Shades of Earl Grey

“Who’s they?” asked Theodosia. “Brooke and Aerin?”

“Not exactly,” said Delaine evasively. “But everyone up and down the length of Church Street seems to have mentioned it in one way or another. And Brooke and Aerin are both scared to death their shop might be targeted.”

“Yes, I know she’s concerned,” said Theodosia, recalling her conversation with Brooke yesterday.

“You know,” Delaine added, “their vault is just overflowing with valuable estate jewelry. Brooke confided to me that she just received a shipment of fire opals from Brazil. And she’s also a master goldsmith, so she plans to set them in eighteen-karat gold. Won’t that make for an absolutely stunning necklace? Fire opals and gold? With matching earrings as well?”

“Delaine, maybe you shouldn’t be talking about this,” Theodosia cautioned.

“I’m only telling you,” replied Delaine peevishly. “It’s not like I’m dashing about the entire historic district telling everyone I run into!”

No, Theodosia thought to herself, but you could let this information slip to someone like Cooper Hobcaw. And that might not be the most prudent thing right now.

The fax machine on the counter next to them suddenly beeped sharply.

Startled, Delaine jumped at the intrusion, then put a hand to her heart. “What was that? ” she asked.

“Lunch orders,” announced Haley, who headed for the counter, suddenly all business.

“Listen, Theo,” said Delaine, now that the two of them were alone. “Remember what we talked about a few days ago? The cat burglar?”

Theodosia nodded.

“Now I am convinced that you were right.” Delaine peered at Theodosia, her green eyes sparkling with intensity.

“What changed your mind?” asked Theodosia. She was curious whether Delaine was having an emotional reaction after the funeral or if she’d actually obtained some useful information.

“If there isn’t a cat burglar at work, why would everyone be talking about it? And why would Detective Tidwell have been at my shop this morning?” There, thought Delaine with satisfaction, that will certainly throw open this whole mess now.

“Tidwell came to your shop?” said Theodosia. This was an interesting turn of events.

“Indeed, he did,” cooed Delaine. “And, I daresay, the ordeal was quite upsetting.”

“Why was that, Delaine?” Theodosia tried to manage a note of sympathy even though her curiosity was at a fever pitch.

“Well, Tidwell played it very close to the vest, of course,” replied Delaine. “You know how absolutely maddening the man is. He said he wasn’t investigating per se, merely poking around, looking at things. But I got the very distinct impression that Detective Tidwell shares your sentiment. He does not view Captain Buchanan’s death at the Lady Goodwood as an accident!”

Fascinated, Theodosia waited for Delaine to continue.

“You see,” said Delaine, “he inquired about the waiters.”

So Tidwell has taken me seriously, thought Theodosia. But the waiters, that was an angle I hadn’t considered.

“Delaine, what did Detective Tidwell want to know about waiters?” said Theodosia.

“Oh, he wanted to know who I’d hired to work at the reception, serving champagne and such. But of course, I told him the folks at the Lady Goodwood had taken care of all that. They’d hired the waiters.”

“Did he ask about specific waiters, Delaine?”

“Not really. He just rattled off some names.” Delaine dug in her purse. “I wrote down their names, though. It seemed like the right thing to do.” She pulled out a scrawled list on a sheet of Cotton Duck stationery. “I guess not all of the waiters were working at the engagement party, but they were all on the premises that night. There was another function going on in the dining room. A sales meeting or something. For some computer company.”

Theodosia scanned the list of names. There wasn’t one she recognized.

“Can I keep this list, Delaine?”

“Well...I don’t suppose it would hurt if you made a copy of it.”

“Great,” said Theodosia. “Be right back.”

At the counter she literally bumped into Drayton, who had just let himself into the tea shop via the back door.

“I’ve got Hattie Boatwright working on the most delightful centerpiece for tomorrow,” he told her excitedly. “It’s part Japanese ikebana, part Southern luxe. That lady really has exceptional talent. Now if I could just convince her to join our bonsai group, I think she’d be a natural.”

“I thought the whole idea of bonsai was that they weren’t natural,” quipped Haley as she emerged from the kitchen. “Stunted trees twisted into bizarre shapes and forced to live in tiny pots. What’s natural about that?”

“It’s a highly evolved art form,” argued Drayton. “One that’s been around for more than a thousand years. The style and context of bonsai are highly representational.”

“Well, they’re cute little things anyway,” allowed Haley. She paused to watch Theodosia slide Delaine’s list into the fax machine. “Are you trying to make a copy?” she asked.

Theodosia nodded.

“You have to hit the function button first, then press copy. Here, I’ll do it.” Haley’s slim fingers flew over the keys and the piece of paper began to feed through.

“Tidwell asked Delaine about the waiters who worked at the Lady Goodwood the night of the engagement party,” explained Theodosia. “Apparently he shared this list of names with her in the hope that something might pop out.”

“You don’t say,” said Drayton as he watched a grayish page emerge from the bottom of the fax machine and slide into the waiting tray. But as he glanced at the list, his look of mild interest suddenly changed to one of alarm.

“I recognize a name on this list,” he said quietly so Delaine wouldn’t overhear.

“No way,” said Haley.

Drayton slid his finger halfway down the list as Theodosia and Haley crowded in closer. “There. Graham Carmody. I think he might have been a waiter at the Heritage Society that night.”

“That night?” asked Haley excitedly. “You mean last Saturday night when that fancy necklace disappeared?”

Drayton nodded gravely.

“You really think so?” said Theodosia. She was a little surprised that something had even come of Tidwell’s list.

“I’m positive it was this fellow,” said Drayton. “In fact, I think he was the one I asked to fetch a drink for Delaine.”

“Did she ever get her drink?” asked Theodosia.

Drayton scratched his head. “I honestly don’t recall.”

Lunch was a rush again. They had a full house, then a gaggle of tourists who’d just been dropped off by one of the sightseeing jitneys came pouring in right in the middle of things. Because there weren’t enough tables available, Haley had to pack up box lunches for the dozen or so tourists to carry to nearby White Point Gardens.

Delaine hung around for a while, looking alternately morose and sweetly sad, then finally wandered off after consuming a luncheon plate of chicken salad and marinated cucumbers.

And all the while Theodosia fretted. As if Cooper Hob-caw and Claire Kitridge didn’t look suspicious enough, what about this waiter, Graham Carmody? He’d attended both functions! The engagement party and the Heritage