“How can I help you?” a striking young saleswoman asked as soon as Malibu walked in the front door of a tony boutique. She had long cornrows pulled back into a ponytail. She wore cherry-red lipstick and a black dress with a V-neck. A silver chain dangled from her neck. At the end of the chain was an opal. The jewel looked identical to the one the Chairman had given to Malibu. Malibu’s eyes seized on the opal. She watched it gently rise and fall on the cusp of the woman’s large bosom. The woman smiled and Malibu felt a warm ember of recognition spark inside her. She was thrown by the sensation, not clear where it came from.
“I have a jewel just like that,” Malibu said, lifting her hand and flashing her ring.
“They’re not easy to come by.”
“Did you get yours from—”
The woman startled Mal
