Shades of Earl Grey

that looked out over the back garden.

Theodosia knew that if their cat burglar was going to show tonight, there was a very good chance he’d come in through that window. On the other hand, because Drayton had a prize collection of Japanese bonsai trees, a tall wooden security fence had been constructed around the backyard to make it virtually impenetrable.

So... Theodosia told herself, the cat burglar would have to scale the wooden fence, then come in through the window. Not exactly a difficult feat for someone who had leapt to her window ledge or climbed the live oak tree outside the Hall-Barnett House or clambered across the glass roof at the Lady Goodwood Inn.

Minutes ticked by slowly as Theodosia sat in the darkness, wondering who, if anyone, might show up.

A few moments ago, there had been knocking at the front door. Small, tentative knocks at first that had escalated into a couple of real whaps. Unhappy trick-ortreaters, no doubt, who’d been hoping for a handout of candy bars or popcorn balls.

Now there was only silence.

Theodosia put her hand to the old brass doorknob on the inside of the closet door, turned it slowly, heard the catch release. Slowly, she pushed the closet door open. An inch at first, then two inches. Now she could see the desk and the little puddle of light that lit the stamp and the stamp albums. Next to it was the office clutter that Drayton had arranged.

Theodosia pushed the door open another two inches. Now she could see part of the window.

Better, she thought as she rested her head against the back wall of the closet and slid a piece of remnant carpet underneath her so the sagging old hickory floor wouldn’t be quite so hard. Earl Grey, trying to get comfortable himself, had pushed away from her and snuggled himself into the far corner of the closet. Now the dog was curled up in a ball, nose to tail, behind an old leather foot stool that had been shoved in the closet.

Theodosia had sat with her eyes closed for the better part of forty minutes when she heard a faint sound. She watched as the tips of Earl Grey’s ears lifted slightly, then relaxed again.

Must be nothing, she told herself.

Scrtch scrtch.

There it was again. A faint scratching.

What is it? She strained to hear. Dry leaves sliding across patio bricks? Kids running down the back alley, their witches capes and superhero costumes rustling in the wind?

Probably.

And yet... there it was again. Not really footsteps. But... something.

Theodosia glanced over at Earl Grey. Now the top of his nose was visible above the foot stool. She held her hand out toward him, palm forward. The hand signal that told him to stay. She could see one of his shiny brown eyes watching her intently.

Then she heard it. A small creak. The outside shutter on the window being moved just so? Moved by the wind? She thought not.

Fear suddenly gripped her heart and she had to remind herself that the window was locked. If someone intended to break in, they’d have to break the glass. And if that happened, she’d hit 911 on her cell phone.

Now a different sound. Faint, almost imperceptible.

The window in Drayton’s office slid up with a low groan.

Ohmygod. Someone must have inserted some kind of tool in the lock and popped it. Probably the same kind of flexible metal bar that police use when you lock your keys in your car!

She hadn’t counted on this. Now, any movement in the closet, any dialing of 911, would be immediately detected.

Theodosia held her breath. This was not good, she decided. Not good at all.

She leaned forward slowly, peering through the darkness at the window.

A leg eased itself slowly over the sill and down toward the floor. A leg encased in black lycra. Wearing a shoe of soft brown leather. The kind of shoe that looked very sporty, but could also be worn for rock climbing.

In that instant, Theodosia suddenly understood the identity of the mysterious cat burglar.

It wasn’t Cooper Hobcaw, who’d roused her suspicions with his late-night runs through the historic district. And it sure as heck wasn’t the waiter, Graham Carmody.

The realization of who had caused Captain Buchanan’s death, who had stolen the Blue Kashmir necklace at the Heritage Society, who had been an intruder in her house last night, caused her to inhale sharply. And in that instant, she felt a subtle change in the room.

With a sickening realization, Theodosia knew her cover was blown. Frantically, she grappled for her cell phone, punched the numbers for the Heritage Society, frantically flailed to hit the send button. But even as her fingers finally found the button, the closet door was jerked open.

Aerin Linley, eyes hard as ice, peered into the darkness.

Theodosia raised a hand, palm out. Her signal to Earl Grey to stay put, to remain exactly where he was.

Aerin Linley took it as a gesture of surrender and smiled.

Reaching in, she snatched Theodosia’s cell phone from her and threw it to the floor. The little black Star Tac smashed into a dozen pieces.

Theodosia stared up into a grim, determined face. Aerin Linley, she thought. The trusted associate of Brooke Carter Crockett at Heart’s Desire. The same woman who’d carefully planted nasty innuendoes against Claire Kitridge. Aerin Linley, who had once made mention of secret drawers and panels in the old homes of Savannah. Aerin Linley, who would have known all the details about the Buchanan family’s heirloom ring!

“Get up,” Aerin snarled at Theodosia. Her eyes blazed with a slightly deranged look.

Theodosia rose to her feet. And as she did, a glint of light caught her eye. Aerin Linley had grabbed the letter opener from Drayton’s desk and now clutched it menacingly in her hand. Honed from silver, the metal instrument looked extremely sharp.

Can it inflict a serious wound? Theodosia wondered. Of course it can. No doubt about it.

“Did you think I was so stupid?” Aerin hissed. “I could smell your pathetic trap a mile away.”

Even as Aerin jabbed the letter opener toward Theodosia’s throat, she pawed frantically with her other hand, trying to gather up the stamps that lay scattered atop Dray-ton’s desk.

“You goody goody,” Aerin sneered at Theodosia. “With your proper little friends and your proper little tea shop.” She stuffed the Z grill stamp into the pocket of her black fleece vest, then her hand went back and swooped up the pile of first-day covers. “You really thought you were investigating, didn’t you? Hah,” she barked sharply. “Little Miss Detective. Looks like the joke’s on you.”

Theodosia stared at her evenly, praying that Earl Grey would continue to obey her command and remain in the closet. In the distance she could hear the shrill of a police siren. Her call had gone through. Drayton had known it was her and immediately phoned the police. Thank goodness.

Aerin saw Theodosia register the sound of the siren and sneered at her. “You think that police car will get here in time? I think not. No one’s come close to me yet, no one ever will. I’ll be out of here and out of this town so fast it’ll make your head swim. And you’ll look like a fool.” She gave Theodosia the flat, slow-eyed blink of a reptile. A snake about to swallow its prey.

“You were on the roof of the Lady Goodwood Inn...” stuttered Theodosia.

“Piece of cake,” Aerin sneered at her. “I grew up scaling rocks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Only gear I needed for that job was an aluminum descender.”

Theodosia suddenly recalled the metal ring she’d seen hanging from the strut of the Garden Room’s roof. Aerin must have employed the same gear that sport rappellers and police and fire rescue units used.

“Pity the roof gave way,” said Aerin in a cold, offhand manner. “And trapped that poor fellow underneath.” She shrugged. “You never can tell about those old structures.”

“I have to know,” said Theodosia. That’s it, keep her talking. “Did you snatch