Page 120 of Family Jewels

“But,” she said, “the church just got Jonah a car and he hasn’t sold his old one yet. You can borrow it.”

“Where’s it parked?” Neely Kate asked.

Jessica’s forehead wrinkled. “In the back.”

Perfect.“Thank you,” I said.

“Are you having trouble with your truck? Do you need me to call a garage or a tow truck?”

“No, I think it will be fine tomorrow.”

She handed over the keys, and Neely Kate and I quickly snuck out the back door and drove through the neighborhood behind the church. We’d been gone ten minutes before Jed called.

“Is everything okay in there?”

“We’re fine.”

“Then where the hell are you?”

“Sorry, Jed. We have to find that necklace on our own.”

“Rose!”

“I’ll be in touch.” I hung up and glanced at Neely Kate. “Jed’s ticked.”

She laughed. “I’d like to see hisface right now.”

Maybe she was happy about it, but I felt bad about duping him—although I didn’t have time to feel too bad. My phone rang again, and sure enough, the initials SM glowed on the screen.

“Lady, what the hell are you doing?” James growled when I answered.

“I’m doing what needs to be done.”

“Like hell.”

“Buck wants the necklace by eight. I’m gonna try my best to deliver.”

“Why the hell would you want to help that man?”

“To avoid a war, James Malcolm. To save your skin.”

“That’s not your concern, Lady.”

“Sorry. You don’t get to decide that. I’ll let you know what I find out.” Then I hung up.

Neely Kate turned to me. “So we’re doing this?”

“Yeah.” I’d been full of a lot of talk on the phone, but now I found the whole thing intimidating. Still, I couldn’t stand back and do nothing. But a second piece to this plan counted on James being on board, or at least Jed. Sure, I wanted to meet with Buck, but I really needed backup. However, it would all be for nothing without the necklace. “Where do we start?” I had an idea of my own but was curious if Neely Kate had thought of something.

“Maybe we were onto something earlier. Leah could have it,” she said.

“If Miss Mable had it in the first place,” I said. “We have to find out if Rayna gave it to her or not.”

She gave me a solemn look. “Then we have to go back to Mable Dyer’s.”

This day just got better and better.

Chapter 25