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“True, but Gail knows little about the last five years of your life, I’m assuming. And Dan, seriously, if someone is trying to frame you, set you up as this new thief, who knows more about how to do it than Gail?”
Dan shook his head. “I can’t see her getting involved in something like that. To set me up, I mean. Yeah, she’d love to see me taken down, but I don’t think she’d do something illegal and so risky to do it. Besides, no one will think I pulled off the necklace robbery tonight. So, what is it? What’s the big thing that could point to me?”
“The Blalock Diamond, of course,” Jenna said, looking at him as she took another bite of her sandwich. “They were hoping to pin it on you somehow, but the thief took the wrong necklace, and you had an alibi. I really don’t get it. We’re missing some pieces.”
“Yes, we are, and we need to find them soon,” Dan said.
“How about Harper?”
“What about her?” Dan frowned.
“How much does she know? You were a bit vague about that, or do you not really know what she has learned?”
Dan shook his head. “No, it’s not like you are thinking. She’s not a woman scorned, as they say in the romance novels. There was no great romance, so it can’t be about any lost love for me. In fact, now I think she tried to hook up with me for a reason. So, Harper, yeah, maybe I’d believe she could do something illegal to get what she wants. But why involve me and try to set me up? Why not just go after the jewels and get out of the country fast? We’re truly missing something here.”
“And all that’s assuming Harper is behind all this. Again, I keep stumbling over her seemingly close connection with Gail. We don’t know enough yet to rule either one out or to assume that they are a real team,” Jenna said, pouring herself another glass of milk.
Dan ran his fingers through his hair. “I know, but I’ve got this gut feeling she is more than what we know and more than what we can see. I need more information from Luc. I can’t match his sources for information gathering. We know Harper has at least two different names. Who does that without a serious reason?”
Jenna shrugged, took a bite of her cookie, and gave Dan a thumbs-up. “Haven’t tasted a chocolate chip cookie in years. But back to the topic—maybe she changed her name for career reasons, or maybe there was a stalker, or she got divorced. Good reasons exist to change one’s name not connected with anything illegal.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I considered it myself five years ago. But it felt like I’d be insulting my father, as dumb as that sounds.”
“No, I get it. Listen, we will solve this. I have no doubt we will find out who is doing this and why, if we keep looking and keep asking the right questions,” Jenna said.
Dan rubbed his eyes. “I so want this to be over. I’m tired of being hunted.”
“Come on, you’ve faced tougher situations. Let’s take your mind off it. Now for that house tour.”
Dan groaned. “Are you seriously thinking about putting an offer on this house? I don’t even know if he wants to sell it. Don’t get your hopes up.”
“Everything has its price. Like you said, they don’t even use it. When I put my mind to it, I can be charming. And with your endorsement, well, the house is practically mine.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Dan got up to join her on the house tour.
“Yeah, I can see myself here.” Jenna entered the library on the second floor. “Of course, I’d need to lighten up this room a bit.”
“You’re making me nervous, Jenna. Why would you want to invest in a place you’d likely not be able to visit but a few times a year?”
“Hmm, maybe more than a few times. Maybe I could work from here.”
Dan stopped in his tracks and stared. “You, give up New York City? You’d be bored in a month here.” He stopped to inspect an antique desk. “Wonder if the furniture comes with it?”
Jenna laughed. “Ah, it’s getting to you, too. I saw it first.”
“But it’s my friend, so good manners dictates I’d get preferential treatment,” Dan said, smiling at Jenna’s reaction.
“Okay, stop it, you’re just winding me up, as they say in England. Since when do you care about historic houses?”
“Yeah, maybe I’m winding you up a little. And yeah, I can see the attraction for you. You, the history buff, would be drawn to it,” Dan said, looking around. “I can even appreciate it.”
Jenna walked on, stopping to look at almost every piece of furniture, and gazed longingly at the bookshelves. “Though this place seems well maintained, it costs a lot to keep it looking this way, I am sure. If I sold my apartment in New York, maybe I could swing it without much pain.”
Dan said nothing but followed her as they walked out of the library and into another room across the hall being used as an office.
“Dan, look at these prints on the wall, and this wallpaper on the end wall…it’s vintage.”
“Don’t know anything about vintage wallpaper, but yeah, the prints are the real thing. I looked at them earlier. I can’t see them staying with the house, though.”
