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Andy had no response.

“I’m not saying they deserved what happened. I’m saying they took a calculated risk. We all have to live with the consequences of our choices.”

Including Marcus and his decision to break into Time in a Bottle not once, but twice. Truthfully, Andy agreed with Quinn. But he still couldn’t help feeling sorry for the Whittakers and even Marcus.

Their breakfasts arrived with suspicious promptness, and for a few minutes both were occupied with the serious business of coffee refills and obtaining tabasco (for Quinn) and clean flatware (for Andy). They proceeded to inhale their meals.

All the time they ate, Andy was conscious of every glance thrown their way by the restaurant staff and other diners. Not that they seemed to attract undue attention, but for all they knew, their photos were already on the news. They had gotten rid of their disposable gloves and booties, scrubbed their boots and gloves in the snow and checked each other for telltale signs before they climbed into Quinn’s rental car, but Andy knew enough about forensics to understand that even trace amounts of blood and matter could be discovered by determined investigators.

As worried as he was, he still ate every bite. Unsure when they might have the opportunity for another meal.

At last, Quinn pushed his empty plate away. “So what are we looking at?” He seemed to be thinking aloud. “Theory one. The gems are delivered to Time in a Bottle by someone in Safehaven, but for some reason Cutty doesn’t keep any record of any transaction.”

“I think that’s really unlikely.”

“Yeah, probably. Theory two. The gems are moved through items purchased unknowingly by Cutty and then sold to the Whittakers.”

It continued to warm Andy’s heart that Quinn, as cynical as he was, took it for granted Uncle C. was not knowingly involved in any criminal activity.

“Correct. They might not always be shipped in the same items, though.”

“True.” Quinn was still following his own train of thought. “Something broke down with this last shipment. Cutty didn’t send the snow globes. Why?”

“Maybe he did. Uncle C.’s not great at paperwork, but heisgood about responding to customers. Maybe the shipment was lost in the mail. It’s the holidays. Parcels get delayed, go missing.”

Quinn’s expression was skeptical. “That’s quite a coincidence. The shipment that just happens to contain something valuable is the shipment that goes missing?”

“Maybe it’s not a coincidence. Maybe someone intercepted the parcel.”

Quinn pointed his index finger at Andy. “Good thought.”

But Andy was shaking his head. “No. I’m wrong because there was no listing in Uncle C.’s sales ledger. He must not have received the purchase order. Or…”

“He lost track of it.”

Andy considered. “Unless there’s an open purchase order somewhere on the Whittakers’ end?”

“Maybe. I didn’t see anything like that. The desktop was gone.”

“Gone as in…”

“The mouse and cord were still lying on the desk. The computer was gone.”

Andy made a face. There went that possibility. “Truthfully, if they were emailing purchase orders, there’s a good chance Uncle C. never saw it. He’s terrible about checking email. In fact, he mostly uses his computer to run shipping labels.”

“Would there be a record of the labels?”

“In theory. You know, another possibility is Uncle C. never received the last-shipment-slash-item-slash-whatever-it-was. So he couldn’t fill the purchase order and it was canceled.”

“What it was, was a snow globe. I think we can take that much for granted.” Quinn scowled at the basket of condiments and switched the positions of the salt-and-pepper shakers. “Why wouldn’t they know Cutty hadn’t received the item?”

Andy shook his head.

Quinn made ahmmsound. “We need to know where Cutty purchased these items, assuming he did purchase the items, which will be interesting since we can’t know for sure what all the items are.”

“Can we assume whoever sold Uncle C. the water globes is part of the scheme?”

“It’s highly likely.”