'Of course not. What is there that happens every day? My stock, as you call it, comes to me from many sources. Much of it I go in search of. Some is brought here by acquaintances or strangers. Without being immodest, I may tell you that this shop is known for handling only items of the highest quality. A young lady with such valuable items to sell would naturally—' He broke off, his open mouth forming a perfect circle. 'Young man! I hope you are not implying that I knowingly—'
'I don't think I am.' I picked up the tray and the candlesticks. 'I want these things back and I'll pay for them— assuming the price is reasonable. But I want to know everything you remember about this girl. Did she bring you anything else?'
'No, just this set.' He pursed his lips. 'Stolen . . . you're sure? Yes, yes, of course you are; a young man like yourself is always sure. Really, I can't tell you very much else about her. A dazzling smile, a promise of secrets. Enchanting. Many years ago, I would have been tempted to play the prince to her Rapunzel.'
'Was she alone?'
'She came in here alone, though I believe someone waited in the car for her.'
'What kind of car?'
'A truck, actually, I think, a blue truck, the kind that rides high on its wheels.'
'And she didn't give you her name, tell you where she was from, where her grandmother lived?'
'No, no.' He shook his head. 'Really, young man, such a charming child—'
'Never mind. If you remember anything else, or if she comes back, give me a call at this number, okay?' I wrote the number at Antonelli's on my card and passed it back to him.
He looked at me as though it were I who had opened Pandora's box and let evil loose on the world.
The price of the tray and candlestick set was very reasonable, although it was more cash than I had in my pocket. But it didn't matter.
He took my American Express Card.
I started the car, swung it around, and headed back down the pockmarked road. The silver was carefully wrapped and in the trunk. I'd had on my gloves when I'd handled the pieces, so I had fair hopes of being able to lift a good set of prints from them, including the shop owner's.
I had less hope that anything I found would be useful. The golden young lady's prints wouldn't be in anyone's computer unless she had a criminal record, which seemed unlikely.
But she might have been working with someone who did.
I walked around that thought slowly in my mind, looking at it from all angles. The sun was thin above the overhanging pines and a breeze was coming up. I was driving with the window open, as usual; I could smell the dampness in the air. Maybe rain, maybe snow. The road surface modulated from potholes to asphalt and I shifted gears, accelerating as the road curved. I reached for the radio dial.
Suddenly I slammed on the brakes. The car rocked to a stop about six feet from a Chevy truck parked square across the road.
The truck was big, black, and empty. It filled the shadowed road ditch to ditch. I threw the Acura into reverse, but not in time. Two figures leapt out from the darkness under the trees. They had guns, one each. They came up even with my front windows and stopped, on either side of the car. The one on my side spoke loud and fast.
'Turn the car off!'
I turned the car off.
'Now throw out the keys.'
I tossed my keys in his direction. They rang as they hit the pavement.
'Get out. Slowly. Keep your hands where I can see them. Watch him!' he called to the other.
The second figure circled around the front of the car, his gun trained on me through the windshield. I opened the door and got out slowly, my hands open and far from my sides.
'What's up?' I asked. The face in the shadows was vaguely familiar.
'Turn around, spread your hands on the car. Search him, Ted.'
I put my hands on the top of the car. Ted went over me clumsily from behind. In my jacket he found my wallet; under my arm, my empty holster. He searched my pockets but there wasn't anything he wanted. He didn't look for an ankle rig. I wasn't wearing one, but he should have looked.
'His holster's empty, Otis,' Ted whined. 'His gun ain't here.' He backed away from me.
'Where's your gun?' Otis barked.
'State troopers, D Unit,' I said over my shoulder. 'Ask for Lieutenant MacGregor.' I heard my keys jingle as Ted picked them up.
'Funny,' said Otis. 'Look in the car, Ted.'
Ted tucked his gun in his belt and searched my car, crawling into the back, running his hand under the seats, snapping the glove compartment open and closed. In the well by the gearshift he found the roll of quarters I kept there. He pocketed them with a grin, climbed out of the car.
'Nothin',' he told Otis, pointing his gun at me again.
There was a Smith 8c Wesson .22 strapped up behind the dash, but it would have taken a better man than Ted to find it.
'The Park View,' I said suddenly. 'You guys sat down the other end of the counter.'
