“No, the employees have all been with the shops at least a year, and no one has left employment in the past year.” He rubbed his chin, feeling the stubble that had kept him from kissing Miss Alberts. “I checked the names against the register, but I hadn’t thought of an alias.”
“Are you done interviewing the present employees?” Gus asked, tossing another bit of bread to the dog.
“Yes. The owners seem sincere in their bafflement, so I don’t think it’s an insurance scheme. But I haven’t ruled it out.”
“With only the one set missing from each place, it does point to an employee not wanting to be caught, rather than a professional thief,” said Nora. “It might be easier to make sense of it when the next theft is discovered.”
“Yes, I was thinking there is probably more jewelry missing than we realize. I’m wondering if it’s a small gang. By choosing the older sets already put away, they could get rid of them easier. Less suspicion.”
“And if they’re family members of the employees, they are able to dress well enough not to cause too much suspicion,” added Gus. “Maybe see if there’s one who has a shifty past.”
As Elijah walked home, taking Lombard toward Poultry Street, he thought about what Gus had said about family members. Who else might be able to find out where the keys were kept? Then again, a trick drawer wasn’t something so unusual. His hand brushed against the tin of shortbread in his pocket.
An image of a heart-shaped face with hair the color of a fine port popped into his mind, and all thoughts of the investigation fled for the time being. He didn’t like the idea of her walking home alone in the dark. There were areas along her route where she could easily be robbed or worse. Eli decided he would meet her again tomorrow night and be sure she arrived home safely.
He was surprised to find himself on Old Jury already. He crossed Lothbury onto Coleman, stopping at the second building on the left. He rented the ground floor, avoiding any kind of steps for his aging grandmother. The area was decent enough, with small businesses and working people making their homes along the street. There was a seamstress across from them and a tobacconist next to them. His place had once been a small teashop.
One day, he would buy them a proper house. Something like the O’Briens’ place where he’d grown up. Filled with laughter and children, girls with dark-red hair?—
How had that image popped into his brain? Elijah shook his head, but it didn’t wipe away the smile. Miss Alberts had certainly affected him. He’d courted several girls since he’d turned sixteen, none of them creating such a stormy reaction. When he thought of her, his heart pounded, he grew warm, and a pulse throbbed low in his belly. Perhaps the odds Nora had mentioned would still be good for him.
“Is that you, Elijah?”
“Grandmama, you’re still up.” He hung his hat and coat on the pegs by the door. He kissed her cheek and sat beside her in front of the cheery fire. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thank you,” she said. “How were your interviews?”
“Everyone was cooperative, but no worthwhile clues.”
“Yet,” she said, beaming at him. “You’ll catch those rascals. My grandson is clever and determined. That’s what it takes to solve a mystery.”
“I hope you’re right. Hungry?” he asked, remembering the tin in his coat. He fetched it and sat back down.
“Remember the girl I told you about?” he asked as he opened the tin. The smell of the sweet tickled his nostrils.
“Miss Alberts? How can I forget the woman who put such a spark in your eye?”
He held out the tin. “She made me this as a thank you.”
They both took a piece of the crumbly dessert, holding it over a cupped hand to catch the crumbs.
“Oh, Elijah, she’s very good. This is almost as tasty as mine,” said his grandmother with a wink.
“High praise, indeed,” he agreed with a laugh.
“I’ve been thinking,” she said, beginning to rock once again, “about your request.”
His gaze snapped to her weathered face. “And?”
“It’s not fair to hold back information because of my bitterness. I shall tell you what I know concerning your father.” Her words were soft, but her face had gone hard, her mouth set in a firm, straight line.
“What changed your mind?”
“The truth? This illness has made me think about my age and the fragility of life. I could come down with a fever in the dead of night and never wake up.” She sighed, then held up her hand when he tried to interrupt.
“I’m not planning on leaving this earth so soon, but I don’t want you to resent me when I’m gone because I kept secrets.” She leaned forward and grasped his hand. “You are my last living family, and I need to do right by you. I don’t know much, but I’ll tell you what I remember.”
“I appreciate that, Grandmama.” Relief swept over Elijah. He had wanted to know more about his father, whatever his grandmother might know. Not only to satisfy his curiosity, but to bring him closure. How did they meet? What did his mother say about him when she met him, when she fell in love with him. Why had the family disliked him so?
