Cupid's Treasure - Mystery of the Golden Arrow by Barbara Ivie Green Page A

at the date.”
    “1928.” Jacques looked up at him. “That’s eighty five years ago.”
    “Exactly.”
    “She looks to be about the same age there as she is now,” Jacques said. “Which would make her well over one hundred, or she is not who she says she is.”
    “The resemblance is uncanny,” Jonathan said with a nod. “Not to mention the prints.”
    Jacques watched him for a moment. He could tell by the way he was acting that there was something else bothering him. “Is that all that is wrong?”
    “Why do you ask?” Jonathan grinned. “You think I was struck by Cupid’s arrow and now I’m a besotted love struck calf?”
    “Well, when you say it like that,” Jacques said, “oui!”
    “Sorry , Pops,” Jonathan answered. “You couldn’t be more wrong. I swore off women when Patricia left with her producer to do that documentary in Burma.” “If she wants to sleep her way to the top, then so be it.”
    “So if you’re over Patricia, why not the lovely librarian?” Jacques grinned.
    “Well, for one she’s old enough to be my grandma.” Jonathan laughed.
    “You know what they say about older women?” Jacques moved his brows up and down.
    “Yeah, right.” Jonathan sighed. “No—I’m not interested in love at this time.”
    “Love? I never said love.”
    Jacques was grinning from ear to ear when Jonathan looked at him with an expression of exasperation.
    “Did Harold have anything on the blood work up.”
    “No, but he did get this from another print.” Jonathan moved his finger across the screen until the face of a man appeared. It was a mug shot of a rough looking character who looked to be in his forties.
    “Nice sun glasses,” Jacques said. “Is this the beach? Who is he?”
    “Joseph Marciano,” Jonathan replied, “aka Joe the fish.”
    “Do you know anything about him?”
    “No, but I bet she does.”

Chapter 5
     
    Amber shut the door to the room. “Well,” she said to her kitty, “I guess if we are here for the night, we may as well get some sleep.”
    Kisses made herself at home on the bed pillows as Amber removed her sensible shoes and started to change back into her pajamas, this time selecting her own flannel night gown. A soft knocking sounded on the door to the bedroom as she threw back the comforter.
    “Amber,” she heard him say softly. She paused before the door, preparing herself mentally for the effect the man had on her. How does he do this to me? In all her years, she’d never met a man who could make her feel this way.
    “Amber,” Jonathan whispered softly. “Are you still up?”
    Amber opened the door and stood facing the large covered kitty litter box that he was carrying. She stepped back to let him in.
    He crossed to the closet and swapped it with one that was inside a bench in the closet.
    “I didn’t even see that,” Amber said.
    “I should have pointed it out.” Jonathan smiled, showing her the open side where the kitty could go in and out. “Katie didn’t like having the ugly box in her room, so I built this for her. It contains all the mess, and there is even an air freshener here on the side,” he said, showing her his handiwork.
    “Have I displaced Katie from her room?” Amber asked guiltily.
    “Oh, no.” Jonathan chuckled. “She built a new master suite down in the cellar for her husband and herself.”
    “That’s a relief,” Amber said. “I feel guilty enough being here.”
    It was probably the closest thing to the truth she had said to him Jonathan realized. “You haven’t met her husband René yet. He’s a bit of a night owl.” He stepped back to allow her cat who was sniffing around the area to get a closer look.
    “Thank you for going to the trouble,” Amber said.
    “Sure thing.” Jonathan smiled at her. “It looks like Miss Kiss will be a happier kitty now.”
    The cat jumped in and started scratching around. “I guess I’ll give her some privacy,” he said, picking up the other box.
    Amber was relieved