Page 119 of Diamonds

Maybe I need to stop thinking like Scooby-Doo and start thinking like C.S.Lewis.

I open the door of the wardrobe, knock on the back of it.It doesn’t sound like it’s against a solid wall.My knocks reverberate in a way indicating a much bigger space behind the wall.

But how to open it?

I return to Rouge’s desk, fiddle around with the objects on it.Something has to trigger the opening in the back of the armoire.

Fuck.It’s no use.I sit back in Rouge’s chair, defeated, letting my arms land on the armrests with a thud.

My left hand hits a ruby embedded on the arm of a chair.It goes down, and whirring sounds from behind me.I turn around, and the back of the armoire is opening.

Holy shit.I did it.

But no time to waste.Alissa can only beat up on Pia for so long.

I run into the bedroom.

ThisI remember.The extravagant four-poster bed with dark-red sheets, the vintage Frigidaire on the corner from which—my stomach twists—Rouge produced a goblet of blood.And next to the fridge?—

The safe!Just as I remembered it.

I reach into my right-hand pants pocket and pull out the key.My fingers are shaking as I place it in the keyhole.

Moment of truth.

What I find in this safe could change everything.

I won’t be able to unsee whatever it is.

I take a deep breath and turn the key.

The safe opens.

And…

Brilliant red gemstones spill out.Red.Rubies, I assume.

Except, no.

I know a few things about gemstones.I have a few pairs of cufflinks with precious stones inlaid in them.I wore the sapphire ones the first time I came to the club.I used to own a set with rubies, but I never wore them so I pawned them one month when my profits from the store were a little low.A shame.I could have worn them with my Valentine’s Day outfit.

These gemstones are lighter than rubies.And when I pick one up and hold it to the light, it sparkles radiantly.These stones are also in round cuts as opposed to the oval cuts that rubies are traditionally shaped into.

These aren’t rubies.

They’re diamonds.

Red diamonds.

Dozens of them.

Holy shit.

A handful of these is easily worth a million bucks.The total contents of this safe would run into the billions.

My father was a wealthy man, especially before he blew all his money on legal bills and hush money.But he could never imagine anything like this.

Not what I was expecting at all.