Double Take

“It’s a head slammer, all right,” Sherlock said.

“Lots of pieces flying around,” Ruth said. “But maybe they’ll come together, somehow.”

Dix looked from one to the other. “Why, if Charlotte is innocent, if her husband is innocent, if it’s all a mad coincidence, why then didn’t she simply tell me her brother attended Stanislaus Music School? Like ‘Hey, you’re from Maestro, Virginia? Gee, my brother attended Stanislaus, and isn’t it a small world?’ Doesn’t that seem like the natural thing to say?”

Savich said, “It’s certainly a question to ask her, but a believable answer would be easy, like ‘I forgot, it simply didn’t occur to me at the time,’ or ‘It didn’t seem important.’ “ He handed them a bowl of popcorn. “It’s well salted just as you like it, Ruth.”

“The bracelet, Dix,” Sherlock said, “in your gut, how sure are you really that it’s Christie’s bracelet.”

Dix said, “I was very certain when I first saw it, but all I can truthfully say is that it’s very similar. She even took it off so I could see it. That doesn’t bode well for her guilt, does it? Hooked at the back, where I’d had Christie’s bracelet engraved, but it was as clean as the day the bracelet was purchased. There was nothing there, no sign of the jeweler’s etchings.”

Sherlock said, “We’ve got a guy in forensics who could scrub the queen’s name off her crown and no one would know. Platinum is easy.”

Dix sat back, folded his arms over his chest. “If it could have been removed leaving no sign, then yes, I’m sure. Maybe if we could get ahold of that bracelet your forensics guy could check it out. But the only way I can see of getting ahold of the bracelet is to steal it.”

Ruth said without pause, “I could arrange that. Not you, though, Dix, you don’t have enough experience. I’m sure my snitches have some friends on the West Coast who are into breaking and entering.”

Savich laughed. “It’s true your informant network is top of the line, Ruth, but I’d prefer you didn’t contract out a robbery just yet.”

Sherlock said thoughtfully, “It’s still not a bad idea. If we had that bracelet, we could check out where it was made, and that’d be one unknown down.”

Savich said, “Let’s hold off a while on that. If there is indeed a connection, I can only imagine what the two Pallacks felt when they walked into the Sherlock’s house and saw you, Dix. They had to know they’d been ambushed. At least one of them had to know it was about Christie, probably both.”

“Neither of them showed any signs of recognition at all, and believe me, I was watching their faces closely.”

Sherlock said, “You know, Dix, I’m wondering why Charlotte called you yesterday morning.”

Savich said, “Maybe she and her husband discussed the situation, knew Dix’s sudden presence had to be because of Jules Advere, and decided she should try to get some information out of you.”

“But the bracelet—” Dix said. “I don’t think she knew about it, where it came from, I mean. Or else, why would she wear the thing? It was like waving a red cape in front of a very pissed bull.”

Savich said, “I’m thinking you need to come at it from another direction. Maybe you and Ruth should take a trip to Atlanta.”

Dix slowly nodded. “Very nice idea.”

“But don’t strangle David Caldicott yet, all right?”

“Oh boy, this is getting wild very quickly,” Ruth said. Her cop’s eyes were alight with excitement and anticipation, but they quickly clouded with worry for Dix. She managed to smile at him, patted his arm. “Good. We’ve got a plan. So, are you all ready for this? Rob pitched five straight innings without a hit yesterday against the Crescent City Panthers.”

Dix laughed, letting the tension go for a minute. “He talked nonstop last night until Rafe finally punched him and I had to pull them apart.”

Sherlock said, “Do you know that was the first thing Rob talked about with Sean when you guys got here? Now Sean worships him.”

Savich looked at his watch. “Lily, Simon, and the boys won’t be back from the movies for another half hour at least. I’m betting the boys will talk her and Simon into some ice cream.”

“I think it was an action movie,” Sherlock said. “They’ll come back wired, count on it. I only hope Sean didn’t get too excited when the hero got into trouble. At home he starts jumping up and down yelling out advice in his father’s voice. Not mine. Go figure.”