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leaned back in her chair again. “Oh my,” she murmured to herself, “this is simply awful. We’ll need to contact the police. ”
    â€œThat’s probably a good idea,” admitted Theodosia. She would have done it herself last night, but the idea of the thief on the roof hadn’t completely gelled in her mind. It had been a theory, a decent one at that. But of course, there was no concrete proof.
    Delaine suddenly clutched Theodosia’s hand. “Theodosia, you’ve got to help me!”
    â€œOh, no, . . .” protested Theodosia.
    â€œYes,” said Delaine, clutching Theodosia’s hand even more forcefully and digging in with her nails. “We need to get to the bottom of this, figure out what really happened. Like you, I simply don’t want to believe this was all just a horrible accident.” Delaine’s pleading eyes bore into Theodosia. “Oh please, you’re so terribly good at this kind of thing. You helped figure out who killed poor Oliver Dixon last summer when that horrible pistol exploded at the picnic.”
    â€œShe did do a fine job with that, didn’t she,” said Drayton, admiration apparent in his voice.
    Theodosia frowned at Drayton. “That was a very different set of circumstances,” she protested. “I was standing right there and had just witnessed a rather strange argument between . . .” She hesitated, decided she’d better shift her line of conversation back to the here and now. “Delaine, I really wouldn’t have a clue as to where to begin. If my theory does hold water, it really was a motiveless murder.”
    Delaine lifted her head and gazed at Theodosia mournfully. “But that’s just it. It was murder!”
    â€œNo,” said Theodosia, trying to back-pedal as best she could. “I stand corrected then. It was an accident. The kind of accident the police need to investigate. Let them determine if there were any suspicious people lurking about in the lobby last night. Any cars seen speeding away from the Lady Goodwood Inn. Any clues left on the rooftop. That sort of thing.”
    â€œBut we’ve got to get that ring back!” shrilled Delaine. “Camille is my niece. I’m responsible.”
    â€œI’m sure Captain Buchanan’s family won’t hold you personally responsible,” said Drayton.
    â€œOf course they won’t,” added Theodosia. “Because there really is nothing to go on,” said Theodosia. “No way to get a bead on this mysterious intruder.”
    â€œIf there even was one in the first place,” Drayton added.
    Delaine sat there toying with her own ring, a giant moonstone that glimmered enticingly. “But there is a way,” she said slowly. “At least, there might be.”
    Theodosia and Drayton exchanged startled glances.
    â€œWhat do you mean, honey?” asked Drayton.
    â€œYou said the burglar was probably after the ring.
    Maybe even had his eye on the antique silver,” began Delaine.
    â€œ Probably being the operative word,” said Drayton.
    â€œWell, what if this person really is a practiced thief,” said Delaine. “Then this wouldn’t be the end of it, would it? This person, this thief who prowls about in the night, wouldn’t just stop cold turkey, would he? This, whatever-he-is, cat burglar, would keep stealing, wouldn’t he?”
    â€œI suppose so,” said Theodosia slowly.
    Drayton set his teacup down with a loud clink. There was a distinctly funny look on his face. “Where are you going with this, Delaine?”
    â€œI was thinking about tomorrow night,” she said. Now a sly look lit her face. “You know, the preview party at the Heritage Society. For the Treasures Show. There’s going to be that whole cache of European jewelry on display.”
    â€œI was hoping you wouldn’t go there, Delaine,” said Drayton. He pursed his lips and