ning, the ho

d dollars. Today. Or they would mov

ingernail. The anonymous donation Dock had mentione

to her father.

f the bedroom.

's wr

go to the Manor. I have to ask E

jaw tig

edroom. Keira heard him

elvet box. It was faded, the b

it into

e th

open

d bangle and a ring wi

ury. The stone was dark, coated in a dull, w

l, cheap. Like costume je

said. "I can

he said. "If he won't giv

a family heirloom. I'm not selling your gra

more than you thi

ing to help. He was giving her

art sw

sed. "But I'm not selling it.

u," he said. "They won

kno

care

hing the velvet box in her purs

tched he

d thirty

his keys and a b

tairs to the garage whe

Ford sedan.

engine that could outrun a police inte

bus she took to

ain, then pulled out onto the expressway that ran

iver's seat, pul

for a local stop. Through his binoculars, he s

He saw the glint of somet

n't do anything from here. He could only watch

think better of it, or maybe his stop was next. He got o

ath he didn't reali

e was staring out the window

his grandmo

emerald. It was worth

e had. She was a girl who had nothing, yet she was fiercel

e gas**, a tight, unfamiliar

illing me