45. Showtime
45
SHOWTIME
Ruby
At eleven-fifteen, I walked to Eli’s club from Jake’s hotel. It wasn’t far, and there was a crystal-blue sky and a cooling breeze. Just another day in this island paradise.
My lunch with Eli wasn’t for another forty-five minutes, but I thought I’d find him at one of his favorite spots first. He’d told me he spent time at Sapphire most days. I’d donned a pink sundress, flip-flop sandals, and a pair of delicate mermaid earrings—quirky but pretty. I’d dressed to appear approachable. Tell me all your secrets, Eli.
The club looked different without flashing lights and cool blue neon signs. Just a gray front door with one security guard manning it. I climbed the steps and told him, “Hi. I’m Ruby Ashley. I’m here to see Eli.”
The guard’s blank expression disappeared and he smiled. “Welcome back, Ms. Ashley. Mr. Thompson is in his office,” the man said, pushing open the heavy steel door. He gestured for me to head inside. “Go right in.”
Sapphire during the day was like a Halloween haunted house with the lights on, exposing all its secrets. Overhead fluorescents unmasked the bar, the floor, the stage, and the balcony, chasing away the slinky, sexy, sultry mood of after-hours. There was no pulse of techno-heavy music. No hum of crowds, no clink of glasses. Just the echo of my sandals as they slapped across the tiles when I crossed the dance floor. As I neared the winding staircase on the other side, I heard my name shouted from above.
“Ruby!”
I craned my neck and saw Clarissa, the club’s assistant manager, coming down the steps to intercept me. Her chestnut hair and banana-yellow dress made the empty club seem even more drab.
“Cal told me you were here,” Clarissa said as she reached the bottom step. “Eli’s in his office working,” the assistant manager continued, “but he’s looking forward to your lunch together.”
“I’m excited to see him too.”
And his artwork. I’m incredibly excited to see that.
“He told me you had a scuba tour next week,” she said as she turned around and climbed the steps with me.
“Do you dive? I’ve got room if you want to join us.” I made the offer casually, not expecting her to accept. But I wouldn’t mind filling a slot on the tour either. I told her what day we were diving.
“Must be fate. I have that day off.” We neared the top of the steps as she said, “Are you enjoying your extra time?”
Enjoying didn’t cover it. I was intrigued, frustrated, and anxious about the mystery. I was savoring the time with Jake.
“It’s been the experience of a lifetime,” I said honestly, with a private little grin. “Have you lived on the island long?”
“A while. Circumstances were making work difficult in the mainland, but I came down here to get away from it all for a bit and ended up staying.” The corner of her mouth twitched in private amusement. Maybe there was a special someone behind that secret smile for her too.
“Anyway,” she said as we turned into the hall that led toward the office, passing the three Lynx artworks. I tried not to stare at them, to bide my time. “This is a great job, and I love working for Eli,” Clarissa finished, her permanent smile fixed in place.
With impressive timing, we’d reached the office, and I heard Eli’s voice through the open door. “Perfect. So glad the deal is working out.” He was on the phone from the sound of it. “She’ll simply be thrilled.”
Clarissa pushed the door farther open and I went in. Eli’s back was to me, and I took the chance to inventory the walls. There was only one piece of framed artwork, and the frame didn’t look too heavy. I stifled a quiet sigh of relief. I could do this.
I patted my purse absently as Eli turned around in his chair. His blue eyes twinkled when he spotted me, and he waved, his lips curved in a broad grin.
I should feel guilty for smiling to his face and then hoodwinking him. But, oh, wait, that was what he’d done to Mom.
So I didn’t feel so bad about it after all.
Eli hung up and then raised his wrist to look at the face of his Rolex. “Am I late for lunch? Did I get the time wrong?”
I waved off his concern with a bright smile. “Nope. I’m just early. I was doing some shopping in the neighborhood and thought I would pop in to see you in your element.”
Eli strode across the plum-colored carpet of his office and wrapped me in a big embrace. “Sit,” he said when he’d released me, and he patted a plush black leather couch. “It’s good to see you regularly like this. How was shopping?”
“I went with my friend Tommy,” I improvised. I didn’t think I’d need more of a cover story than “shopping,” but this worked out fine since “Tommy” would be calling in a matter of minutes. “He’s helping me on my tour in a few days.”
“You should have invited him along for lunch!” Eli said. “I’d love to meet your friend.”
Somehow, I managed not to choke at the thought. Jake, AKA Tommy, would love that.
“He’s checking on some of the equipment we need for the tour. He’s very particular. A little high-strung.” I leaned over and clasped Eli’s hand, giving it a squeeze. I had my own smoke-and-mirror show, and the clock was ticking slowly to eleven-thirty. “So that gives us plenty of time together to catch up.”
“Why don’t we head to the restaurant?” he suggested. “I’ll drive, and we can see if Tristan can seat us a few minutes early.”
“Oh no!” I exclaimed, and at Eli’s surprised stare, I laughed airily, hiding the way my heart skittered. “I couldn’t possibly leave without seeing the Lynx paintings.”
Or, more accurately, I couldn’t leave until eleven-thirty.
I pointed to a design on the wall, about twelve inches square. “Is this one?”
“Yes.” He smiled proudly as if he’d painted it himself. “I heard you stopped by the gallery the other day but couldn’t stay. Willow told you what happened, right?” he asked, dropping his voice to a whisper, and he pointed to his neck as if gesturing to an invisible piece of jewelry.
“Yes. She did,” I said. “That’s just awful. I can’t believe they took it right off her neck.” I gave a convincing shudder. “Do you have any idea who could have taken it?”
He shook his head. “I’ve been on nonstop calls with the insurance company since it happened.”
“You reported it to them already?”
“Of course,” he said, dropping his hand to the leather in a slap for emphasis. “You can’t let thieves get away with anything.”
For someone who loved drama, he had no sense of irony.
“No, you can’t,” I said, more seriously than he could know. “You definitely can’t.” I had no intention of letting the thieves get away with snagging my diamond either.
The office phone rang, saving me from more playacting. I glanced at my watch. Eleven-thirty on the dot.
A few seconds later, Clarissa rapped gently on the door. “I have a phone call for Ruby. It’s Tommy. He sounds…distraught.”
I adopted a look of utter surprise and confusion. “Why isn’t he calling me on my cell…” I fished around in my purse as if hunting for the phone, which was silenced at the very bottom.
Leaving it there, I turned to my stepfather. “I forgot my cell. Is there any chance I could just…” I nodded to the landline on his desk.
Eli rose and gestured grandly. “Of course. Take as long as you need. Let me know when you’re done.”
“Just hit line nine,” Clarissa added, and they left the room and closed the door behind them to give me privacy with my friend. I’d told Jake to act like it was a crisis, and apparently, he’d nailed it.
As soon as the door clicked, I raced over to lock it, then marched to the desk and picked up line nine.
“Hello?”
Melodramatic sobs greeted me. “I’m so sad. I’m all alone and I’m having a snorkel-gear crisis I can’t possibly resolve without your advice.”
“Hold, please,” I told Jake, then set the receiver on the desk. I was alone in Eli’s office with the artwork. I was within reach of solving the mystery. My fingers tingled with excitement, and I all but skipped over to that wall.
The frame was about eighteen inches square—big enough to hide something but not so big I couldn’t handle it. Literally. I stood on the couch and lifted the art off the hook. As I moved it, something rattled.
A focused thrill pinged through me. I wondered if this was what Jake felt when he recovered what he was after. No wonder he loved his job.
Stepping down, I put the frame on the couch, the back turned toward me, and examined the sturdy paper backing. With the pocketknife from my purse, I carefully sliced the paper along the bottom so that I could turn back the corner.
My heart nearly rocketed to the moon. There it was. A black plastic cylinder the size of a travel toothbrush taped to the inside of the frame.
Wow .
Carefully, I reached in and peeled off the tape to take out the tube. Something rattled inside.
I pulled off the cap, held my breath, and tipped the contents into my palm. A whole handful of…nuts.