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Sirius studied him for a moment. “Just bring me the snow globe. I promise to make itverymuch worth your while to comply.”

“Whichsnow globe?”

Sirius’s smile was cynical. “You appear to be reasonably intelligent. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Just don’t take too long.”

“Diamonds?” Andy ventured. “Is that what I’m looking for? Because you saw all the snow globes, and none of them were what you were looking for.”

“I’m quite sure I did not see all the snow globes. As I’m quite sureyouknow this matter has nothing to do with diamonds!”

Okay, so Andy and Quinn were on the right track as far as snow globes. But on the wrong track as far as what was hidden in the globes?

“ThenI don’tknow what you’re looking for. The only snow globes you didn’t see were the ones previously sold.”

“Sold to whom?”

Andy stared. Sirius could not be working with the other intruder or he would already know about Miriam. Would know that her collection was destroyed.

Andy and Quinn had assumed the intruder didn’t find what he was looking for at Miriam’s because all her snow globes, though broken, were accounted for. But in fact, the intruder could have found what he was looking for when he broke the snow globe…

No. That didn’t make sense. Or, it only made sense if the would-be thief found the not-diamonds in the very last globe. What were the chances of that? And, if the would-be thief had found what he was after, why had he returned to Time in a Bottle last night and killed Marcus?

Unless, the would-be thief hadnotreturned and hadnotkilled Marcus.

Unless Quinnhadkilled Marcus.

The thought paralyzed Andy.

“It is for you to find those customers and retrieve those snow globes.” Sirius impatiently broke into Andy’s stricken silence. “You have forty-eight hours to comply. Safely deliver the snow globe, and you will be agreeably surprised at my generosity. Fail me… No. I’m sure you will not fail me. I’m quite sure you don’t wish to end up like your partner.”

Presumably Sirius didn’t mean in jail. Presumably he didn’t mean the hospital. He was talking about Marcus. And yet, Andy was almost positive Sirius had been almost as unpleasantly surprised as Andy to realize a homicide had taken place inside Time in a Bottle.

“I’m locked out of the shop. I don’t even have the sales ledgers now. I have no way of tracking anything down.I don’t know what it is I’m supposed to be looking for.”

“You don’tneedto know!” Sirius swallowed his exasperation and summoned a not-very-reassuring smile. “Listen to me, young man. Through no fault of his own, indeed, through aludicrousseries of events, your uncle acquired something that belongs to me, and I must have it back. It’s that simple. Imusthave it back.”

“Someone else is looking for it—may already have found it.”

Sirius stilled. Then he shook his head. “No. No, it is highly unlikely. Would he continue to run in circles like a dog chasing its tail if he’d found it? I think not.”

Well, true enough. And that answered a couple of questions.

Sirius continued, “I believe you’re correct. The item has been sold. Therefore, you must find it. By returning my rightful property, you ensure your safety, the safety of your uncle,andyou make a tidy profit. There is no other way.”

“I’d like nothing better. But I have no idea where to start.”

“That’s unfortunate. For both of us. But mostly for you.”

“It’s the truth!”

“Forty-eight hours,” Sirius repeated. “I am a businessman. I do not like violence. I am not a violent man by inclination. However, when violence is necessary—” He jumped guiltily at the sound of footsteps coming up the muddy walk.

Ruthanne, having finished her lunch, was heading for the parking lot and her cruiser. She checked at the sight of Sirius and Andy in what probably looked more like a standoff than a cozy chat.

“Madame Officer.” Sirius lifted his hat in acknowledgment.

Ruthanne frowned, looking from Andy to Sirius and back to Andy. “Everything okay here?”

“Certainly. Certainly.” Sirius offered a toothy smile reminiscent of anthropomorphic weasels in children’s cartoons of a certain era, and began to sidle away.