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She looked at her hands. “Because when I sold it, I was doing so to honor the people it had been stolen from. I thought the whole family was dead—but the son survived. And now he’s here. The ring belonged to his mother, and I’d like to return it to him.”

“This is about that man in town from New York? Daniel Rosman? The one whose family owned the bracelets?” he asked, and when she looked up in surprise, he shrugged. “Aviva called. She was concerned about you.”

Colette exhaled. “Yes,” she said. “It’s about Daniel Rosman.”

Marty studied her face, and she had the sense he was reading her like a diary. “This is important to you.”

“Very,” she said.

“I see.” Marty cleared his throat, and she wondered if he could see in her eyes why this meant so much to her. She wasn’t sure she understood it herself. “I’ll see what I can do, kid. I promise.”

“Thank you, Marty.”

The waiter interrupted to refill their wineglasses and to tell them that their entrees should be out shortly, and just as Colette was reaching for a final oyster, she felt her cell phone vibrate in her handbag, which was hanging from the arm of her chair.

“Excuse me,” she said, pulling her phone out to see who could be calling at this hour. She was surprised to see Aviva’s name there; the girl called this late only if something was wrong. “Marty, it’s Aviva. I have to take this.”

“Of course.” He took a sip of his wine and watched with concern as she answered.

“Aviva, dear, is everything okay?” Colette asked.

“No,” Aviva said, her voice sounding far away and hollow. “I’m on my way to the hospital.”

Colette sat straight up in her chair, her heart racing. “The hospital? What happened? Are you hurt, dear?” Marty leaned forward, worried.

“No, no, nothing like that. It’s Hubert Verdier, Colette. He’s had a heart attack.”

Colette put a hand over her mouth. “No. It isn’t possible. After all this time…” She trailed off. “Did they say he’d be all right?”

“The home didn’t know anything other than he’d been unconscious when the paramedics arrived. They took him to South Shore Hospital. I’m with Lucas and we’re headed there now.”

“You’re with Lucas? I see.” Hadn’t she told Aviva that getting involved with the museum director was a bad idea? “Keep me updated, will you?”

“Yeah. I just wanted to let you know.” Aviva hesitated. “I’m sorry, Colette.”

“I am, too.” Colette ended the call and looked at Marty in disbelief. “Hubert Verdier has had a heart attack. Aviva is headed to South Shore Hospital with Lucas O’Mara now.”

“Damn it.” Marty stood up and pulled several twenties out of his wallet.

“What are you doing?” Colette asked as he put the money down on the table and beckoned for the waiter.

“I’m driving you to the hospital,” he said, offering her the crook of his arm. “And I’m going to stay there with you until we get some answers.”

When she and Marty walked into the waiting room of South Shore Hospital’s emergency room twenty minutes later, Colette spotted Aviva and Lucas O’Mara right away.

They were sitting side by side near the door leading into the operating room, and Lucas’s head was in his hands.

Aviva’s eyes widened when she saw Colette, and she nudged Lucas, who looked up, his eyes bleary.

Colette swallowed down a lump of guilt. She shouldn’t be here, in this moment of worry for Lucas. But how could she not be?

“Colette?” Lucas said, blinking a few times as if he wasn’t sure if his eyes were deceiving him. “Marty?”

“We were at dinner together when we heard the news,” Colette said. “I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now.”

Lucas cocked his head and looked at her, his expression confused.

Colette cleared her throat. “Because of the interactions I’ve had with your grandfather-in-law. I would understand if you blamed me for what’s happened—”

Lucas’s face cleared and he cut her off. “I don’t, Colette. He has a bad heart. This isn’t your fault.”

“But—”

“I understand why you felt you had to question him. I really do.” He glanced at Aviva, who was nodding, and when he looked back at Colette, he appeared suddenly exhausted. “I just hope he survives this. You deserve some answers. We all do. Please, sit down.”

He gestured to the two seats across from him and Aviva, and Colette and Marty slid into them. “Thank you,” Colette said, though the words didn’t feel like enough.

Lucas merely nodded and looked away. Aviva rubbed his back, and after a moment, Marty folded his hand over Colette’s.

Twenty minutes later, a young doctor in scrubs emerged from the door to the OR and asked for the family of Hubert Verdier.

Colette lurched to her feet. “Is he awake?”

The doctor reached out and gently touched Colette’s arm. “I’m very sorry, ma’am, but we weren’t able to save him.”

Colette’s knees went out, and Marty caught her, pulling her close before she could go down. She buried her face in his chest for a second before taking a deep breath and returning her attention to the doctor.

Lucas exhaled and took a step forward. “I’m the next of kin,” he said, and the doctor turned to him after giving Colette a confused look.

“Oh. All right, then. I’m afraid Mr. Verdier stopped breathing in the ambulance on the way here,” the doctor said, pronouncing the name Verdeer , rather than the French Ver-dee-ay , though no one corrected her. “We tried to resuscitate him, but he was already gone. I’m very sorry.”

“He didn’t… say anything?” Colette asked, her voice small, and the doctor glanced at her with concern.

“He wasn’t conscious, ma’am. Again, I’m very sorry.” She nodded at Lucas and turned away, heading back into the OR.

“Of course,” Colette murmured as the last of her hope went up in smoke. She turned to Lucas. “I’m sorry, Lucas. I’m sorry for your loss.”

She was surprised when he reached out and squeezed both her hands. “And I’m sorry for yours. I know how much it meant to you to get some answers about the bracelet. I promise, I’ll keep trying to get to the bottom of it.”

“But this was the bottom,” Colette said. “He took all his secrets with him.”

“Or maybe,” Lucas said, glancing at Aviva, “there’s still someone out there who knows enough to give you some peace after all these years.”