Garage Sale Diamonds (Garage Sale Mystery) (18 page)

Sobered by this thought, she politely thanked the three jewelers, put her diamonds in their numbered bags and the bags into the manila envelope. She fought a rising paranoia. Darting an anxious look outside the shop’s large windows at the distance from the store to her vehicle, she dashed to her car. Once in the driver’s seat, she locked the car’s doors. Troubled by her strong intuition to take these precautions, she winced at the irony of this positive windfall already involving dangerous negatives.

Fifteen minutes later she pulled into her own garage, lowered the automatic door behind her and rushed into the house. Hoping not to alert the Grands, she hurried to find Jason in the kitchen.

“Well? What did you learn?”

“You won’t believe it, Jay. Hold onto your hat…”

40

Saturday, 11:40 AM

“Not ‘hold onto your hat…,’” Jason moaned, “a phrase I’ve grown to fear.” He sank heavily into a chair and added in a mock whimper. “I’m almost afraid to ask…”

“First, are the Grands busy so we can talk?”

“Yes. Saturday morning cartoons.”

She described her jewelry store experience. “Now that we know the five diamonds they examined are real, do we assume the rest are, too?”

Jason leaned his head back and closed his eyes, considering. “Seems logical, wrapped together in those packages. And if they are real, should we start treating them like the $3,000,000 they might be worth? Right now they’re stuffed in a kitchen drawer. I could put them in the wall safe upstairs until we figure out what to do next.”

“Wait, maybe not. Unless the owner of the diamonds is dead, Jay, won’t he want them back? I have a feeling the stones shouldn’t stay here at the house. Maybe a bank lockbox is a smarter choice, where they’re safe, away from the house and in a public place.”

“Hmmm, I hadn’t considered that but maybe you’re right. Is the bank still open?”

She checked the kitchen clock. “Yes, until noon on Saturdays. If I hustle, I can just make it. She grabbed a clean sock from the stack of laundry on one end of the dining room table. “Stuff the diamonds in here. The lockbox key is in the den. I’ll get the car out of the garage. Meet me in front of the house with the key and the sock. Please hurry, Jay. We haven’t a moment to spare.”

Moments later, she drove purposefully toward the McLean Bank, arriving at 11:52. Years earlier the Shannons had picked this local bank instead of the branch of a major chain. Feeling less like a number and more like a remembered-client, they knew most employees by name and appreciated the small-town feel and attention of the staff.

Jennifer swerved into a spot in front of the bank and hustled out of the car. Clutching her purse into which she’d stuffed the sock and key, she rushed inside.

Surprised to find no other patrons in line, she moved directly to a teller’s window. “Hello, Millie,” she said, slightly out of breath. “May I get into my lockbox, please?”

Millie glanced at the clock. “Hello, Mrs. Shannon. Looks like you’re here with scant minutes to spare.” She chuckled. “I’ll ask Heather to help you with your safety deposit box. Have your key?”

“I do.”

Ignoring proximity to closing time, Heather smiled pleasantly and led Jennifer into the vault housing safety deposit boxes. A separate area, this section was not in view of the lobby.

“May I ask you to sign in?”

“Of course. This step authenticates my signature in addition to producing the key, right?”

Heather nodded. “The bank allows only authorized owners to access their lock boxes. This cross-check system is a proven tool.” Though she knew Jennifer, she still compared today’s signature with previous ones on her box’s ledger page. “Now, may I have your key please?” Jennifer held up her personal key and Heather supplied the bank’s key. Together these keys unlocked the box. Heather pulled out the long, thin metal drawer.

“This privacy booth has a shelf for the box while you’re working here. When you finish, just come to the front of the vault so we can secure the box together.”

“Thanks, Heather. I know you’re about to close for the weekend and promise I won’t be long.”

Jennifer had no need to examine the wills and other documents already in the box. Adding the sock of diamonds, she closed the box’s lid and alerted Heather she’d completed her task.

“That took no time at all,” Heather marveled. “Would you like an M&M?” She held up a small bag. “These are my mini-weakness.”

“Who can resist Mars, Inc’s most famous invention?” Jennifer took a bunch.

“You know they don’t operate like most businesses.”

“What do you mean?” Jennifer asked.

“They don’t advertise their location the way most companies do. Their headquarters building is just down the road on Elm Street but so low-key you can hardly find it. And their fortune comes from making outstanding products the old-fashioned way, not from sneaky insider deals like some wealthy big businesses.”

Jennifer popped another M&M into her mouth and nodded. “For giving the world these outrageous chocolates, they deserve every penny.”

Jennifer was the bank’s last customer of the day. When she left, Heather activated special automatic door locks. Most patrons didn’t know the doors that appeared to push right open were always electrically locked until an employee pressed a button temporarily releasing them for each approaching customer. This made it easy to exclude someone sinister. The employee’s challenge: distinguishing customers from criminals.  

41

Saturday, 12:16 PM

Certain the Grands waited impatiently for lunch, Jennifer phoned Jason. “Hi, Hon. This diamond stuff played havoc with my morning schedule. I’m leaving the bank now. McDonald’s is only a few blocks away. How about bringing the kidlets and I’ll meet you there for lunch? Okay, fifteen minutes? Great! I’ll stake out a table since Saturday noontime gets busy. Maybe ask the children what they want so they’re ready when they get in line? Good. Thanks, Jay.”

When Jason reached the restaurant with daughter Becca also in tow, Jennifer’s eyebrows arched in surprise. After hugs all around, Becca said, “I left Virginia Tech early and with light weekend traffic, made it in about five hours. Dad and the little ones were just leaving as I arrived, so here I am.”

“A wonderful surprise, Honey.”

They ordered and gathered around the table Jennifer saved. “Here are extra napkins.” She put a pile in the center as they munched their lunches.

Christine put her hand on Jason’s arm. “We love visiting you and Gran because you let us do the fun things our parents don’t allow.”

“Oh? For example?” Jason didn’t want to break enough rules to earn less access to his Grands.

“We’re usually stuck with food that’s ‘good’ for us.” She wrinkled her nose. “And we watch educational TV instead of cartoons.”

Alicia nodded. “Yeah, and we don’t get under-the-pillow gifts at home.”

Milo stuck in his two-cents. “And we don’t have Angwy Bewd Bandaids at home.”

The two little girls and Becca sat on one side of the table with Milo sandwiched between his grandparents on the other. Suddenly all on Becca’s side of the table held their sandwiches still, focused on something those facing them missed. Jen, Jason and Milo twisted in their seats to see a man writhing on the floor.

Sitting on the end of the bench, Becca jumped to her feet, grabbed the unused stack of paper napkins from the table, rushed to the man and pressed them between his teeth just before he went into full seizure. By this time, the McDonald’s staff and several patrons had dialed 911. Sirens blared almost immediately from the fire station less than a mile away.

Becca still knelt by the man when the EMTs strode in. “What happened?” the lead medic asked the pretty girl. Becca told him. He stared at her as other medics monitored their patient’s vital signs and started an IV. In a few minutes their patient sat up, dazed.

A medic touched Lt. Sommer’s sleeve. “Nathan, what’s your call? Take him in?” Pulled back to the present, the lead medic broke his stare at Becca and knelt beside the ailing man. “How do you feel now?”

“Not…not so good.”

“Are you epileptic?”

The man shook his head. “No. What happened to me? Where am I?”

“Have you ever had a seizure before?”

“No.”

Nathan Sommer made the decision. “Fairfax ER,” he directed his team.

“I know that EMT,” Jennifer told Jason. She wiggled out of the booth and crossed the room to her daughter. The medic stood aside as his team loaded the man onto a gurney.

“Becca, where did you learn how to help that fellow on the ground?” her mother asked.

“A girl in our college dorm is epileptic. She taught us what to do if she had an episode.”

“That’s Lt. Sommer, the medic who tried to save Kirsten two days ago.” Jennifer turned to him. “Thanks for all you did for our friend.”

“We do our best but...

“…but you can’t always win.” Becca finished his sentence. At his inquisitive look, she added, “My roommate’s boyfriend is a firefighter. He told us about his team’s good days and bad days.”

“And you are?”

“Becca Shannon. This is my mom.” She dazzled him with her most engaging smile. “I was wondering…any chance I could bring some nieces and nephews to the fire station to learn about engines and ambulances?” She pointed. “Those three little cuties there?”

His look followed her pointing finger. “Sure, how about his afternoon? I’ll show you around myself…if we’re not on a call.”

One of the firefighter/medics appeared at the doorway. “We’re ready,” he said impatiently.

“See you later today.” He held her glance a moment longer and was out the door, the retreating siren the only reminder of what had taken place.

Well, well, thought Jennifer. Becca’s back for thirty minutes and already has a date.

42

Saturday, 1:30 PM

At home, Becca settled the children at a table with crayons and coloring books. “What’s that?” she asked as Jennifer stuffed cotton balls into the doll’s torso and threaded a needle. Her mother told her the whole story. “Mom, that’s too wild. Are you keeping the diamonds?”

“We haven’t figured out yet what to do. Any ideas?”

“You don’t know who they belong to so you can’t return them. The owner doesn’t know who bought them so they can’t find you. I’d say they’re yours. It’s like winning a sweepstake, Mom. Will you buy a new house and new cars? Will you take exotic trips? Will you give the money to your children while they’re young enough to enjoy it? Hint-hint.”

Jennifer laughed. ”The diamonds are safe at the bank for now. We know five are valuable but not the rest until they’re appraised. So their total worth is still uncertain. She changed the subject. “Were you just flirting or will you take the children to the fire station today?

She giggled. “Maybe a little of both. He is kinda cute, don’t you think?”

“And maybe married with a herd of his own children?”

“Oh, Mom, you’re so out of it. He’s a good-looking guy with an exciting job. Sure, I’d like to know more about him. And don’t forget, you introduced us.” She laughed. ”Besides, with kids chaperoning, how can I go wrong?”

“We’re tired of coloring. Could we do today’s learning surprise now?” asked Christine as the children brought over their completed pictures. “What are you both laughing about?”

“Aunt Becca made a joke. Here’s your doll, Alicia, all well again. I think Aunt Becca plans today’s learning surprise. Would you like to learn about fire engines?”

“Yes,” they chorused with smiles and wiggles.

Twenty minutes later, Becca piled the children into her car and off they drove.

At the station, they knocked on the locked office door. A fireman behind the desk walked over to open it. “May I help you?”

“Is Lt. Sommer here? He said to bring my nieces and nephew this afternoon for a mini-tour.”

“Come in. I’ll see if I can find him.” He spoke into a phone. ”Nathan, you have company in the lobby…. What?... A pretty young lady with three little kids…. Okay. I’ll tell them.”

“Have a seat. He’ll be right along.”

“Remember,” Becca warned the little ones,” if we hear the fire alarm while we’re here, the firefighters stop whatever they’re doing, hurry to their fire truck and speed away to put out fires and save lives.”

“They go to it, but I’d wun away if it gets too hot,” Milo stated, his mouth firm.

“I’d put the fire out,” Alicia announced.

“I’d call 911 to get help,” Christine said. “What would you do, Aunt Becca?”

“I’d turn the situation over to a professional firefighter like Lt. Sommer, and here he is. Ta-da!”

Nathan came across the lobby, smiling broadly, a bit embarrassed by Becca’s flourishing intro.

“Welcome to the McLean Volunteer Firehouse. I’m Nathan Sommer and you are…”

The children introduced themselves, delighted with the attention. Becca winked at Nathan. “When grandchildren visit my parents’ house they’re subjected daily to a “learning surprise.” I took over that assignment for today. What can you teach us all?”