“I’m starving,” she said, trying to sound like her bright and sunny self. In an effort to seem as though everything was situation normal, she hooked her arm through his. “I realized I haven’t eaten all day.”
Confusion flickered over his face as she ushered him toward the car. “How about the tavern then?” he asked. The tavern was a favorite of theirs.
“On the Royal Mile?” A glimmer of hope flickered through her.
He nodded. “If that’s what ye’d like.”
She pasted on a bright smile. “Sounds wonderful.”
And if she were lucky, perhaps she could give him the slip to look for Mystic Treasures.
CHAPTER 3
Chloe was a nervous wreck all through dinner. It took everything in her to sit still, to pretend everything was great and she was having the time of her life. Bruce didn’t seem to notice and for that she was grateful. She managed to have the appropriate responses to his questions as they chatted through dinner.
As they left the restaurant, she tucked her hand in his elbow.
“I feel like an evening stroll,” she said glancing up at him. Hope curled in her chest.
“All right.”
They headed down the street, the lights of the early evening blinking on. The walking tours were getting started as they strolled down High Street. Chloe thought of the gold-embossed card in her pocket and kept an eye out for the shop. Her gut told her it had to be on the Royal Mile and, like Evie, she had to listen to her gut.
Then she spied the small shop between a cigar merchant and a shop specializing in cashmere and lambswool. The name, Mystic Treasures, was in gold letters over the door. She had never noticed it there before and thought it was an odd place for a shop.
How was she going to get away from Bruce long enough to go into it?
“Are ye feeling well tonight, lass?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” Though she knew it was a lie.
“Maybe I should take ye home. It’s been a long few days for ye.”
That sounded like a great idea to her. She nodded. “Yes, I think you should.”
As they headed back to his car, her mind raced with what to do once he dropped her off. She decided to return to the RoyalMile and go to the shop and hope it hadn’t closed for the day yet. It was a long shot, but she had to try.
“I have to stop for petrol on the way,” he said.
She nodded agreement, trying not to be annoyed about the delay as she got into the passenger seat. They headed back to her flat with the one stop on the way. He got out to fill the tank.
While he stood outside the car, she was overcome with emotion when she thought about Evie and getting back to that shop on the Royal Mile. As her eyes welled with tears, she popped open the glove box in search of a tissue and stopped cold.
The blue velvet bag was stuffed inside the small compartment.
The same blue velvet bag the police had retrieved from the ladies’ room with Evie’s handbag and shoes. She stared at it, dumbfounded, as she confirmed the theft.
She had left it on the table in her living room, but it had disappeared. Here it was in his glove box. Why would Bruce take the velvet bag from her table? There was no reasonable explanation she could think of for him to take it.
He finished filling the tank. Chloe slammed the glove box closed and dried her eyes with the sleeve of her sweater. She placed her hands in her lap, trying to keep them from shaking, when he got back in the car and started the engine. He must have sensed something was off.
“Are ye all right? Ye look white as a ghost.”
She pasted on a bright smile. “I’m a bit tired. Like you said. It’s been a long few days.”
“Well, then, I best get ye home.”
When they arrived at her flat, she hopped out and hurried to the door, leaving him behind. Still, he followed. At the door, she turned to face him.
