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weren’t cheaper by the dozen and probably sold for a pretty penny. Especially since there weren’t many reigning czars around anymore to wave their scepter and commission one.
    â€œA
genuine
Fabergé egg?” Tidwell asked. Now he seemed startled by Drayton’s announcement as well.
    Drayton looked suddenly proud of the Heritage Society’s big coup. “Oh yes. We managed to obtain an honest-to-goodness Peter the Great egg on loan from Virginia’s Thuringer Museum.”
    â€œWhen is it supposed to arrive?” Theodosia asked.
    â€œWe’re expecting it any day now,” Drayton said.
    â€œAnd what is the egg’s value?” Tidwell asked.
    Drayton fidgeted with his bow tie. “Oh, I don’t know exactly.”
    â€œI’ll bet you could make a good guesstimate,” Theodosia said. “Come on, stun us with a ballpark figure.”
    Drayton looked around quickly, as if fearing he might be overheard. “By recent auction estimates, this particular Fabergé egg is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty to thirty million dollars.”
    Theodosia’s eyes went wide. “It’s worth
millions
? Dear Lord. That must be some fancy egg.”
    â€œAnd some fancy neighborhood,” Tidwell said.
    â€œWell, yes,” Drayton said. “The egg is practically priceless. So you can see why I might be worried.”
    Theodosia thought for a moment and decided they’d probably have ample security guards. “You know, you probably shouldn’t sweat it.”
    Tidwell shook his head vigorously. “Oh no, he definitely should.”
    â€œWhat?” Theodosia said. “Seriously?” Now she put herself smack-dab in Tidwell’s face. “But
you’re
the one who’s hard at work on this Heart’s Desire mess, and the FBI has also been called in. I was assuming the robbery would be solved in a matter of days. That the jewels would all be returned to their rightful owners, and the robbers apprehended and cooling their heels in a nice dank jail cell.”
    â€œIt doesn’t work that way,” Tidwell said.
    Theodosia was sticking to her guns. “Well, it should.”
    â€œHow does it work?” Drayton asked.
    Tidwell grimaced. “Unfortunately, there are hundreds of major jewel heists that are never solved.”
    â€œNever?” Theodosia squeaked. This didn’t sound good.
    â€œGems and jewelry,” Tidwell said, “diamonds in particular, are the most concentrated form of wealth. They’re small,portable, and easy to convert into cash. They’re the one form of currency that’s pretty much accepted anywhere in the world. From Zaire to Zagreb. Moscow to Monaco.”
    â€œYou’re talking as if we’re all playing parts in some grand caper movie,” Drayton said. “
To Catch a Thief
with Cary Grant. Where jewels are stolen and everybody sits around on the Riviera drinking cappuccinos.”
    â€œI wish that were the case,” Tidwell told him. “Unfortunately, in the U.S. alone, the jewelry industry loses more than one hundred million dollars a year to theft.”
    Theodosia poured a little more tea into Tidwell’s cup. “Tell us about the FBI being called in for the Heart’s Desire robbery. How will they help? What exactly are they expected to do?”
    â€œProbably gum up the works,” Tidwell said. He took a sip of tea, put his cup down, and then used a napkin to blot his lips. “They’re not known for their skill or keen insight when it comes to actual field investigations.”
    â€œBut you were an agent once,” Theodosia said pointedly. “You were one of their best investigators.” Tidwell had been an FBI agent, years ago, before he’d quit the agency and come to Charleston to head their Robbery-Homicide Division.
    Tidwell reached for a second scone, sliced it in half, then twiddled his silver knife. “I worked