We’ve been so busy! Lake season is in full swing. Paul and I are two ships in the night lately. But tonight we’re going out to celebrate our fifth anniversary. Paul is taking me to the same restaurant he took me to on our honeymoon, and I’m going to wear his beautiful wedding gift, the blue diamond.
I have named my necklace Carolina Breeze. Paul laughs at my silliness, after all the diamond is hardly substantial enough to warrant a name of its own, but it is still rare and precious, all the more so because it was a gift from Paul.
I feel bad for not wearing it more often, but I’m afraid it’ll fall right off my neck. When we bought the inn I worried even when it was put away, because we house so many strangers. But Paul finally arranged a safe spot in which to store it, and now I can breathe easy, knowing that Carolina Breeze rests in safety.
Mia read the last entry again. She hadn’t misread it—a blue diamond! She was no expert on jewelry, but she knew blue diamonds were rare and valuable. She’d known from previous entries that her grandfather came from an affluent family, but she had no idea he’d been that kind of wealthy.
Mia wondered what had become of the necklace. Her mother hadn’t received any of their belongings, so where had they gone? She read the last line of the entry again.
A safe spot.Was it possible the necklace was still here, hidden away in the inn somewhere?
Her heart stuttered at the thought. She was probably getting worked up over nothing. But she had to ask Levi about it. He’d already read the journal. Maybe he knew what had become of the necklace. She momentarily forgot her injured ankle and banged her foot on the chair as she got up, wincing in pain.
She grabbed the crutches and made her way as quickly as she could through the dining room and foyer.
At the back door, she fumbled with the lock and made her way clumsily down the two steps. The roar of the mower quickly alerted her to Levi’s whereabouts. He was swiping a path toward the neighboring property.
Mia made her way across the patio and down the slope of the lawn. The journal was tucked under her arm, making the crutches even more awkward. Her ankle was pounding, but she was too excited to care.
Levi made a turn at the edge of the property. As he was coming back toward her, he caught sight of her and turned off the mower, removing his earbuds.
He was off the mower and at her side in seconds. “You all right? You should slow down on those things—you don’t want to fall again.”
“I was reading the journal and came upon the part about the blue diamond necklace. Do you know what happened to it?”
“Come sit down before you fall.” Levi took the journal from under her arm and led her back up to the patio.
When they reached the patio he took her crutches. “Have a seat. Let’s get your foot propped up.”
She did as he said, watching as he grabbed a low table and set it in front of her. “Do you know what happened to the necklace after Dorothy passed away?”
“No idea.”
“I know it didn’t go to my mom. They were estranged.”
“Don’t ask me. Before you showed up I thought they didn’t even have children. Maybe it went to another relative. Or got pawned.”
“Oh, I hope not. Do you have any idea what blue diamonds are worth?”
“I assumed they had the same value as regular diamonds.”
“Not at all. They’re extremely rare and precious. You’ve heard of the Hope Diamond?”
“Of course.”
“Well, that’s a blue diamond. Granted, it’s huge, but even a small one would be quite valuable. We have to figure out what happened to it. The entry I just read said Paul made a safe spot for her to tuck it away in. What if it’s still in the house, Levi? That would mean it belongs to you.”
Surprise registered on Levi’s face. He seemed to process that thought for a long moment. “Well, let’s see. The Livingstons lived here until they passed away. I think the place was auctioned off after that, and the state’s governor purchased it as a summer home.”
“But what would’ve happened to the Livingstons’ personal effects?”
Levi shrugged. “Molly might know something. She’s obsessed with the history of this place. Do you need your cold pack? Your ankle looks a little puffier than it did yesterday.”
“Forget my ankle, Levi. We have to find that necklace.”
He straightened, hands on hips. He wore a baseball cap, and a sheen of sweat made his arms glisten. “Why?”
“Why?”There were lots of reasons, including the tug at her heart to find this little piece of home, this tangible symbol of her roots. But that wasn’t the reason she mentioned. “Because it’s worth a lot of money to whoever has it. And what if it’s still here, Levi?”
