****
Brody walked into the jewelry store and approached the sales clerk.
“Can I see the store manager, please?” he asked casually, clutching the boxes in his hand.
“Is there something I can help you with, sir?” the gentleman smiled at him.
“I need to have a piece appraised that I feel is quite valuable. I need to speak with the manager about it, please,” he stated, his voice quiet.
“Certainly, sir. I’ll see if he’s available,” the clerk replied, ducking behind a black curtain into a back room.
A portly, balding gentleman shouldered his way through the back door and approached Brody. “May I help you?” he asked austerely.
Brody turned toward the man and held out the smaller of the two boxes. “Let’s start small, shall we?” He opened the lid of the small jewelry piece and held it out.
“This was my mother’s engagement ring. I would like to have it cleaned and restored. Can you do that for me? It’s an antique.”
The man smiled as he took the box from Brody. “Quite a treasure you have there,” he said. “Are early congratulations in order?” he asked, his eyebrows arched.
Brody nodded. “Only if she accepts my offer,” he answered, smiling.
“With a betrothal ring like this, how could she refuse?” The salesman was obviously a man who appreciated a good piece of jewelry. He passed the small box to the sales associate. “Set this up to be cleaned and restored.” He turned back to Brody. “You had another piece?” he asked.
Brody held out the larger wooden cask. “This was part of my mother’s estate when she died but I couldn’t find paperwork to go with it. All the other jewelry had appraisals or valuations so, I just need to find out the value this piece and get official papers for it.”
The balding gentleman cracked the lid of the cask slightly and gasped at the huge diamond that winked back at him. He immediately grabbed a small eyeglass and looked closely at the large gem. Brody saw beads of sweat form on his forehead and the man’s breathing increased to the point where Brody thought he was going to pass out.
“Are you okay?” Brody asked, gripping the man’s shoulder.
The inspection glass fell from his eye and hit the floor as he opened the eye to regard Brody with fascination. He stuttered, “W…w…would it be ok with you if I take this in back for a m…moment?”
“If you’re sure you’re okay,” Brody answered hesitantly.
The man held up one shaking finger and whispered, “Just one moment.”
Brody watched the storeowner go through the curtain and was slightly perplexed when he saw the man pick up the phone. He held the large cask open, talking to the person on the other end, his voice a frantic whisper. He peered over his shoulder and noticed Brody looking at him. He drew the phone closer to his mouth and continued talking. He motioned for an employee to draw the curtain closed.
Brody turned and surveyed the shop. He walked around, admiring the watches and earrings, wondering what type of jewelry Lou would like. Nothing so ostentatious, as he regarded a large piece of jewelry. She was an understated kind of girl. Just the kind he liked.
Brody smiled at the sight of an adolescent girl who was with her parents, choosing her first pair of earrings, obviously her birthday present. Brody glanced at his watch, wondering what was taking so long.
Growing frustrated by the wait, he rang the bell for an associate to come out and just give him a receipt for the jewelry so he could leave them and come back later. From the back of the store, a larger gentleman entered the room. He pushed the curtain aside, yet held the jewel cask in his hand. He approached Brody quietly and looked him in the eye. Brody recognized the gentleman as someone familiar but he couldn’t place where he knew him from until he smiled. Crooked teeth and a sneer belied the feigned good cheer. Brody stood up straighter and flexed his own hand, remembering when he had broken those same teeth the night the larger man had tried to steal Sarah.
The man slowly lifted the edge of his jacket and showed Brody he was armed, the feigned smile never leaving his face.
He began quietly, nodding his head toward the young girl and her parents. “Do you see that nice little family over there?”
Brody nodded, every muscle in his body on alert.
“You don’t want anything to happen to them, do you?”
Brody shook his head.
“Then I’ll tell you what you’re going to do.” The smile became sinister. “You’re going to turn around and walk out that door with me and you’re going to do it without making a scene. I can take that whole family out.” He showed Brody the gun in the holster again. “Before you can blink. Understand?”
“Understood,” Brody replied.
The man walked from behind the counter and to the door of the jewelry store, with Brody following behind. He held the door open and Brody walked through it. Gary motioned him toward a large SUV, the one he remembered from the dance.