Page 52 of Savannah Heat
The necklaces lay there, looking deceptively the same. A real expert was needed to tell the difference when looking at them from this distance, Jenna thought. She walked up next to Gail who was still staring at them.
Dan shrugged and looked at Gail. “Just like we said.”
“Well, if everyone is happy, let’s put the necklaces back in their rightful places and get back to the guests,” the senator said.
Gail backed off, shrugged, and joined Harper who looked out the window and appeared to have lost interest in the necklace debate.
Dan turned and picked up the fake necklace. “Let me help you with the clasp, Marta.”
The senator lifted the other one and walked back to the safe. He instructed the security guard to stay in the room until he was relieved. They all shuffled out of the senator’s study and back down the stairs.
Jenna stole a glance at Harper, who was looking at Gail with an odd expression.
No one speaking, they all filed back downstairs to the main living area where someone was playing the piano. As Jenna looked around, she thought she saw Brock walking out on the patio. Dan was sticking close to Gail and Harper, because like herself, he knew there was a purpose for the charade Gail and Harper had put them through with the necklace comparison. They now knew for sure Mrs. Roseland was wearing a fake, and she couldn’t see why they would want it if their plan was to take steal the real necklace from Marta’s neck. It didn’t make sense. No one would dare try getting into the room or safe with the giant guard on duty. Something wasn’t adding up.
Jenna made her way toward the patio, but Brock was not there. Her brain was working overtime figuring out what Harper and Gail were up to, and she could come up with no logical answer. As she saw it, limited possibilities existed. They could either give up or try to open the safe. But it would mean getting past the guard. Not a great plan.
Jenna wished she could talk to Dan, but he was sticking close to Harper now, who was sticking all too close to Marta. But why would Harper risk going for a fake necklace? The same question and no answer.
The senator and Marta relaxed as the evening wore on and only their close personal friends were left. Everyone wanted to talk to Mrs. Roseland and look at the necklace. Unfortunately, this made it more difficult to keep an eye on Marta and the necklace.
Jenna’s thoughts were interrupted when a tall, good-looking man who introduced himself as the senator’s attorney, Roy Wakefield, handed her a glass of champagne and asked her to join him on the patio. She said yes so she wouldn’t look so odd standing alone staring at people. She made her way toward the patio with Roy as the house lights began to flicker and then all the lights dimmed.
Inside, the piano player stopped playing.
“A storm must be coming in. The wind is picking up.” Roy looked at the sky. “The electricity is the first thing to go out here on the island.”
Hearing nothing alarming coming from inside, Jenna listened to Roy’s view of the senator’s chances for re-election.
Soon, he focused on her with all of the usual questions. Eventually, he went inside to refill their drinks.
Jenna heard someone cough below her. Something or someone was down there just below and out of her sight. The sound was coming from a small patio off their basement level where Marta kept all of her gardening tools. She heard some scuffling and a grunt and then nothing. She wondered if a couple was having a fight or a romantic liaison down there.
Just when she thought she might go down to investigate, she saw Roy return with the drinks. Though distracted by what she just heard below, she tried to make civil conversation. Her gut was telling her something was wrong. She was primed for disaster, all of her nerves on edge, but she could only wait for something to happen. The thoughts whirled through her mind so fast she almost got dizzy. What would Harper do? When would she do it? What did she have in store for her and Dan? What were they waiting for?
When she could stand it no longer, Jenna excused herself as she finished her drink, telling Roy good-bye, and made her way to the ladies’ room. As she got closer, she saw Harper look her way and begin to walk in the same direction. Jenna stopped in her tracks because no good could come from her and Harper in the same small room alone tonight. In fact, she didn’t want to be alone with her anywhere, and now was a good time to try to talk to Dan. She didn’t see any sign of Gail. About a dozen people were left, besides the staff.
The senator and Marta were saying their final good-byes.
Jenna turned to walk toward Dan, and that is when it hit her. She knew what they had done, and what they would do, and she knew how to fix it. She needed to talk to Marta Roseland in private and to get back into the room with the safe and the necklaces. Now. After her meeting with Marta, Jenna found Dan and grabbed his arm. “Can we talk for one minute?”
“Sure.” He started down the hallway.
“Brock said he was going back to the hotel, but I’ve seen him twice since then. I think I know what is going on.”
Dan shrugged. “Oh, not Brock again. Maybe Mr. GQ had a change of heart and wanted to skulk around and spy on you, or maybe Harper enlisted his help for whatever she has planned for tonight. Those are the two things that come to mind. Or maybe it wasn’t him at all, is that possible?”
“Yeah, yeah, I know, but I have this sinking feeling Brock, the man I thought I knew for almost a year, is not who I thought he was.”
“Welcome to the boy-can-I-pick-’em-club, Miss Myers. But go ahead. You have a theory.”
“Oh, well yes, I do, Dan. More than a theory, I think. So, our problem—as I see it—we need to figure out their plan. Gail switched the necklaces while Harper did the big fall and screaming distraction when we were in the senator’s office. They think Mrs. Roseland is now wearing the real necklace because Gail did the switch. They don’t have to get into the senator’s office or the safe. They just have to get to Marta Roseland.”
Dan held up his hands, “Wait, what—you saw her do it?”
“No, I didn’t see her do it, but it makes sense, right?”
“Strange bedfellows in a way, though. But yes, I’m with you on the theory. I’m sure they set up that scene to make the switch. Now, the interesting part begins. So, if you are right—we are right, they intend to take the necklace right off Marta’s neck tonight because they think it’s the real thing. So, that means we need to watch for another diversion.”