She rolled her eyes.
“But since you’ve given me the idea,” he kissed her swiftly and then released her. “I must leave you now. I have an appointment with a watchmaker.”
“A watchmaker?” She asked.
“It’s business. It relates to the case.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
When the furniture assistant appeared, he ordered the entire bedroom set.
“What would you prefer, Sir?’
Val stared at Caroline and then smiled. “The mahogany.”
???
Val hailed a cab outside the department store and gave the cab driver directions to the watchmaker’s shop. Felix was to meet him there. He smiled as he remembered the delightful time he had spent with Caroline. They had been shopping for such ordinary items as household linens, blankets, and then they had examined furnishings for the parlor, kitchen and bedrooms.
In any normal circumstances, he would have been bored and restless. Instead he could only think of the time he had spent with Caroline and all the items they had chosen together. He had meant what he had said. This home, everything inside it, was being chosen for their life together. She may need more time to get used to the idea, but he already knew the answer. She was the one he wanted by his side and in his life.
The cab pulled up to the destination and he saw Felix outside the shop waiting for him.
“Hello Guvnor. Nice shopping?” He said smiling.
Val looked away from the cocky grin. “It was fairly painless.”
“And Miss Derry?”
“Quite well. Are you done?”
Felix bit back a large smile and together they entered the business.
“Mr. Bridle,” Val said as the manager came forward to greet them.
“Inspector. Sergeant. You are certainly quite punctual. Please come into my office,” he directed them.
After taking their seats facing the desk, Mr. Bridle pulled out two sheets of paper and handed them to Val.
“My clerk did as instructed and pulled all the records for any gold watches made in the time we discussed. He is a thorough young man and I trust his work implicitly. Therefore, I can assure you that this list is accurate.” Mr. Bridle said firmly.
Val took the list and began to look down the many names. “As far as you know, are any of these watches in a family so to speak? Given to one generation and passed down as they say.”
“It’s possible,” Mr. Bridle nodded. “Our watches are one of a kind pieces. The gold watches we make are designed to be unique. I’ve had requests for rubies and diamonds to be placed into designs. One woman even wanted her husband’s astrology sign decorated in diamonds in the piece. So of course, any of these watches could be passed on and I imagine would be.”
Val nodded and folded the pages into his jacket. “Thank you, Mr. Bridle. You’ve been most helpful.”
Outside on the steps of the building, Felix looked up at the sky threatening to rain, and then looked at his boss.
“What now?”
“We?
??ll take the list back and see if any of them look familiar. The list isn’t too long and we need to make a break in this case soon. That damn Osgood is sniffing around for blood. I’ll be damned if I let him take this case away from me,” Val said suddenly.
“He wouldn’t,” Felix shook his head. “Truth be told, Osgood has never liked you. He doesn’t like that you’re from money and have a family name. But he knows deep down inside you’re a damn good detective.”
“Let’s head back to the station.”