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I had finished dressing when Colton finally turned the water off. I padded around his room until I reached the dresser. Staring at a framed family photo, something caught my attention. I picked up the frame and examined it closer.
I recognized Colton’s eyes despite him being a very young boy in this photo. Ryan and Luke stood on either side of him. His mother was exceptionally beautiful, so beautiful that one wonders if she were even real. But that’s not what made me stare at her. Examining the gold necklace she wore, I realized something—I’d seen it before.
Oh my god!
“Colton!” I shouted. “Colton!”
He ran from the bathroom in black jeans, no shirt, his black hair still wet. “Are you okay?”
My hand holding the photo shook while the other one covered my mouth. “Is this the last piece of jewelry? The one you haven’t found yet?”
“Yes. Why?”
I dropped my arm but clutched the picture in my hand. “I think I know where it is.”
***
I gripped the passenger seat as Colton sped down the freeway toward my neighborhood. “Colton, you’re going really fast,” I said.
My shoulders slumped forward as the car slowed down.
“I’m sorry,” he said, his eyes trained on the road. The palm of his hand rubbed his thigh as we approached a traffic light.
“We’re almost there,” I reassured him. “It’s almost over.”
He nodded and hit the gas when the light turned green, jerking my head back.
He pulled into the plaza at the corner of my street. He hadn’t jumped out of the car as I’d expected him to do. Instead, he stared through the windshield at the black gated door leading to the pawnshop.
Inhaling deeply, he turned to me. “I’m ready.” I wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince me or himself.
We walked to the front entrance and the familiar bell chimed as I opened the door. A middle-aged man wearing a leather motorcycle jacket was the only other customer in the shop. He stood in front of the glass case that held the necklace the last time I was here. “It was just over there,” I said, tilting my head toward the older man.
“Thanks, Jim,” said the shopkeeper as he handed the man a white plastic bag. “See you next time.”
As the man ambled past us, he looked at Colton, giving him a once over, but Colton ignored him and moved toward the spot I’d indicated earlier. The door chimed again, and I joined Colton at the counter.
“I don’t see it,” he said, scanning the pieces below. I quickly raked my gaze across the cabinet, and when I couldn’t find it either, I walked over to the next one, hoping the owner had simply moved it. But it wasn’t there.
“I saw a gold necklace here a few weeks ago. It had an emerald in it. It was right here,” I said, pointing at the spot I’d seen it last.
“Just sold it,” said the shopkeeper. “But I’ve got other pieces I can show you.”
“What do you mean by ‘just’?” Colton asked, his voice level, but his pulled eyebrows showed his frustration.
“Just a couple of minutes ago,” he explained. “But I got this piece in today. I haven’t even put it on display yet.”
“I don’t want another piece,” said Colton, stopping the shopkeeper. “Do you mean the biker?”
The man hesitated, but his eyes looked up behind us. Following his gaze, Colton turned toward the entrance. The man straddled his bike and was putting on his helmet as Colton ran outside. We chased after him, but all we caught was the loud engine and the dust left behind from the man speeding away.
Dammit!
I turned to comfort Colton, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me toward his car. “We’re going after him,” he said.
“What? Are you crazy?”
“Maybe.” He started the engine. “But I haven’t searched this long to just let it go now.” He peeled out onto the road in the same direction as the biker. Fortunately, it was a long street and I spotted the motorcycle about four blocks ahead of us.
