“Yes.”
I stare out the window, lost in thought. “What we need to figure out is how they got the crown and how she knew they had it. Was this a recent theft or something they didbefore? And why now? The onesie and the blanket were mentioned in the news, so she must know the investigation was reopened.”
He rubs his jaw. “She would have needed money after taking Desta, and keeping it would have been a liability. But these people are in their early thirties and were kids when Desta was taken. Truth be told, I don’t think anyone would want to be in possession of Princess Desta’s tiara, considering she was stolen.”
“Yes, except it’s priceless.”
“It still shocks me that your mother handed it over to her without even seeing the princess.”
I’ve thought of that too. She went alone to meet her. No security. No safety provisions. Things could have been done. Arrangements put in place to follow Marie after. None of it makes sense.
“Is there a way to trace these people’s phones? Find out more about them?”
We come to a stoplight, and he rests his forearms on the wheel. “I looked into their phones. They’re burners, so untraceable. The house is rented and not owned by them. They own a private software company that doesn’t produce any software and has no clients. They’re shadows.”
“Can we put a team on them? Something inconspicuous, obviously.”
“That’s my plan, sir, but I’ll be honest and say I’m not sure what information we’ll get that they’re not willing to let people know. That said, they obviously feel invincible since they’re throwing another party tonight and the police didn’t do anything with the house or even question them all that much.”
I rub my stubbly jaw. “I suppose. Either they knew it was Desta’s tiara or they were clueless. No way to know. That aspect aside, how did they get it, and how did Marie know they had it? The tenants said nothing had been taken but never opened the closet in that empty room when the police were with them.They had no clue if it had been robbed until we discovered it and the police told them, but I’m sure they likely suspected or at least worried about it since nothing else was taken.”
“They didn’t want the police to know about the safe or what was in it,” he agrees. “These people are running something illegal. I have to believe if you obtain something like a priceless tiara, you know what it is.”
I nod. “I’d say so too. They held onto it and put it in a safe for a reason and didn’t mention it to the police.” The village sprawls around us as we enter, winding our way toward the hotel, but I’m too lost in my thoughts to see any of it. “They’re too young to have had anything to do with Desta’s disappearance. It was a big risk for Marie to go in and steal it back. Why would she do that?”
“Maybe she knew exactly who these people were.”
My brows furrow at him. “Meaning?”
“Meaning they don’t handle matters like this through the police. They handle them privately.”
“If they know who stole it. The police aren’t revealing Marie’s name or that fingerprints were lifted. They could be clueless.”
“If we’re lucky, they are.”
I sigh and sink down into the seat. “Imagine if she’d been caught. If the police had arrived faster. We could have her. Finally have answers. It was a dumb thing for her to do, but I’m so grateful she did.”
“It was worth the risk for her, despite her carelessness. Maybe she needs the protection, and that’s why she went for it?” he muses, and my head swivels over to him.
“Protection?”
His eyebrows lift. “Yes, sir. The Eye of Egypt is in it.”
“What?”
“The Eye of Egypt. You’ve never heard of it?”
I shake my head, but his incredulous face isn’t comforting.
“It’s a famous stone that the ancient Romans took from there centuries ago. It was said to have powers of luck, protection, and prosperity, giving great fortune to anyone who possessed it. It was owned by Messalina herself and stayed in the country after her execution. It’s a forty-carat flawless emerald. Your mother had it fashioned into Desta’s tiara.”
I stare at him. “She didn’t mention it to us when she told us she gave the tiara to Marie. I didn’t realize that was the primary stone in the picture. Sebastian’s crown has a flawless diamond. Mine a ruby. I never thought about it.”
He’s quiet for a minute as we get closer to our hotel. “It’s priceless, and yes, the diamonds and other stones are rare, but that emerald has as much power and lore to it as the curse itself. If you’re at all superstitious in that way.”
A shiver runs over me.
I didn’t use to be. I never believed in any of it before. Nor did Sebastian. Not even after our father was murdered and Desta taken. We were young and believing in such a thing felt like believing in our own inevitable untimely demise.
