Black Cat Weekly #79

Chapter 6

byWhen Detective Casey Armstrong entered the large room toward the rear of the Clear Creek Community Center, she was immediately approached by a gaunt figure she recognized as Blanton Collier, owner of the town’s largest jewelry store.

“It’s about time you got here,” said Collier. “I pay good taxes and—”

“Now just a minute,” interrupted Casey. “My dispatcher didn’t give me any details, but he said you reported a robbery. If you could fill me in on what happened, we can go from there,”

“You’ll have to excuse me, Detective,” said Collier, noticeably dialing back his anger, “but I’m still trying to wrap my head around the theft.”

“Exactly what was taken?”

“The Gifford diamond,” the jeweler said, looking as if the air had left his body. “A flawless stone beyond compare. I agreed to exhibit it to benefit this year’s charity drive.”

“When did you realize it was missing?” said Casey, looking around the room lavishly decorated with crystal vases filled with cut flowers, walls covered with tapestries and paintings, and tables offering a gourmet’s fantasy of fancy pastries.

“This morning when I arrived,” said Collier. “I went straight to the display case, and the Gifford was gone.”

“So,” said Casey, “someone took the diamond during the night.”

“That’s just it,” said Collier, shaking his head. “This place was locked tighter than Fort Knox, and a special guard was posted outside. Nobody could have broken in.”

“Then your diamond must have been taken before the room was locked.”

“Impossible!” said Collier. “I saw the gem in the case not 10 minutes before closing, and everybody was thoroughly checked by security before leaving the room.”

An avid mystery fan, Casey couldn’t help thinking about all those ‘impossible’ locked room crimes solved by Holmes, Marple, and Dupin. “Who were the last people to leave the room last night?”

“Let’s see. Jennifer Longmire, our local florist, who has graciously provided cut flowers for the exhibit. Then, of course, Bradley Stein, whose pastries have added inches to everyone’s waistline.”

“Anyone else?”

Collier paused for a second. “Now that I think of it, Larry Bailey, my store manager, left right before me.”

“Are those three here?” said Casey.

Collier scanned the room. “I don’t see Jennifer, but she’ll be here any minute now bringing some fresh-cut flowers to replace yesterday’s. And there’s Brad setting up the pastry table. I saw Larry just before you arrived.”

Approaching the stocky figure who looked like he had too close a relationship with his pastries, Casey said, “Mr. Stein, I understand you were here at closing last night.” She flashed her badge.

“As I have been every night since the exhibit opened.” Setting down a tray of eclairs, Stein said, “This must be about Blanton’s missing diamond.”

Casey nodded.

“Detective, I run a highly successful catering business, and I assure you I have no interest in taking my friend’s diamond. Besides, without the exhibit’s centerpiece, I’ll have to ‘eat’ the expense of all this food, if you’ll pardon the pun.”

Leaving Stein to his goodies, Casey found Larry Bailey standing near a plush tapestry at the rear of the room. “Mr. Bailey,” she said, I’m Detective Casey Armstrong, and we need to talk about the theft.”

“I’m not sure I can be of much help. I spent the entire evening registering guests at the door.”

As Blanton Collier validated Bailey’s explanation, Casey noticed a young woman enter the room pushing a cart filled with bright flowers in crystal vases. Seeing the woman exchanging new vases for the ones sprinkled around the room, Casey called, “Ms. Longmire.”

When Casey identified herself, Jennifer said, “Is something wrong? I need to get these fresh flowers placed before the exhibit opens.”

Remembering the words of her idol, Sherlock Holmes, that “when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth,” Casey said, “Ms. Longmire, I’m afraid in your case, diamonds are not a girl’s best friend.”

Casey’s love of mystery fiction had taught her an interesting fact: flawless diamonds are invisible in water. Confronted, Jennifer Longmire confessed that right before leaving the night before, she had dropped the Gifford diamond into one of the crystal vases, planning to retrieve it the next day when she exchanged new flowers for old. She planned to sell the gem to save her floundering business.