A Devious Lot (Antiques & Collectibles Mysteries Book 5) by Ellery Adams, Parker Riggs Read Free Book Online

Bits & Pieces. Tiffany is Giles’s ex-girlfriend. She wasn’t invited; she crashed the party. I think she wanted to press Giles into buying back a piece of antique jewelry he’d given her. He wanted it, but she refused to give it to him unless he paid her for it.”
    “Did it work?”
    “Yeah, he agreed to buy it. But he wasn’t happy about it.”
    “What kind of jewelry?”
    “It’s a small ivory brooch with a portrait of a woman’s eye, most likely painted in the eighteenth century or early nineteenth century. They were called eye miniatures at the time, although Tiffany was calling it the more modern term of lover’s eye.”
    “Did she have the brooch with her when she left?”
    “Yes, she put it in her purse. You’ll find it on the table by the front door.”
    “I’ve already had a look through it,” he said. “I didn’t see a jewelry box.”
    “Oh. Well, she must have taken it out when she got home. It’s probably somewhere else inside.”
    Constable Markesan appeared in the doorway. “Sir. The techs would like a word with you.”
    “Be right there,” Boyle said, standing up. “Excuse me,” he said to Molly.
    “Wait,” she said. “I left my phone at my aunt’s, and my husband is going to be worried when he can’t find me. He has no idea I’m here. May I borrow yours?”
    He pointed to the cell phone in her hand. “Isn’t that your phone?”
    “No, it’s Tiffany’s. I meant to give it to you.” She handed him the phone. “I didn’t want to use it, in case . . .”
    “Here, take mine.” He gave his cell to Molly. “Wait here.”
    He walked off, and Molly was surprised to see he used a simple flip-phone model. Inspector Boyle, she surmised, was old school. She dialed Matt’s phone. He answered on the first ring and sounded frantic. “Who’s this?”
    “It’s me, don’t worry, I’m at Tiffany’s,” Molly said, and quickly told him what had happened.
    “I’m on my way,” Matt said.
    A few minutes later, Matt jogged up the driveway. “I told Tessa what happened and she’s freaking out. It was all I could do to get her to stay home. You’re white as a sheet.”
    “I’ll be all right,” she said.
    Boyle came out of the house and nodded at Matt. “You must be the husband,” he said. “Inspector Devon Boyle.”
    “Matt Harrison.”
    “Your wife told me Tiffany interrupted a tea party at Channing Hall yesterday. Do you have any thoughts about why she did that?”
    Matt considered the question. “I think she wanted to get Giles’s attention. He evidently wanted a piece of antique jewelry he’d given her, and she wasn’t going to let him have it unless he paid her for it.”
    Molly added, “She also had words with Brenda. She told her she lived in a make-believe world and someday it would all come crashing down around her.”
    Boyle wrote in his book, and looked up when a white van pulled into the driveway. “That will be the coroner,” he said. “Would you both mind waiting here? I need to talk to her.”
    “Sure, no problem,” Molly said.
    Boyle went down to meet the coroner. Matt rubbed Molly’s neck. “What did you see when you got here?” he asked.
    “Not much,” she said. “The back door was open. Gingersnap knew right where to find her. Tiffany was eating a fish sandwich when she died. Do you think she could have choked on a fish bone?”
    “It’s possible, or she could have had a preexisting medical condition we don’t know about. The coroner will be able to determine the cause of death.”
    Molly shivered and Matt put his arm around her. They sat on the bench together, keeping each other warm, and she thought about Tiffany. She was so full of life the day before, it was hard to believe she was dead. Was she murdered, was it an accident, or could it be a natural death? Selfishly, Molly hoped she wasn’t murdered. She wasn’t in the mood to be anywhere near another murder investigation. She was still on her honeymoon.
    Boyle escorted an