Erik frowned. “Ben and I are still new here. Should we go inland? I notice you’re still here.”
Susan laughed and stood. “Oh, Cole and I would probably be the last to leave and turn the lights out on the way.”
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time to give up and get the hell out of Dodge,” Susan continued. “There’s nothing to be gained by being foolish and staying when it’s dangerous. But I don’t think we’re to that point yet.”
Erik looked back to his laptop, where he had been tracking down leads, however thin, that might have a connection to the missing Tiffany dome. “What do you know about the Great Fire of 1878?” he asked, since it seemed clear they weren’t likely to get customers.
“The fire was suspicious,” Susan said. “No one could prove arson, and the man they arrested wasn’t charged, but apparently everyone thought then, and still does, that someone set the fire. It leveled five big hotels and burned forty acres of downtown. On the plus side, disasters like the fire and the big storms made Cape May confront decisions about keeping its Victorian architecture earlier than in many cities.” She frowned. “Why? Is it connected to something?”
Erik shrugged. “I’m not sure. There’s so much haunted history here, it’s difficult to figure out cause and effect.”
Susan looked around as if wanting to find something to work on. “Any leads on the stained-glass dome?”
He shook his head. “Nothing yet. Or I should say, lots of leads, but none that panned out yet.”
“It may be unlucky, but it certainly was beautiful,” Susan said wistfully. “I hope it wasn’t destroyed. Surely someone could un-hex it or do an exorcism or something.”
Erik chuckled. “I have friends who could certainly give it their best effort. But sort of like the Commodore Wilson and the land under it, sometimes things are bad to the bone.”
Susan nodded. “Since we’re not likely to get anyone stopping in, I’m going to finish cataloging that last crate from the latest estate sale before Cole comes by to drive me home. At least I’ll have it finished before sitting out the storm at home.”
“You’re supposed to be taking time off until things resolve,” Erik reminded her.
“Oh, pish. It’s quiet, and if anyone comes in, I can duck out the back. I’m bored.” As if it were the only explanation he needed, she walked away.
Erik shook his head and returned his attention to his computer. He knew when to pick his battles.
Erik’s phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number and was immediately suspicious because the call came from an international source.
“Erik Mitchell,” a man’s voice said, with a heavy Russian accent. “You do not need to concern yourself with the matter of the Tiffany dome. Turn your attention elsewhere. Buildings can burn, even in the rain, and partners can vanish into the night. None of those things need to come to pass if you mind your own business.”
The call ended abruptly. Erik realized his hand shook. He stared at the screen, then turned to his history and snapped a photo to save the number, although he felt certain it came from a burner phone.
Erik felt his heart pound and had a few seconds of light-headedness as the threat sank in. Then he pressed Ben’s number. “Ben.”
Something in his tone alerted his partner to trouble. “Erik? Are you okay?”
“Please be very careful. Carry your gun. Don’t be alone. You’re in danger.”
“What happened?” Ben immediately slipped into what Erik thought of as “cop mode.”
“I just got an international call from someone with a Russian accent warning me off the Tiffany dome and suggesting that they would hurt you and the store if I didn’t.”
“Shit. Have you told the police?”
“Not yet. I wanted to call you first. Please. Don’t take any chances. No piece of art is worth getting killed,” Erik begged.
“I can’t come home right away because I’m doing a repair check on some of the rental houses with the maintenance team, but I’ll leave as soon as I can,” Ben promised. “And since someone has your number and knows where you are, that means you’re in danger too. Please don’t try to be a hero.”
“Just come home safely,” Erik told him. “It’s Bratva. They play for keeps.”
“Not my first rodeo, but I’ll be careful,” Ben said. “You, too.”
“Love you,” Erik murmured.
“Love you too.”
Susan was still out of earshot. Erik wanted to keep her away from danger, and knowing too much was definitely a hazard. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm his nerves and then called Sheriff Hendricks. It wasn’t lost on him that the top cop was in his contact list.
