairs came a thin voice.
“The brooch isn't missing.”
Eli stood with a basket of clean towels pressed against his chest.
Vanessa turned slowly.
“Go downstairs.”
“I saw it in your dressing room. In the blue jewelry case.”
“You don't know what you're talking about.”
“You asked me to bring the case from the guest suite. At four fifteen.”
He swallowed.
“You signed the delivery sheet.”
Ruth held out her hand. Eli gave her the sheet.
For the first time, Vanessa looked uncertain.
Ethan went to her dressing room. He returned with the brooch resting on its velvet insert.
Vanessa laughed too loudly.
“Well. Someone must have put it back.”
Her eyes settled on Naomi.
“You could have said something.”
“I wasn't the one who lost it.”
After the hallway cleared, Naomi asked Ruth to stay while she opened the sewing tin.
Inside, beneath her mother's needles, lay a folded hundred-dollar bill she had never seen before.
Ruth's mouth tightened.
“The brooch story was supposed to get them inside,” Naomi said. “This would have been whatever they needed next.”
They photographed the tin and left the money untouched. Ethan arranged a locksmith for the morning.
“I shouldn't have gone to Marcus,” he said.
“No.”
“I thought I knew him.”
“That's what makes it work.”
She wanted to yell. Instead, she made him write down exactly what he had told the lawyer.
Later, Ruth brought dinner on a tray.
“You don't have to tell me about Philadelphia,” she said.
Naomi set down her fork.
“What do you know about Philadelphia?”
Ruth sat on the edge of the spare chair.
“A woman called the house before it happened. Helen Ward. She used to help with the foundation accounts.”
“What did she want?”
“Ethan. Marcus said he'd handle it.”
May you like
Ruth pulled out her old phone.
“But she called back. And this time, she left a message.”
