A Destined Death (4 page)

I followed her to the car, stopping in front of it at the same time my bus departed two blocks down the street. “Damn it,” I mumbled.

She let go of my arm and giggled as she went around to the driver’s side. “Don’t tell me you’ve never played hooky before.”

I scowled and crossed my arms, not wanting to mention that my favorite thing about school lately was hoping for a surprise lunch date. “Some people want to learn.”

“Good,” she said seriously, “because that’s what we’re going to do today. Get in.”

The sunny day and my curiosity prompted me into the car. Besides family gatherings, Tina and I had never hung out, and her sudden interest raised too many questions to ignore.

“Do you have that necklace?”

“Yeah, why?”

She started the car and pulled away from the curb. “Okay, so here’s my theory. That guy crashed the party, maybe because he was on the run from the cops. He needed a place to stash the stolen necklace until the heat died down.” She glanced over at me to make sure I was following. “You watch. One day he’ll show up on your doorstep and expect it back so he can run off into the sunset and enjoy his fortune. He’ll marvel at his clever little scheme.” Another glance. “Pfft. No wonder he wasn’t interested in me! I’m sure he could tell
I
would have flaunted that thing all over the city by now.”

Her logic disheartened me and squashed out all the fantasies I’d been having about Mr. Interested really liking me. He hadn’t asked for the necklace back the last time I’d seen him, but the fact that I didn’t know his name, whereabouts, or much else about him only supported her theory.

“That does explain things,” I grumbled.

“Have you worn it yet?”

“No. Not since the bathroom at the party.”

“I sent a picture of it into a local jeweler, and he wants to see you. He’ll be able to tell you where it came from and if it’s stolen or not.”

“Why would you do that?” I shrieked, a sense of alarm rising to my brain.

Stopping at a red light, she eyed me calmly. “I don’t expect you to understand, Dear Cousin. When a man ignores you it means nothing but when a man ignores me, there’s a reason, and I can’t let you go to prison not knowing the truth.” When the light turned green, she stepped on the gas. “I’d love to come in with you but…”

After she rattled off several excuses which made it abundantly clear that she didn’t want to be involved if something went wrong, I stopped listening. When she parked in front of the jewelers, I did the responsible thing and called the diner to take the night off of work in case the police arrived to arrest me.

“It’s for the best,” Tina said. “Oh, and his name’s Mr. Cromwell.”

I shot her a glare before I exited the car and accepted my fate.

“Hi there!” A petite brunette behind the counter gestured to the glass cases full of sparkly jewels when I walked in. “Can I show you something?”

“No, thank you,” I said, trying not to look nervous. “I’m here to see Mr. Cromwell.”

A portly man with wire-framed glasses emerged from a doorway in the rear of the building. “Miss Tarkson, I presume?”

When I nodded, he waved a hand toward the door. “Right this way please.”

I followed him into an office and sat down on the other side of his desk when directed.
So far, so good.
I hadn’t been arrested yet, but then again, the necklace hadn’t been verified either. I waited nervously as he situated himself behind the desk, a task that seemed to take forever.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking you to bring it in but I must say I
am
curious. That necklace, if it’s the one I’m thinking of, hasn’t been seen since shortly after it was commissioned.”

My eyes widened and I blurted out, “Was it stolen? Am I going to be arrested?”

Mr. Cromwell held up his hands and gave me a comforting smile. “Calm down, Miss Tarkson. I can assure you, no one will arrest you for anything that happens here today. Even if the necklace is a stolen piece, I am not what you call a snitch. I appraise, buy, and sell jewelry, that’s all.”

He seemed sincere so I let myself relax a little. “What did you find out?”

“May I see it first? There’s no sense in getting your hopes up if it’s not the one I’m thinking of, and of course, if it’s not genuine.” His eyes lit up when I handed him the case. “You didn’t tell me you had the box as well. From the picture I received, I had guessed it was
The Alicia
so the name on the front tells me I was on the right track. Now, let’s see if it’s authentic.”

He gasped when he opened the box but he said nothing. He flipped on a bright light and then strapped a strange-looking eyepiece onto his head before he began inspecting each gem in the necklace. He sat studiously for so long that I felt sorry for the kink he would have in his neck when he finished. Finally, he replaced the necklace, shut the case, and smiled widely at me. “It is indeed
The Alicia
,” he declared. “This necklace was commissioned in 1943 in San Juan, Argentina by a vineyard owner’s son for his fiancée, Alicia Silviana. She was said to be wearing it when she died on her wedding day. There’s no record of it at all after that, and the groom never reported it missing.”

It felt as though he’d just laid a heavy brick on top of my heart. Tears threatened, and I found it hard to swallow. “She…she died on her wedding day? How? Where was the groom?”

“I have no idea.” He appeared dumbfounded by the question. “They kept little in the way of records back then, and if the jewel crafter’s grandsons hadn’t decided to publish his notes, I wouldn’t have any information on the necklace at all. The part about the bride dying was written as a follow-up to its last known whereabouts. I’m sorry. That’s really all the information I have…except for its value.”

He left that hanging in the air as if it would matter to me at that moment. “I’m not sure I want to know.”

“Don’t be silly,” he said with a chuckle. “No one brings jewelry in to have it appraised and doesn’t want to know what it’s worth.”

“I…I really only wanted to know if it was stolen to tell you the truth. My cousin thinks––”

“Ah…may I ask where you got it? Or why you might think it was stolen.”

“Oh, no. No,” I insisted, shaking my head. “I didn’t take it from anyone, I swear. It was a birthday gift.”

“I see.” He leaned back in his chair and looked up at the ceiling for a moment. He closed one eye as if he was calculating or counting in his head before he inquired, “Would you be interested in selling it?”

The question startled me. “I can’t. I have to return it to the man who gave it to me.”

“But he gave it to you,” he contended. “It was a gift, and so it’s yours to do with as you please.”

I shook my head. “No. It’s not…I don’t consider it mine.”

He shrugged and leaned across the desk, excitement flashing in his eyes. “Are you ready to hear what it’s worth?”

With a deep breath, I grabbed the arms of the chair for Mr. Cromwell’s sake. He acted like ten grand would put me over the edge.

Once in position, I nodded. “Okay, tell me.”

“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” He drug out the words, ruthlessly rubbing them under my skin.

I returned to the car, feeling blindsided.

“Well, was it reported stolen?” Tina demanded the second my door closed.

I shook my head, and for once, I took no pleasure in the look of horror that followed. Just because no one had reported it stolen, didn’t mean it wasn’t. I kept that thought to myself. Gratefully, she didn’t say another word, even when she dropped me off at my house.

The necklace stared at me from my bed for most of the day. I thought about turning it in to the police, but the idea of Mr. Interested having no reason to ever see me again made me quickly decide against it. He didn’t seem like a criminal, but I had to wonder about his motives. Who gives a stranger an expensive gift like that and then disappears? I didn’t even know his name!

After I dressed for bed that night, I removed it from its case, unable to resist anymore. The fact that the necklace hadn’t been reported stolen was a huge relief. Its worth, however, left me feeling nervous. I didn’t live in
that
world––a world that could protect something with that much value. If anyone found out that I had it, it could get stolen. So what was the point of having it if I couldn’t wear it?

None
, I thought, slipping the necklace around my neck and fastening the latch. The floorboards under my feet shook as if the necklace was protesting or reminding me that it didn’t belong to me.

“Alicia, please let me wear it,” I pleaded. It sparkled brilliantly from the mirror on my dresser, making me feel like a princess even in the tank top and sweat pants I wore to bed.

A sharp knock on the door had me jumping into bed and pulling the covers up to my chin. “What?”

“It’s just me, honey. Can I come in?”

“Sure, Mom.”

She walked into the room and sat down on the edge of my bed. “Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, why?”

“I heard you took the night off of work and well, honestly that doesn’t sound like you. Not that I don’t approve, don’t get me wrong. You work so hard all the time I barely see you anymore.”

“I’m just really focused on my goals right now. I’ll be graduating in a couple of years, and I want to be ready. I’m not going to be one of those kids that call you asking for money all the time.”

“I know and that’s great. I just hope you’re not missing out on all the fun stuff college life has to offer.”

“Parties and drinking? Please, I get enough of that at our family reunions.”

She smothered a laugh and composed a serious expression. “We just think it’s better for children to learn to drink responsibly while around family where there’s at least parental guidance.”

“I know. How did we get on this conversation?”

“Well, I was just thinking about your party and how nice it was to see you with people your own age. You never take time to hang out with friends.”

I wanted to laugh. Even if I had wanted to hang out with kids my own age, my mind constantly wandered away from the immature clamoring they called chatting. I always felt out of place, preferring to be far away in the pages of a book or even working than at a party where James might ask Stacy out. It seemed so insignificant to me.

“Actually, Mom, Tina and I went downtown today. I skipped school too.”

“Really?” she asked, the surprise stretching out her face. “That’s wonderful! Now, what about boys?”

“I don’t like to date,” I said, feeling uncomfortable with the subject. Boys didn’t typically notice me––the loner bookworm. I’d preferred it that way too, until now.

“Elizabeth, are you ever going to tell me about that young man from the party?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” I said, unsure if it was a lie or not. “I don’t even know his name.”

“That’s too bad. I thought maybe…why are you covered up like that?”

I grinned mischievously. “I’m secretly fully dressed in some swanky clothes under here. I’m planning to sneak out tonight and go to a party after you and dad fall asleep. It’s actually more fun to live on the edge if your parents don’t know about it.”

Vera laughed and rose to leave. “Well, it seems I’ve been mistaken. I’ll just be going to bed then. Have a good time, dear.”

“Thanks, Mom. Goodnight.”

When she left, I pulled the covers down and touched the necklace, delighting at the cool stones beneath my fingers. I fell asleep almost immediately.

A woman leaned over a table in what seemed like an old black and white, silent film. She looked like me but she wore a long flowered dress, and her short hair was set up in an old-fashioned style. She scanned a newspaper dated December 16
^th
, 1943.

When a man in a fancy suit entered the room, she turned and ran into his arms. The man, who looked like Mr. Interested, smiled happily, unable to take his eyes off her. After a long kiss, he produced a brand new jewelry box that read,
Alicia Silviana
, and when she opened it, she jumped up and down and started crying happily. She hugged him and let him put the necklace on her. They embraced again and the image faded.