gone missing from the bedroom safe of Swan Collins on the night of the Oscars. They were last seen in the safe positively after late lunchtime when, after dressing and makeup, Swan Collins had selected her jewelry for the Oscar ceremony and then had left shortly afterwards. Very positively, she had relocked the safe. Mrs. Collins was said to be devastated by the loss, a fact she had been able to overplay while she had mimed the hostess and made the table rounds in the party tent.
I briefly considered Mundy’s words about Swan Collins’ impression on him all those years ago. It made me aware that I was surrounded by brilliant actors.
Mrs. McAllister had noticed her missing necklace during a restroom break, spotting the missing item while adjusting her makeup in the mirror. The search of all other guests had remained fruitless except for the occasional quantity of drugs. At least Graves had had some success.
“My client was one of the last guests to be searched. Did you continue searching the guests after you found McAllister’s necklace on my client?” Terrence was asking in a bored baritone voice, checking off an imaginary list.
“Of course, sir. We are no amateurs. On the jewelry front, we found nothing except the necklace on Mrs. Moonstone, so we had to continue looking for the other pieces.” Lieutenant Graves gave Terrence a tired look that spoke volumes. “And to answer your next question: no, we didn’t find the diamonds on the premises during our search, and we even searched with dogs.”
Terrence raised an eyebrow. “Dogs can sniff diamonds?”
Graves rolled his eyes. “Dogs can sniff the perfume of the owner, but the fact that we didn’t find anything is not a reason to be happy for your client. They will be found in due time. Our final puzzle pieces are merely coming in later. We are at the beginning of the investigation, not the end.” He gave me a hard look and continued with his questions.
Around five o’clock, Terrence ordered pizza and salad for all from an all-night place. This noble gesture didn’t buy us freedom but at least half an hour of munching noises. After that, Lieutenant Graves called the questioning off, read me my rights again, and arrested me formally. I was booked into the adjacent jail building opposite the police headquarters, where I had to surrender my personal belongings and endure a very intimidating and embarrassing search. Afterward, I was marched to a radiology clinic around the corner of the jail building for an intestines x-ray to spot the Imperial Metro. All that showed were the small stones I had swallowed. My head turned beet red but it went unnoticed as Graves stepped closer to the x-ray. “Is that the diamond?”
The intern who had performed the examination frowned. “No, impossible. The size you mentioned does not fit what we see here.”
“Are you sure?”
The intern nodded. “This looks more like the beginning of a small kidney stone in Mrs. Moonstones left kidney.” He turned to me. “You should visit a doctor and have it removed as soon as possible. And maybe change your dietary behaviors.”
I nodded dutifully, saved by the bell. How long would I need to sift through my… to retrieve them?
Due to some arrangement between Graves and Terrence and the strange circumstances of the night, I was led into a single jail cage, some yards away from a well-filled tank of drunkards, another one of prostitutes, and another one full of Oscar night after-show party drug abusers. What a strange collection of human misery and destiny.
I felt miserable all over and immediately hunched on the low bed, pulled my knees close, hugged my legs, and pressed my eyes onto my kneecaps until I saw black and white stars dancing on my retinas. What a way to go down! Some asshole slips you a hot item, and the cops grab you. I cried a little more, pulled the blanket over my shoulders, and felt a headache coming. When my ego had enough of my own misery and my
I briefly considered Mundy’s words about Swan Collins’ impression on him all those years ago. It made me aware that I was surrounded by brilliant actors.
Mrs. McAllister had noticed her missing necklace during a restroom break, spotting the missing item while adjusting her makeup in the mirror. The search of all other guests had remained fruitless except for the occasional quantity of drugs. At least Graves had had some success.
“My client was one of the last guests to be searched. Did you continue searching the guests after you found McAllister’s necklace on my client?” Terrence was asking in a bored baritone voice, checking off an imaginary list.
“Of course, sir. We are no amateurs. On the jewelry front, we found nothing except the necklace on Mrs. Moonstone, so we had to continue looking for the other pieces.” Lieutenant Graves gave Terrence a tired look that spoke volumes. “And to answer your next question: no, we didn’t find the diamonds on the premises during our search, and we even searched with dogs.”
Terrence raised an eyebrow. “Dogs can sniff diamonds?”
Graves rolled his eyes. “Dogs can sniff the perfume of the owner, but the fact that we didn’t find anything is not a reason to be happy for your client. They will be found in due time. Our final puzzle pieces are merely coming in later. We are at the beginning of the investigation, not the end.” He gave me a hard look and continued with his questions.
Around five o’clock, Terrence ordered pizza and salad for all from an all-night place. This noble gesture didn’t buy us freedom but at least half an hour of munching noises. After that, Lieutenant Graves called the questioning off, read me my rights again, and arrested me formally. I was booked into the adjacent jail building opposite the police headquarters, where I had to surrender my personal belongings and endure a very intimidating and embarrassing search. Afterward, I was marched to a radiology clinic around the corner of the jail building for an intestines x-ray to spot the Imperial Metro. All that showed were the small stones I had swallowed. My head turned beet red but it went unnoticed as Graves stepped closer to the x-ray. “Is that the diamond?”
The intern who had performed the examination frowned. “No, impossible. The size you mentioned does not fit what we see here.”
“Are you sure?”
The intern nodded. “This looks more like the beginning of a small kidney stone in Mrs. Moonstones left kidney.” He turned to me. “You should visit a doctor and have it removed as soon as possible. And maybe change your dietary behaviors.”
I nodded dutifully, saved by the bell. How long would I need to sift through my… to retrieve them?
Due to some arrangement between Graves and Terrence and the strange circumstances of the night, I was led into a single jail cage, some yards away from a well-filled tank of drunkards, another one of prostitutes, and another one full of Oscar night after-show party drug abusers. What a strange collection of human misery and destiny.
I felt miserable all over and immediately hunched on the low bed, pulled my knees close, hugged my legs, and pressed my eyes onto my kneecaps until I saw black and white stars dancing on my retinas. What a way to go down! Some asshole slips you a hot item, and the cops grab you. I cried a little more, pulled the blanket over my shoulders, and felt a headache coming. When my ego had enough of my own misery and my
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