Jewelry Can Be Deadly (Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Book 6) by Cindy Bell Read Free Book Online Page B

the floors. The place is shut down for the morning.”
    “Oh, what a shame.” Jo shrugged. “I guess they have to clean some time.”
    “Still, this has to be the worst time.”
    Jo wondered if Samantha might have had something to do with the café being closed. She became even more determined to get to know Roger.
    “Well, I suppose we could reschedule.” She kicked her foot against the sidewalk.
    “We could have coffee at my house?” Roger offered a half-smile. “Is that too weird?”
    “No.” Jo’s eyes widened. “No, that’s just fine, Roger. Don’t worry about anything being weird.”
    “Great.” He brushed his hands against his trousers as if they might be sweaty, then he began to walk across the street to the road that led to his villa. Jo matched his pace. Her heart pounded with a mixture of fear and anticipation. Although she knew it was quite dangerous to go back to his house, especially since no one had any idea that she was, she was thrilled by the thought that she would have a chance to look around for the necklace. Jo suspected that Roger stashed it somewhere inside the villa before he called the police. If that was the case it would likely still be there. As she walked along she kept looking over at him. He looked very much like the suspected accomplice to the robbery, but his hair was blonde. Jo was certain from the picture that the robber she was looking for had dark hair. Did he dye it?
    “What do you do for a living, Roger?”
    He looked over at her, startled by the question. “Oh, I’m retired.”
    “Me too.” Jo smiled. “I guess I should say, what did you do for a living?”
    “I was uh, in antiques. You know, buying and selling.”
    Jo raised an eyebrow. Was it possible he was a fence? Maybe he wasn’t the robber at all, but the man that the robber had sold the missing necklace to. Not that it mattered much to Jo.
    “Wow, it must have been fascinating to deal with such valuable and historical objects.”
    “It was. It was also dusty. Very dusty.” He laughed. Jo laughed, too. It seemed like the right thing to do.
    “Do you think there is anyone out there that ever knows what treasure they have before they try to sell it in a yard sale?”
    “You’d be surprised. Most of the time the moment an elderly relative keels over, the ones who inherited their junk carry it all into a shop to be appraised. Ninety-nine percent of the time it belongs in the dump.”
    “That’s sad, isn’t it? To think that all of the items we collect over the years might one day end up in the dump?” She bit into her bottom lip as she realized how insensitive she was being. “I’m sorry if that comment upset you.”
    “Why would it?” He shrugged. “It’s true.”
    “Well, with Valda passing.”
    “Oh trust me, none of Valda’s things are going to end up in the dump. The woman had a voracious appetite for all things expensive and fashionable. In fact if you want to take a look through her closet you’re welcome to.”
    “Oh no, I couldn’t do that.”
    “She wouldn’t have minded.” He grinned. Jo swallowed back a few choice words. His casual nature about his wife’s death was another reason to believe that he was involved in her murder. How could anyone offer their wife’s clothes within a day of her sudden death?
    “Well, that’s quite kind of you.”
    “Jo, you know, you’re the first person that reached out to me. It meant a lot to me, considering that we don’t know each other at all.”
    “I just don’t want to see anyone go through loss alone.”
    “I really appreciate that.” He paused a moment to look into her eyes. “Maybe moving here wasn’t such a bad idea.”
    Jo did her best to fake a look of affection. She wasn’t sure if it worked out well because he quirked an eyebrow and then walked up the path to the front door. Jo followed after him. Just before she was about to go inside she sent a quick text to Samantha to let her know where she was.
    Then she