"Lloyd Arthur Esbach - Sister Abigail's Collection" - читать интересную книгу автора (Eshbach Lloyd Arthur)

who brought it in is known to us тАФ and she wouldnтАЩt be the kind тАФтАЭ

тАЬGet it out of the window,тАЭ Moreland cut in. тАЬEngraved on the back youтАЩll
find the words, тАШFor Ann тАФ with all my love тАФ Rob.тАЩтАЬ

The man hesitated on the verge of protesting, then shrugged, opened the little
door leading into the window and slid inside. MorelandтАЩs thoughts raced. What was
his next move? If he called the police what could he say? The im-plication would be
dishonesty on the part of someone at the funeral home, the most respected in the
city, and he really had no proof. One thing was cer-tain. No matter what developed,
he wouldnтАЩt leave the piece here. HeтАЩd buy it if he had to тАФ but heтАЩd insist on
get-ting the name and address of the woman who had brought it to the pawnshop.
She must be the key. And he had to learn the answer to this impossible af-fair.

The short man reappeared, his gaze fixed on the pendant cradled in one heavy
hand. He nodded grudgingly. тАЬThatтАЩs what it says,тАЭ then added de-fensively, тАЬbut
that doesnтАЩt prove it was stolen.тАЭ He changed the subject. тАЬYou do nice work, my
friend.тАЭ

MorelandтАЩs eyes narrowed and he spoke slowly, enunciating every word.
тАЬMister, that pendant was buried with my wife in Pleasant View Memorial Park eight
months ago!тАЭ

The pawnbroker gasped, his eyes widening. Carefully he placed the jewel on a
square of black velvet on the countertop. He pursed his heavy lips, ob-viously
weighing the situation, then finally spoke.

тАЬMy friend, I donтАЩt want any trouble. I donтАЩt know what this is all about тАФ
and I donтАЩt want to know. But first, who are you?тАЭ

Moreland produced a business card. тАЬIтАЩm a lawyer. So whatтАЩs next?тАЭ

The pawnbroker grimaced, then nod-ded. тАЬAll I want is to get my investment
back. The woman sold it outright тАФ she always does тАФ and I gave her a hundred.
IтАЩve been asking three but you can have it for the hundred.тАЭ

Moreland grinned sardonically. тАЬIтАЩll believe fifty. And I want the name and
address of the woman. Otherwise IтАЩll call the police. Probably should any-way.тАЭ

Discussion followed; it ended with Rob Moreland leaving with the silver
pendant, a signed receipt, and an ad-dress: Amelia Lowry, 818 Waverley тАФ a
tree-lined street in the oldest and most respected part of town.
 As he continued on his interrupted way to his office, MorelandтАЩs mind was in
a turmoil. The several blocksтАЩ walk did nothing to bring order to his thoughts. He
greeted his secretary ab-sently and entered his private office, closing the door behind
him.

He placed the opal-and-jade pendant on his desk and stared at it intently, as
though to solve its secret by his con-centration. His thoughts moved back to the
funeral, eight months ago. Tears blurred his vision as he again felt his loss тАФ the end