Diana tell you what she ordered?”
“No,” I answered. “I know she was really excited about it.”
“The piece is an exquisite pearl, citrine, green amethyst, and white topaz necklace. I had so much fun making it.”
I could see out of the corner of my eye, Heidi and her friend had spotted me.
“Hello, Caro,” she said quietly. She looked uncomfortable, and I guessed she might be wondering just how much I’d heard.
“Would you like to take a look?” I motioned Heidi and her friend over.
“Sure,” the friend answered.
The two leaned in beside me as Neeley lifted the necklace from where it nested in the velvet box.
“Wow, Caro. Is it for you?” Heidi asked.
“No, I’m picking it up for a friend,” I answered.
“It’s so beautiful.” Morgan reached out and touched the stones which were attached to the delicate chain in a waterfall fashion. The stones made a tinkling sound as she ran her finger along them.
It was a stunning piece of jewelry and uniquely perfect for Diana Knight.
Neeley gently wrapped the necklace, placed it back in the box, and handed it to me. “Diana has already settled up with me and so you’re good to go. Tell her I hope she enjoys it.”
She turned to the two girls. “Can I help you ladies with anything?”
“We were just killing time before our hot yoga class starts,” Morgan admitted.
“You have some really pretty things,” Heidi added.
“I’m sure Diana will be pleased with her necklace.” I smiled at Neeley. “And I’ll be back to look at some of the rest of your collections.”
The two exited the store with me. As we stepped out into the sunshine, we all three reached for our sunglasses.
“Heidi.” I stopped her with a hand on her arm. “What’s this about an argument Jake and Cash had?”
“It was no big deal.” She shrugged my hand loose. “Don’t make it into one.” She walked away.
Heidi and Morgan hopped in Heidi’s Escalade which was parked at the curb and took off. I watched them pull away, bothered by how dismissive Heidi had been of the disagreement. Was she protecting Cash? What was the secret? And most importantly, had he been angry enough to strangle his friend and partner?
Maybe she was right and it wasn’t a big deal. Friends disagree. But one friend was dead, and the other was missing. And the missing one was someone she supposedly cared for. Wouldn’t you think she’d be sharing everything, big deal or not, with the police?
I had started walking in the other direction up the street to where my car was parked when Neeley came rushing out of her shop.
“Oh no.” She stopped. “Caro, do you know those girls?”
“I know one of them.”
“They left this on the counter.” She held up a sparkly hair clip.
It was Heidi’s. The one she’d taken off to try the headband on. She must have forgotten to pick it up and put it back on.
“Oh, that’s Heidi’s. I’ll return it to her, if you like.”
“Would you?” Neeley handed the hair clip to me. “I’d really appreciate it if you could. I’m off to a jewelry show and am closing the shop for a couple of days.”
“No problem.” It would give me another chance to talk to Heidi and to see if I could find out more information about this argument between Jake and Cash. And maybe I could find out what she knew about Jake’s fight with the next-door neighbor that Callum MacAvoy had mentioned.
DIANA KNIGHT lived in Ruby Point, an exclusive gated community just off of PCH. Top-notch security, gorgeous homes, and to-die-for views.
The guard checked me through, and I followed the winding street to Diana’s. Pulling my sporty silver car into the flower-lined driveway, I glanced up at the house. It was one of the larger ones on the street and, though not that old, had an old world feel. The front was lush with flower beds filled with elegant roses and feathery lavender. As I got out, I stretched and inhaled the fragrant combination.
Bella, her housekeeper and
“No,” I answered. “I know she was really excited about it.”
“The piece is an exquisite pearl, citrine, green amethyst, and white topaz necklace. I had so much fun making it.”
I could see out of the corner of my eye, Heidi and her friend had spotted me.
“Hello, Caro,” she said quietly. She looked uncomfortable, and I guessed she might be wondering just how much I’d heard.
“Would you like to take a look?” I motioned Heidi and her friend over.
“Sure,” the friend answered.
The two leaned in beside me as Neeley lifted the necklace from where it nested in the velvet box.
“Wow, Caro. Is it for you?” Heidi asked.
“No, I’m picking it up for a friend,” I answered.
“It’s so beautiful.” Morgan reached out and touched the stones which were attached to the delicate chain in a waterfall fashion. The stones made a tinkling sound as she ran her finger along them.
It was a stunning piece of jewelry and uniquely perfect for Diana Knight.
Neeley gently wrapped the necklace, placed it back in the box, and handed it to me. “Diana has already settled up with me and so you’re good to go. Tell her I hope she enjoys it.”
She turned to the two girls. “Can I help you ladies with anything?”
“We were just killing time before our hot yoga class starts,” Morgan admitted.
“You have some really pretty things,” Heidi added.
“I’m sure Diana will be pleased with her necklace.” I smiled at Neeley. “And I’ll be back to look at some of the rest of your collections.”
The two exited the store with me. As we stepped out into the sunshine, we all three reached for our sunglasses.
“Heidi.” I stopped her with a hand on her arm. “What’s this about an argument Jake and Cash had?”
“It was no big deal.” She shrugged my hand loose. “Don’t make it into one.” She walked away.
Heidi and Morgan hopped in Heidi’s Escalade which was parked at the curb and took off. I watched them pull away, bothered by how dismissive Heidi had been of the disagreement. Was she protecting Cash? What was the secret? And most importantly, had he been angry enough to strangle his friend and partner?
Maybe she was right and it wasn’t a big deal. Friends disagree. But one friend was dead, and the other was missing. And the missing one was someone she supposedly cared for. Wouldn’t you think she’d be sharing everything, big deal or not, with the police?
I had started walking in the other direction up the street to where my car was parked when Neeley came rushing out of her shop.
“Oh no.” She stopped. “Caro, do you know those girls?”
“I know one of them.”
“They left this on the counter.” She held up a sparkly hair clip.
It was Heidi’s. The one she’d taken off to try the headband on. She must have forgotten to pick it up and put it back on.
“Oh, that’s Heidi’s. I’ll return it to her, if you like.”
“Would you?” Neeley handed the hair clip to me. “I’d really appreciate it if you could. I’m off to a jewelry show and am closing the shop for a couple of days.”
“No problem.” It would give me another chance to talk to Heidi and to see if I could find out more information about this argument between Jake and Cash. And maybe I could find out what she knew about Jake’s fight with the next-door neighbor that Callum MacAvoy had mentioned.
DIANA KNIGHT lived in Ruby Point, an exclusive gated community just off of PCH. Top-notch security, gorgeous homes, and to-die-for views.
The guard checked me through, and I followed the winding street to Diana’s. Pulling my sporty silver car into the flower-lined driveway, I glanced up at the house. It was one of the larger ones on the street and, though not that old, had an old world feel. The front was lush with flower beds filled with elegant roses and feathery lavender. As I got out, I stretched and inhaled the fragrant combination.
Bella, her housekeeper and
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