was about to impart bad news. “Right out of its display case.”
The carved horn was a replica of an 11th-century oliphant, or hunting horn. Six originals were known to exist, but these had been carved from elephant tusks. The one stolen from us was a reproduction Bennett had acquired twenty years ago. Although he loved the graceful curves of the original horns, he didn’t approve of owning real ivory. In fact, all the ivory items that his father and grandfather had accumulated in their lifetimes had been taken off exhibit and placed in storage. Bennett didn’t want tangible proof of man’s cruelty on display in his home, nor did he want to profit by releasing them to the marketplace. The hunting horn that had been stolen held all the beauty of an original, but had been carved out of solid gold.
“But . . .” I could tell from her artificially bored expression that she already had an answer for me and that I wasn’t going to like it. “That display case is on camera.”
“The viewfinder’s angle was changed. Deliberately.”
“For how long? Did no one notice?”
She held up a notepad. She made a show of perching her reading glasses on her nose, but I had no doubt she’d already memorized the facts and could recite them blindfolded. “I called down there the moment I found out about the theft,” she said over the tops of the lenses. “This is what I found out: A note was sent to security, informing them that several cameras around the manor, including this one, would be adjusted during the DVD filming today. It was signed Corbin Shaw.”
“What? Corbin knows better than to—”
“He didn’t send the note.” She waggled her brows. “At least, that’s what he claims.”
Dumbfounded, I tried to make sense of it all. “Is anything else missing?”
“Not so far. And before you ask, and I know you will, I have security trying to determine who adjusted the camera angles. I mean, if these were physically moved it ought to be pretty obvious who got close enough to the equipment to do it.”
I suspected that whoever had gone to such lengths to reroute cameras would have taken precautions necessary to ensure anonymity. “Is security—”
“They’re going over every minute of tape as we speak. They’ll keep us informed.”
“Thanks, Frances.”
She gave me a look that said, “What did you expect?” and then asked for an update.
“The man who was shot, Mark Ellroy, has been taken to the hospital,” I said. “I’ll be heading over there soon to check on him. He may need help transitioning from his current hotel to ours. I’ll see to his belongings, but there may be more I haven’t anticipated.” Frances’s expression was one of pure skepticism and I couldn’t imagine why. Continuing, I explained, “The police want to keep him in town until they have a chance to question him thoroughly.”
“Can you do that?” she asked. “Up and move him without his okay?”
“I’ll make sure I talk with Mr. Ellroy first before I touch anything of his.”
She seemed to approve. “Poor man,” she said. “His whole vacation will be ruined.”
“Worse for Lenore.”
“I wasn’t forgetting about her,” Frances said, miffed. “I’m thinking about what that poor man has to face next. Your detective friends have been made to look like fools twice now in the span of a few months, so they’re desperate. You know how some doctors order fifteen more tests than a patient really needs to avoid being hit with a malpractice suit?” When I nodded, she continued, “I think the Emberstowne police are so worried about you showing them up again that they’re encroaching on Mr. Ellroy’s civil liberties. He should be allowed to resume his vacation if he likes.”
That was a whole lot to assimilate at once. I blinked. “Would
you
be able to enjoy a vacation after the person standing next you was killed in cold blood?”
“I just think he should have been consulted before he was ordered to stay
The carved horn was a replica of an 11th-century oliphant, or hunting horn. Six originals were known to exist, but these had been carved from elephant tusks. The one stolen from us was a reproduction Bennett had acquired twenty years ago. Although he loved the graceful curves of the original horns, he didn’t approve of owning real ivory. In fact, all the ivory items that his father and grandfather had accumulated in their lifetimes had been taken off exhibit and placed in storage. Bennett didn’t want tangible proof of man’s cruelty on display in his home, nor did he want to profit by releasing them to the marketplace. The hunting horn that had been stolen held all the beauty of an original, but had been carved out of solid gold.
“But . . .” I could tell from her artificially bored expression that she already had an answer for me and that I wasn’t going to like it. “That display case is on camera.”
“The viewfinder’s angle was changed. Deliberately.”
“For how long? Did no one notice?”
She held up a notepad. She made a show of perching her reading glasses on her nose, but I had no doubt she’d already memorized the facts and could recite them blindfolded. “I called down there the moment I found out about the theft,” she said over the tops of the lenses. “This is what I found out: A note was sent to security, informing them that several cameras around the manor, including this one, would be adjusted during the DVD filming today. It was signed Corbin Shaw.”
“What? Corbin knows better than to—”
“He didn’t send the note.” She waggled her brows. “At least, that’s what he claims.”
Dumbfounded, I tried to make sense of it all. “Is anything else missing?”
“Not so far. And before you ask, and I know you will, I have security trying to determine who adjusted the camera angles. I mean, if these were physically moved it ought to be pretty obvious who got close enough to the equipment to do it.”
I suspected that whoever had gone to such lengths to reroute cameras would have taken precautions necessary to ensure anonymity. “Is security—”
“They’re going over every minute of tape as we speak. They’ll keep us informed.”
“Thanks, Frances.”
She gave me a look that said, “What did you expect?” and then asked for an update.
“The man who was shot, Mark Ellroy, has been taken to the hospital,” I said. “I’ll be heading over there soon to check on him. He may need help transitioning from his current hotel to ours. I’ll see to his belongings, but there may be more I haven’t anticipated.” Frances’s expression was one of pure skepticism and I couldn’t imagine why. Continuing, I explained, “The police want to keep him in town until they have a chance to question him thoroughly.”
“Can you do that?” she asked. “Up and move him without his okay?”
“I’ll make sure I talk with Mr. Ellroy first before I touch anything of his.”
She seemed to approve. “Poor man,” she said. “His whole vacation will be ruined.”
“Worse for Lenore.”
“I wasn’t forgetting about her,” Frances said, miffed. “I’m thinking about what that poor man has to face next. Your detective friends have been made to look like fools twice now in the span of a few months, so they’re desperate. You know how some doctors order fifteen more tests than a patient really needs to avoid being hit with a malpractice suit?” When I nodded, she continued, “I think the Emberstowne police are so worried about you showing them up again that they’re encroaching on Mr. Ellroy’s civil liberties. He should be allowed to resume his vacation if he likes.”
That was a whole lot to assimilate at once. I blinked. “Would
you
be able to enjoy a vacation after the person standing next you was killed in cold blood?”
“I just think he should have been consulted before he was ordered to stay
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