Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs Read Free Book Online Page A

tomorrow night. For all to see.”
    â€œIncluding our so-called cat burglar.”
    â€œRight,” said Drayton. “And if this thief had his eye on Camille’s ring, he might also be honed in on the European Jewel Collection. It certainly has received enough publicity.”
    Indeed, there had been a splashy write-up in the Arts Section of the Charleston Post & Courier and Drayton had even been interviewed on the Good Morning, Charleston radio show.
    â€œIf it makes you feel any better, Drayton, those same concerns have been bouncing around in my head, too,” Theodosia told him.
    â€œUnfortunately, there really isn’t much we can do,” said Drayton. He assumed a glum expression. “Something like this, you have to wait and see what happens.” He paused, reached behind him for a cup of tea he had brewed earlier for himself, took a sip.
    â€œChamomile?” asked Theodosia. Chamomile was a tried-and-true remedy for nerves.
    Drayton nodded. “Do you know if Delaine talked with the police yet?”
    â€œI just got off the phone with her,” said Theodosia. “She was on her way over to the Lady Goodwood Inn to meet with two detectives from the Robbery Division.”
    â€œToo bad your friend, Detective Tidwell, couldn’t be of help.”
    â€œI wouldn’t go so far as to call him a friend,” responded Theodosia.
    Burt Tidwell, one of the Homicide Detectives in the Charleston police force, had once insinuated that Bethany Shepherd, one of Theodosia’s former employees, had been involved in the poisoning of a slightly shady real estate developer during a historic homes tour. Theodosia had worked with Detective Tidwell, if one could call it that, to resolve the case and bring the true culprit to justice.
    â€œBesides, Tidwell’s in the Homicide Division,” added Theodosia. “Last night’s event is being assessed as a robbery.”
    â€œRight,” said Drayton. He set his teacup down, picked up the two jars of honey, balanced them in his hands as though he were weighing something. “Anyway, I’m still worried about tomorrow night.”
    â€œWhat if we spoke with Timothy Neville?” said Theodosia. “Suggest to him that the Heritage Society might want to take some extra precautions?”
    Timothy Neville was the president of the Heritage Society and a good friend of Drayton’s. Timothy’s great-greatgrandmother had been one of the original Huguenot settlers in Charleston back in the seventeen-hundreds and her descendants had become wealthy plantation owners, growing rice, indigo, and cotton. Timothy resided in a magnificent Georgian-style mansion over on Archdale Street.
    Drayton nodded. “Timothy might go along with the idea. Should go along with it, anyway. It would certainly be in his best interests.”
    â€œSo you’ll speak to him?” asked Theodosia. “Share our concern without completely alarming him?”
    â€œAbsolutely,” said Drayton, making up his mind. “I’ll call Timothy this instant.”

CHAPTER 4
    â€œ THIS,” SAID THE enthusiastic manager of Spies Are Us, “is the slickest little device this side of the DOD.”
    â€œWhat’s the DOD?” asked Drayton.
    â€œDepartment of Defense, my friend. And this little baby provides your first wall of defense.”
    Theodosia and Drayton stood in the high-tech electronics store gazing at a device that looked like a second cousin to a video camera. Around them were showy displays that featured motion detectors, security cameras, tiny cameras that fit into pens and lapel pins, as well as miniature microphones.
    â€œHow exactly does this work?” inquired Drayton. He had voiced his feelings to Timothy Neville about heightening security at the members-only party tonight and, surprisingly, had received a green light. The problem he and Theodosia now faced was to select the right security device from