Page 1 of Defending You

CHAPTER ONE

Cici Wright stepped into Mr. Delvecchio’s Philadelphia shop. Like all the jewelry stores she had seen—and she’d seen her share—the air practically sparkled, reflecting the beautiful jewels displayed in glass cabinets. Classical music played softly from speakers overhead.

Mr. D looked up from wiping down one of the glass cases and smiled. “Ready to find me some treasures?”

“You said you had a new lot for me to appraise?”

“Ah, yes. I’ve barely had a moment to examine it.” He tossed his paper towel in the trash. “I’m afraid it’s mostly junk. A couple days ago, my niece paid fifteen hundred for the lot, but knowing her, it’s worth about fifty.” His twinkling eyes told her he didn’t really believe that.

Mr. D led Cici through a narrow door into the back room, where he dug into an old filing cabinet and lifted out a black velvet drawstring bag the length of her forearm. “I’ve been wanting to go through this bag for—” The store’s doorbell chimed, and Mr. D flicked his gaze to the front. “And that’s why I haven’t had time to do it. Duty calls.” He handed the bag to her. “Let me know if you find Captain Hook’s plunder.”

“Will do.”

As he left, Cici pulled her hair into a bun to keep it out of her face while she worked. She opened the bag on a workbench. Some of the pieces were so gaudy they had to be costume jewelry. There was a pearl ring that might be authentic, and a vintage opal bracelet. A sparkle from the bottom of the bag caught her eye, and she tugged it out.

It was a necklace, looked to be circa 1920s. Cici assumed it was high-quality costume, but her fingers tingled as if they picked up something she’d yet to realize.

She moved the necklace into the light, and her breath caught.

This was no fake. This was…incredible.

Sixty pear-shaped rubies, each at least a carat, separated by marquee-shaped diamonds that were just as large. The piece was set in eighteen-karat gold or better.

The value of the stones alone would be in the tens of thousands. But in this artistic setting? It was stunning.

And familiar.

She pulled out her phone, hands trembling as she searched for an image she was sure she’d saved. There it was, in an article about a ruby necklace stolen during the long-ago murders of the parents of her sister’s boyfriend in her hometown of Shadow Cove, Maine. The necklace had been missing for a quarter century.

Cici gazed at the photograph that showed Forbes’s mother wearing the distinctive ruby-and-diamond necklace.

The Crimson Duchess. This was it. Charles and Grace Ballentine’s stolen necklace. Forbes was its rightful owner.

Not only was it practically priceless, this necklace could lead Forbes and the authorities to more of the people involved in his parents’ murders.

Heart pounding, Cici dialed her sister.

“Hey, sis,” Brookynn answered. “You back from?—?”

“I need to speak to Forbes.” She kept her voice low. “Are you with him?”

“It’s nice to talk to you too.” Her older sister’s voice held a hint of amusement.

“It’s an emergency. Is he there?”

“He’s at the estate, meeting contractors. I’m at the gallery, but I’ll see him?—”

“Text me his number, please.”

“Are you?—?”

“I’m fine. It’s fine. I’ll tell you everything, or he can. I need to talk to him right now.” Because Cici wasn’t sure what to do. Should she call the police? Should she tell Mr. D? She had no idea what the procedure was when one found stolen merchandise that might be evidence in a double homicide.

“Texting you now,” Brooklynn said. “Be safe.”

Cici ended the call. When the text came, from her sister, she dialed.

“Forbes Ballentine.” His voice was deep and tinged with curiosity.