The Rightful Heir by Angel Moore Page B

and spoke to Miss Warren. “Mr. Ivy has brought a claim of ownership against me for the newspaper.”
    Mr. Warren didn’t seem to like the sound of that. “Is that so?”
    â€œJacob Ivy was my grandfather. He left me the paper in his will.”
    Mr. Warren’s expression widened as he took in the announcement. “I see.”
    Miss Warren said, “Then I’ll be happy to meet you both on Wednesday at noon. Naomi will be serving her famous chicken and dumplings in the restaurant that day.” She lifted the papers Mary Lou had placed on the desk.
    â€œPapa, have you seen my cameo? It was right here.” She began picking up the items on the desk one at a time and looking under them. She opened the drawer on her side of the desk.
    â€œNo. Are you sure you left it here?”
    â€œYes. I was showing it to Momma Beverly on Saturday afternoon. You must remember. It was just after lunch.”
    â€œI haven’t seen it.” Mr. Warren opened another drawer on the desk.
    A thought he didn’t like entered Jared’s mind. “Saturday afternoon?”
    Mr. Warren stopped his search. “Yes. You were here that afternoon. Did you see it?”
    â€œNo, but if you’ll think about anyone who may have come through the lobby that afternoon, maybe you can remember someone who could have seen it.” Jared knew one person who’d been here that afternoon. Someone who was desperate for money.
    â€œWell, you were here.” Mr. Warren began naming everyone he could think of, but his memory wasn’t as sharp as a younger man’s would be.
    â€œWhat about anyone local who came in to do business with you? Or perhaps someone who ate in the restaurant?” Jared wanted to stir the man’s memory but he didn’t want to be the one to say Andrew’s name out loud. Mary Lou wouldn’t thank him for it. Her fondness for the youth had been made clear.
    â€œThere were the usual guests on Saturday. Evan was here.”
    Miss Warren headed for the door. “I’ll go ask if he saw it. He may have picked it up for safekeeping if he did.”
    Mary Lou explained. “Evan is Doc Willis.”
    Jared gave a nod of acknowledgment. “Mr. Warren, was there anyone else? Someone who came but didn’t go into the restaurant.”
    â€œWell, I hired Andrew that day as the new errand boy, but he was only here a few minutes.”
    Mary Lou gave a slight gasp and spun to pin Jared with her gaze. “Are you suggesting that dear, sweet Andrew took Jasmine’s cameo?”
    He held up a hand. “I’m saying that the only way to find it will be to remember who was here. If Andrew was here, he may have seen it.”
    Mary Lou’s words were barely more than a whisper. “Andrew is not a thief.”
    Mr. Warren cleared his throat. They both started. The hotel owner handed Mary Lou money for the newspapers. “If you two will excuse me, I’m going to help Jasmine search for the cameo. I bought it for her mother because it had a rose corsage on the shoulder of the lady’s dress. Her mother’s name was Rose.”
    â€œI’m sure you’ll find it soon.” Mary Lou thanked him for the money and they left the hotel.
    Jared couldn’t understand why she wasn’t more curious. “Mary Lou, if you’re as good at the newspaper business as you say you are, why aren’t you the least bit interested in what happened to a valuable family heirloom?” They turned at the center of town and headed back toward their office.
    Their office. It sounded odd in his mind. It was his office. He must keep his focus on the ownership of the newspaper and all the responsibility that went along with that. If someone in town was stealing things, he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Solving a crime would show the people of Pine Haven that he was serious about the paper and about bettering the community.
    â€œPeople