A Brilliant Plan

Chapter 26

SURPRISE. THOMAS CORNELIUS III visited my shop. I recognized his voice as he introduced himself to Mrs. Otis and my heart started beating faster. Get a grip, Calendar girl!

"Mrs. Otis, could you give us a couple minutes in private?" I asked Annie as I stepped out of my workshop. She gave a curious little wave and left us in the showroom.

"What an unexpected visit," I said.

"I am planning to go back East. And thought to drop by."

"It is too early for lunch."

"I am not staying that long."

I leaned against the counter and we examined each other for a moment. Thomas pouted his lips. I gave a little shrug.

"It is strange to have that much contact with you again," he said finally. "We do not see each other for years and then we run into each other all the time."

"Believe me, the confusion is all mine," I replied. "Is it business or just for old time sake?"

"Calendar, what about a little deal? I am offering you double the street price of your little harvest from the Altward chest."

"I can imagine the condition that is attached with this easy money. The answer is no," I crossed my arms.

"You show a tremendous amount of skill and energy to discover who has the Maximilian Jewels. You are aware of the facts of this case and you are chummy with the police," Thomas counted off on his fingers.

I said, sullenly, "I wish."

"Beg your pardon?"

"The policeman in question is unfortunately not as interested in me as he is in solving this case. He hasn't asked me for a date, yet."

Thomas laughed his nice laugh. "You haven't changed a bit, Calendar. Again, here is the deal: I pay you double price on your little Altward stones and release you. In exchange for the Maximilian Jewels."

"Thomas, you are a cheap shot!"

"Moi? Cheap?" He looked genuinely offended. "Come on, dear. That is a fair deal."

"My pitiful loot is nothing compared to the value of 'The Max'," I poked a finger at him.

"Well... " Thomas had to shift his weight on his other leg.

"You take the Altward stones for fair value plus I get a ten percent finder's fee for the Jewels."

"Hang on, ten percent of what?" Thomas looked alarmed.

"Of what you will make on the closed market. You must have an idea by now."

Thomas chewed his lip. "Impossible. You don't know what you are asking."

"I asked the specialist at UCLA and he estimated their value at between five and 10 million dollars," I bluffed. "Even with only eight million dollars, you can easily spare the 800K for my services."

"I have a serious offer of 12.5 million dollars," Thomas said.

I blinked, truly speechless.

"You steal, I deal, honey," Thomas gave me his same small shy smile that I had loved so much way back then.

"Come on, what makes you hesitate? You don't have to share with Altward, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Thomas eyes became small slits.

"Do your math. Either Altward himself stole them, trying to cheat you out of your part of the deal. In that case, should I retrieve the jewels, he can't complain to anyone. Shady in the first place, stolen by him in the second and stolen again by me for you. He wouldn't need to know that you fenced them for yourself. And in case I find the stones to be with someone else, I will retrieve them and hand them over to you. All you have to do is to fence them silently and never tell Altward. You both run around with sad faces, yours forced, for another year, split your losses and call it a day," I ran out of breath.