Ruby Red Herring Read online

  “My dear, impudence is quite unattractive,” Aunt Midge said, her tone pleasant.

  “Yes, Auntie. Sorry.” Tilly huffed out a sigh and turned, continuing on.

  Midge resumed walking, her grip on Avery’s arm a little tighter. “Your parents worked on that piece. Did you know that?”

  “The Emperor’s Twins? My parents were involved in that acquisition? How—when? The exhibit at MOA is striking. I assumed it had been there for years.”

  “The exhibit went up sometime last year. Probably shortly after your parents were finished with the authentication process,” Aunt Midge said, pulling the bakery door open for Avery.

  * * *

  “All right, Auntie,” Avery said, setting the brown paper bag on the coffee table back at home. “Would you please go through this again for me?”

  Aunt Midge took her seat. “Of course.”

  Tilly carried dessert plates, forks, and napkins in from the kitchen. She left and returned a second time with Aunt Midge’s authentic carved Yixing tea set, which they’d brought back from China on their last trip. Tilly served up three pieces of baklava and cups of tea while Aunt Midge and Avery talked.

  “I just can’t believe Mom and Dad worked on the Emperor’s Twins medallion.” Avery shook her head. “Goldie hired them? And Sir Robert and Micah knew about the job?”

  Midge nodded. “They all probably assumed you knew, that your parents told you about it. But you were in Pennsylvania then, at least until the night of the crash. They never mentioned it to you?”

  “No.” Avery frowned. “Which is strange. It’s an exciting piece; it must have been a very involved assignment. I mean, maybe they didn’t want to say anything until they knew for sure that it was the real Emperor’s Twins medallion?”

  “I’m not sure. I’m afraid I don’t know a thing about what you all do,” Midge apologized. “Your father tried sometimes to explain the process to me, but my mind just gets caught on the pretty words: gold, flawless, clarity, carats, brilliance.” She smiled, fanning out one hand to admire the rings she’d collected through the years.

  Tilly laughed. “I know exactly what you mean. I could feel my eyes glazing over when Dad and Mom and Avery got into all the science-y stuff. Snoozeville.”

  Midge widened her eyes at Tilly. “I didn’t quite say that, Matilda Marie. Don’t be cheeky.”

  Tilly scooted to Aunt Midge’s side and gave her a peck on one cheek. “Sorry, Auntie. I’ll be more mindful of my manners.”

  Aunt Midge gave Tilly a one-armed hug. “Lovely, my dear. And thank you for so graciously handling our refreshment.”

  “Anyway,” Tilly went on, “I just meant, I never really knew what pieces Mom and Dad were working on. But a dragon? Isn’t that what you said, A, that the ruby could be the missing eye of a dragon? What kind of dragon? Is it like a big statue at the MOA?”

  “It’s a dragon medallion about the size of your hand,” Avery said, opening her hand, palm up, with her fingers splayed out. “I went and took a good look at the exhibit today after talking to Goldie. The necklace was thought to be from Chinese Emperor Xiang’s private collection, given to him as a gift around 1755. As the story goes, upon seeing the two beautiful, fiery red ruby eyes of the striking dragon, he dubbed it the Emperor’s Twins. The medallion disappeared after he died and is believed to have had various owners since. By the time the necklace made it to MOA, one of the rare ruby eyes was missing. You should see it, Tilly; you’d never forget it. The dragon design and inlaid jewels are striking. Even the Bismark link necklace the medallion was acquired with is genuine eighteenth-century gold.”

  “Wow,” Tilly breathed, her usual sass subdued for the moment. “I want to see it.”

  “I’ll bring you,” Avery said. “Anytime, just let me know when.”

  “I think I’d like to take a look at the Xiang display myself,” Aunt Midge spoke up. “We’ll make an afternoon of it soon. I do recall Anne stressing about that blessed medallion. It was such a high-profile artifact. The New York Times ran a piece about the find when the display opened. I wonder if I saved the article. It included such a nice write-up about your parents, in memoriam,” Aunt Midge said.

  “Why was Mom stressed? They handled valuable artifacts all the time. Was there something about the medallion that concerned her?”

  Midge shook her head. “No, not that I recall. But she spoke about the importance of the discovery. Even she and your dad were a little awed by the intricate jewel-and-pearl inlay. There was a lot of to-do over the Emperor’s Twins artifact surfacing and the MOA being the one to acquire it. You know how your mother was—normally nothing ruffled her. But she was so intent on making sure she covered every detail of the medallion and its history. It was quite an involved case.”

  “Do you think we have that article somewhere? Or anything from that assignment? It would help, going forward, as we compare the characteristics of the new jewel to the existing one in the Emperor’s Twins display.”

  Midge sipped her tea. “I know we cleared out the inactive files and paperwork last year from the Manhattan shop and the home office, when you were acclimating to running the business. I’ll go up to the attic tomorrow and see what I can find.” She paused. “We should talk about the letter.”

  Avery’s breath caught in her throat. She’d been trying not to think about it. Had Aunt Midge learned something from someone in her circle? “Did any of your friends have suggestions?”

  She sighed. “Not really. But I’m not so sure we should disregard the message. Have you thought any further about what contract the letter refers to? No work assignment is worth your safety, Avery.”

  “I know, don’t worry. I don’t feel as if I’m in danger. We started that ruby case today, but so far I don’t know anything about it. And I don’t see how anyone could even know we’re on that case, besides us and Goldie.”

  Midge was uncharacteristically pensive, nodding and thinking before replying. “Did you feel at all unsafe today while you were at MOA? Or even going to the shop?”

  “I really didn’t.” Avery met Tilly’s gaze. “I honestly think it must be a prank or a terribly cruel joke. Everything went fine today, nothing out of the ordinary.”

  “All right. Please be extra careful until we know for sure.”

  Avery nodded, standing to head to the kitchen. “I will, I promise. More tea, anyone, before I go to bed?”

  Aunt Midge was always the last to turn in for the night, though Avery and her aunt often crossed paths again by chance in the kitchen around three AM when they came to grab a glass of milk or some small snack. Avery remembered her father also having the same habit when she was growing up. She was apparently just like them. Somehow she always slept better after a middle-of-the-night trip to the kitchen.

  Tonight, Avery stopped in Tilly’s doorway before heading down the hall to her own room. Her sister would be away at college in London this fall if things went the way Tilly hoped. Avery wondered how she and Aunt Midge would adjust, what would change. Would Midge return to her apartment in the city, or would she stay in Lilac Grove? Avery was content here. She hadn’t been ready to move back home, but she’d truly missed it—the town, the house and yard, the people. The way the shop owners here treated townsfolk like family. Faye, owner of the White Box, had packaged up not only the remaining baklava for them but the last few cannoli, doughnuts, and croissants as she was closing for the night.

  “Are you nervous about your voice audition?” Avery asked her sister from the bedroom doorway.

  Tilly looked up from her vanity, where she was braiding her hair so it would be crimped in the morning. “Nope. I can’t wait. Five more days! I wish you could come.” She spun around on her stool, making a pouty face at Avery.

  “I know. I wish I could too. But Auntie promised to send me a zillion photos and videos, and you’re going to love LA!”

  “I wish I could just audition in London so we could go now. I can’t wait to see the school.”

&nb
sp; Avery shrugged. “Don’t worry. You’ll be in school there soon, homesick and whining that you miss us. Or at least Halston,” she said, teasing.

  “Never,” Tilly said. “I know I’ll want to stay there. You and Auntie and Halston will just have to move there with me.” She flounced onto her bed, kicking three fluffy yellow-and-pink throw pillows off the edge, and picked up her remote. “Come watch Friends reruns with me before you go to bed. It helps me sleep.”

  Avery couldn’t argue. Soon everything would change; for now, she snuggled up with Tilly and watched half an episode of Friends before they both fell asleep.

  * * *

  True to his word, Micah Abbott was waiting for Avery in front of the MOA the next morning. Always impeccably dressed, he wore a hunter-green pocket square that matched his tie, his close-cut brown hair was freshly trimmed, and his expression held anticipation.

  He handed her a cup of coffee as they climbed the steps. “So do you really think this could be the missing Emperor’s Twins ruby?”

  Avery showed her badge to the guard, and they went through the turnstiles. “I’m not sure,” she said, turning to glance at Micah. “We were talking about it last night. You worked on the original evaluation and appraisal of the medallion with my parents, right?”

  Micah nodded. “Yes and no. We were swamped around that time, and I was dealing with a few other cases. I wasn’t involved in the medallion authentication; Anne and William handled all of it. But I knew they were working on it, since it was a high-profile assignment.”

  “Ah. Okay. I’ll have to ask Sir Robert what he recalls.” They were alone in the elevator now, on the way to the third floor. “I’m going to see if there’s anything in my parents’ files about the medallion that might be useful.”

  “Oh, perfect,” Micah exclaimed. “That’s good thinking. I do remember your mother carrying around pages and pages of notes.”

  Avery’s interest was piqued. “Really?” They exited the elevator, and she showed her badge to the guard at the door to the lab.

  He addressed Avery and Micah. “I’ll have the submission brought to the lab now if you’re ready, Ms. Ayers?”

  “Yes, thank you.”

  She and Micah moved about the lab, setting up the equipment they’d be using. The first order of business would be to remove the jewel from its mounting, and that would require some precision, depending on whether the setting really was eighteenth-century gold or just gold-plated steel.

  While they waited for the guard to return, Goldie Brennan came through the doorway. “Well! I hardly slept last night,” she said, dropping her own disposable cup in the trash can. “And I don’t think this coffee is a good idea. I’m too excited as it is.”

  “We’re excited too, Goldie. You know the process takes a while, though,” Avery said gently.

  “Oh, of course. And especially with an item like this. Take your time. If we know, one way or another, in time for the charity gala in two weeks, I’ll be one happy curator. But no pressure.”

  Micah pulled a chair out for the older woman. “Please, sit.” He gestured.

  “No, that’s all right. No one needs a little bird watching over their shoulder. I’m not staying. I just—” She broke off as two guards returned, carrying a locked case.

  “Right here is fine.” Avery touched the long marble counter top in the center of the room. She pulled thin tortoiseshell glasses from her purse and put them on.

  The taller guard set the box down and inserted a key, unlocking it.

  “I’ll leave you to it!” Goldie reached over and gave Avery’s arm a light squeeze. “My goodness, you remind me so much of your mother.”

  That warmed Avery’s heart. “Thank you, Goldie,” she said. She paused for a moment, struggling with emotion, then returned her attention to the business at hand. “Are you able to put us in touch with the collector who submitted the piece? I’d just love to clarify how he came to find it, hear his description of the discovery, anyone he might have dealt with in purchasing it, you know?”

  Goldie nodded. “Of course. I’ll reach out and have him contact you. I’m sure he won’t mind.” She turned to follow the guards out, stopping to call back over her shoulder, “Let me know if there’s anything else you need—you remember, just pick up the phone and dial twelve to get me.”

  “We’re all set, Goldie, but thank you.” Avery smiled.

  The door snapped shut, and she and Micah were alone in the lab. Avery carefully removed the package from the lock box and set it on the counter top, unwrapping the black velvet to reveal the large, sparkling, red jewel.

  Micah sucked in his breath, an odd sound in the quiet lab. He met Avery’s eyes.

  “Wow. Just”—he bent to peer at it—“wow.”

  “I know,” she whispered. “I mean, Micah, this is the kind of artifact we could spend our whole careers waiting to see. Right in front of us.”

  “You’re right.” He matched her whisper.

  “If it’s real,” she added, taking a little wind out of Micah’s sails.

  “If it’s real,” he repeated, nodding. “Yes, if it’s real. We have seen some amazing forgeries.”

  “We have,” Avery agreed. “So, I think, we first evaluate it as is before freeing it from the setting, and then we work just on the verification and appraisal of this jewel. If it’s real, then we request access to the Emperor’s Twins medallion so that we can start the process of learning whether it might be the missing dragon’s eye.”

  Sometime before lunch, the door to the lab whooshed open, and Avery was startled out of the almost trancelike state she’d lapsed into while staring at her laptop across from Micah. She was perusing online resources for any mention of a ruby or red spinel that had been reported missing. They had to make sure they weren’t dealing with a jewel that had been illegally acquired by the collector. She was also scouring the internet for some type of provenance for a jewel of the gem’s description, with or without its current setting. Provenance was basically a chain of custody for an item, tracing it all the way back to—ideally—its creation. Finding a provenance for a mysterious piece like this one would be huge, as it would provide proof of what exactly the jewel was. Avery had come up empty-handed after all her research—no sign that someone had reported the piece missing, but no sign of a provenance either.

  Francesca came through the door, along with Sir Robert. “Oh my, this looks serious.” Francesca moved around the counter top with her hands clasped behind her back, peering over Micah’s shoulder at the gem. Her tall, fine-boned frame moved fluidly in a lavender silk pantsuit, which flattered her svelte figure. “It’s breathtaking, isn’t it?”

  “I thought you were working on your presentation,” Avery said, looking at Sir Robert. “But I’m so glad you’ll get a chance to see it.”

  “Francesca and I are going to lunch,” he said, by way of explanation. Sir Robert made no secret of the fact that he was quite proud to be dating Francesca, and Avery understood why. The woman was as kind as she was lovely; it was no wonder people were drawn to her.

  Micah was flanked now by Sir Robert and Francesca. He raised his gaze to Avery, cocking an eyebrow and pausing in his motions as he worked with calipers to capture the details of the cut on the exposed surface of the jewel. It was a painstaking process.

  “Give him a little space,” Avery said, standing and turning her laptop toward Sir Robert. “So this is what the ruby is estimated to look like in a three-sixty view if we were able to see all of it—that is, if it wasn’t in its setting.”

  Sir Robert assessed the picture on the screen, then looked back at the jewel in Micah’s gloved fingers. “It’s striking. And enormous.”

  Francesca nodded. “It’s an amazing find.”

  “Just based on this”—Sir Robert gestured at the laptop—“and the gem itself, I think it’s got to be a real ruby. And we’ve all seen that poor, gorgeous dragon missing his ruby eye—this certainly looks like a match to me. Why don’t we just have
Goldie send the medallion up to the lab so you can compare?”

  “Oh no,” Avery said. She always used a methodical approach, and she had the plan nicely laid out in her head. Sir Robert’s optimism was great, but Avery wasn’t certain the jewel was even authentic yet. “It’s far too soon for that. First things first. But I hope you’re right. I hope we’re all lucky enough to be involved in the discovery of the missing Emperor’s Twins dragon eye.”

  Francesca nodded, moving away from Micah and flipping her long, silky black hair back over one shoulder. She stopped to look at the photo on Avery’s laptop, running a fingertip across the mouse pad to rotate the picture into its 360-degree view. “The collector seemed quite startled himself to have come across the jewel. I think lucky is the right word; I was lucky to be the one he reached out to. But we should leave you to your work. Robert?”

  Sir Robert moved to her side. “I’ll be back at the office later if you need me, team. We’re off; lunch at Andiamo won’t wait.” One hand rested on the small of Francesca’s back as he escorted her toward the door.

  “Have fun,” Avery called.

  “We will!” Sir Robert said, grinning over his shoulder at Avery.

  Before the door could close again as they left, Nate Brennan entered.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Avery muttered, looking up from her laptop at Micah. “Seriously?”

  “Shhh,” Micah hissed, his voice low. “Be nice to Goldie’s pet.”

  “How’s everything going?” Nate’s voice boomed in the quiet room.

  At least Francesca and Sir Robert had had the decency to observe the atmosphere and keep their intrusion to a minimum. “Going great,” Avery said quietly.

  “Grandmother says you might be done looking at it before the benefit? Does it look real so far?” He reminded her of a clueless, spoiled, oversized puppy; he was a pain in the ass.

  Avery snapped her laptop closed, glancing at the clock on the wall behind Nate. It was almost lunchtime, and there was no way they were getting more work done with him here. “Let’s go to lunch,” she said to Micah, leaving Nate’s question unanswered for the moment.