“Just the same, better you don’t go.” He cut a triangle into his small stack of pancakes and lifted his fork to his mouth. Syrup dripped on his plate and he waited for the last drop to fall before he ate. “About the ring,” he said. “I guess you still want to hear about that.” When they looked at him expectantly, he went on. “One of the girls—doesn’t matter who—was showing off the sparkler she got from the man she swore was going to marry her and take her out of the life. Why she hadn’t run off with him already was a question in my mind, but I didn’t want to show interest in the bauble or in their conversation. I figured she didn’t trust her man all that much. Probably thought that diamond was paste. I could have told her different. You two remember the woman that Phoebe Apple got all bothered about when you tried to take her ring?”
Willet and Doyle exchanged questioning looks and then nodded in unison.
“It was hers. Can’t recall her name if I ever heard it, but it was her ring, the one she tried to hide by wringing her hands together like a Nervous Nellie. Now, do you think that little pear shape diamond was paste?” He didn’t wait for them to respond. “Because I sure don’t, and now some gal’s showing it off to her friends in an establishment frequented by men from all over. There is no tellin’ who might see it, might recognize it. Do either of you know where Nervous Nellie was going?”
They shook their heads.
“Yeah, well, neither do I. Maybe she was on her way to here. Why not? People come here. And maybe she is no longer the apple of her husband’s eye, and he visits Sylvia Vance’s house from time to time. You see how this goes? He sees the ring and tugs on that thread and pretty soon that spool’s completely unwound.” He stared the Putty brothers down to make sure they understood. “Whatever you have left, fellas, get rid of it in Denver. It’d be a needle in a much bigger haystack.”
• • •
Blue Armstrong pulled up his suspenders and gave them a satisfying snap. Behind him he heard Caroline Carolina, she of the improbably musical name, give up a giggle just as improbably musical.
“One of these days, Blue, you’re going to leave a bruise snapping your suspenders that way. It’ll hurt so bad, you’ll probably drop your britches, too.”
“And wouldn’t you just like to see that?” He leaned across the bed and bussed her cheek when she offered it. Caroline didn’t like lip kissing and he’d settled with that a long time ago. She was his favorite girl at Miss Sylvia’s place, so he was willing to compromise.
Coming to Collier was also a compromise. Once he’d become a deputy, he started taking his carnal pleasures outside of Frost Falls. It just seemed that he should; a matter of principle, he called it, although he’d never taken the time to suss out the particulars.
“Next week?” he asked, headed for the door.
“Sure. If I’m here.”
That stopped him. He turned around. “What do you mean? Where would you be?”
Caroline Carolina had a triangular face and a deeply dimpled smile. She gave her bright yellow hair a toss to make sure Blue saw her best feature clearly. “There’s a fella been seeing me regular that might have other plans for me. Wanna see?” When Blue nodded, Caroline reached for thedrawer in the bedside table and opened it. She did not have to root long before she found what she wanted. She slid the diamond ring on her finger and held up her hand for him to see.
Blue’s eyebrows lifted. “I do believe my eyes have seen the glory. I want to look at that up close.” He returned to the bed and took her hand, turning it this way and that in the lamplight. He whistled softly. “Who’s this fella that has a mind to remove me from your affections?”
“I’m not saying,” she said saucily, removing her hand from his grasp. “Besides, I’m not counting my chickens just yet. The smart thing to do is have it appraised, leastways that’s what Sylvia says I ought to do. Who knows, if it’s as real as it looks, maybe I won’t wait for my knight. Maybe I’ll just sell it and go off on my own. Buy a nice house, have girls working for me for a change.”
“Good to know you’re not overreaching. Maybe I can still visit you.”
“Sure.”
Blue studied the ring. Could be nothing. Could be something. “How are you going to find someone to give you a fair evaluation? I would hate to see someone telling you that diamond’s paste if it’s real.”
“I haven’t worked that out yet. Sylvia’s asking around for me.”
“You trust her?”
Caroline hesitated. “Yes?”
“You askin’? Because you don’t sound certain to me.”
“Well, I trust her some. She’s been no worse than any other madam I’ve worked for and better than most.”
Blue nodded. “Fair enough. What about me? Do you trust me more than Sylvia or less?”
There was no hesitation this time. “More. And it’s not on account of you being the law; it’s on account of you being you.”
“Well, that’s real nice of you to say. I’ve got a thought about that ring and who might know its true value.”
“I’m listening.”
“There’s a fella I’m acquainted with over in Liberty Junction. You know where that is?”
She nodded. “Straight down the line from Frost Falls.”
