Page 58 of To Steal a Heart
Hank let out a long sigh. “I’m so sorry for all the heartache that my brother has caused you.”
“Thanks,” she said tonelessly. “It was a hard lesson, but one that I needed to learn.”
“Has Garrett been in touch with you?”
“No,” she answered, which had been true at the time.
However, that all changed a week ago.
“What makes you so certain that Garrett is going to try and steal the Finkle Diamond?”
Arden jerked as she came back to the present. Her hand went up around her throat. “I’m sorry?”
All the eyes around the conference room table were pinned on her. “Can you please repeat the question?” she croaked, berating herself for zoning out. She’d been taking way too many trips down memory lane and needed to get a grip.
Daniel Frank was one of two FBI agents who’d come to Honeysuckle Island. Daniel and his partner planned to stay for the duration of the diamond exhibit.
“What makes you so certain that Garrett is going to try and steal the Finkle Diamond?” Daniel repeated. He was tall and lanky with dusty auburn hair and glasses. His partner was thickly set with a square face, dark hair, and a ruddy complexion.
Arden fidgeted with the charms on her bracelet. “Call it a gut feeling.” Lightning was going to strike her dead for lying through her teeth. She felt Grandmother’s beady eyes on her. Arden swore the woman could see straight into the darkest corners of her soul. Briefly, Arden wondered if she should divulge what she knew. No, the time for that had passed. If the FBI knew that Garrett had broken into her bedroom and added a charm to her bracelet, they would question why she didn’t come forth immediately after the incident took place. Also, they might try to confiscate the bracelet for evidence.
In retrospect, she probably should have reported the incident. However, she feared that the FBI might grow suspicious of her. They might question why Garrett was contacting her. She’d opted to keep her mouth shut and must therefore live with the consequences. Her best course of action at this point was to stay the course. Another reason for Arden’s silence was that some pathetic part of her had wanted Garrett to come and haunt her just as Heathcliff had desired for Cathy to haunt him. Garrett entering her bedroom while she was sleeping and adding a charm to the bracelet she kept by her bedside felt intimate. Gah! No way could she admit that to anyone. It was humiliating to know that she was still carrying a torch for the man who’d deceived her.
Daniel pressed his lips together in disappointment as he glanced at his partner, who was seated beside him.
Madeline arched an eyebrow. “While I appreciate your intuition, it would be nice if we had more to go on here than your gut feeling.” She looked Arden in the eyes. “Are you sure you’re telling us everything?”
Heat crept up Arden’s neck. “Yes.” She hated lying to Mom.
“Why this particular diamond and why this exhibit?” Mom pressed.
“I’ll give you fourteen million reasons,” Arden snipped.
“We all know what the Finkle Diamond is worth.” Pity overtook Mom’s features as her voice grew soft. “Look, I get it. The thing with Garrett Singleton was a hard blow. I know you want to get even, but you’re going to eventually have to let it go. Otherwise, it’ll consume you.”
The hair on the back of Arden’s neck rose. She had no intention of letting anything go. It took all the effort she could summon to keep her voice even. “I’m only trying to protect the hotel as well as the Bergmans. Astor and Katia are putting a lot of trust in the hotel as well as in us. I would hate for that trust to be betrayed.” The thought of Garrett stealing the diamond from the hotel filled her with fury. Was he playing some sick joke by placing that charm on her bracelet? Why couldn’t she get over him?
Mom nodded. “I get that. I just don’t know why you’re so certain that Garrett will try to steal this particular diamond during the exhibit.”
Arden’s words flew out. “I’m not certain of anything. I just want to make sure that we take every precaution. It would be devastating for the hotel if a diamond on exhibit were to get stolen.”
Talon piped in. “We’ve got all the bases covered in regard to the security. We hired a private team to guard the diamond for the duration of the exhibit.” He looked at Ian. “Also, Sheriff Russell and his deputies will stay abreast of the situation.”
“As will we,” Daniel Frank asserted. His partner nodded in agreement.
“Good,” Arden snipped. “That’s all I needed to know. I feel much better about the situation.” Why did Grandmother keep staring at her with those shrewd eyes? The woman was intolerable.
Ian turned to Talon. “When will the diamond get here?”
“Tomorrow morning. Casey is on a call now with the security company that will transport the diamond from the airport to the hotel. Otherwise, he would be at this meeting. Casey Wilcock heads up our hotel security,” Talon explained to the FBI Agents. “I’ll introduce him to you after we finish up here.”
Daniel Frank nodded. “When do the Bergmans arrive?”
“Around lunchtime tomorrow. They’ll attend Arden’s reading at two p.m. and then the gala that evening. The exhibit will open the following day and will run for a week.” Talon’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “It’s a great honor to have the Bergmans and the Finkle Diamond at our hotel.”
“Arden, you don’t need to fret over the security. This should be a happy time.” A tender smile curved Mom’s lips. “After all, the Bergmans are coming here because of you.”
“I know that,” Arden stated. Katia’s assistant had contacted Jenna, who then called Arden and asked if she would do a book reading. Jenna went on to explain that Katia’s mom had passed away a year ago from cancer. She was a big fan of Arden’s novels and wanted to celebrate her mother’s birthday by holding a reading and placing the Finkle Diamond on exhibit at The Oliver Hotel.