through the streets with no agenda or tourist site on their program, except for lunch with Harrington. They’d waited an hour at the pizzeria that he and Jack had agreed on, again, a few blocks from the Pantheon, but he hadn’t arrived. After trying several appetizers while they waited, they’d finally decided he must have been delayed and split a pizza dotted with milky buffalo mozzarella and disks of Roma tomatoes.
“Yes, he’s usually so reliable.” Jack pulled his phone from his pocket.
Zoe unlocked their door. “Still nothing?”
“No. I’ll try him again. He always calls back.”
Zoe tossed the key on the dresser and set down their single souvenir purchase, a line drawing of the Spanish Steps, which they’d climbed earlier that day. They had begun at the crush around the unpretentious, almost whimsical, boat-like fountain at the base, stopped at the pink house on the right, where Keats lived and died, then scaled the wide marble steps that split and wrapped around to a high terrace with another obelisk. Harrington’s brochure informed them the obelisk was a Roman replica with some funky errors in the hieroglyphs that had been copied from the obelisk in the nearby Piazza del Popolo.
Zoe pulled out a change of clothes and headed for the bathroom. “I’m taking a shower.” The morning tour of Rome had been wonderful, but she was sticky and hot. Jack nodded as he dialed.
She luxuriated in the cool spray. They had air conditioning in their room, but it wasn’t like the frigid central air she was used to in Texas. As she stepped out of the shower, she heard voices in their room, a tenor to the counterpoint of Jack’s baritone.
She caught a few words. Harrington’s name was mentioned along with what sounded like the words “jewelry” and “fake.”
With her towel still wrapped around her, she leaned her ear against the door.
The tenor voice was saying, “…Throckmorton’s assistant was completing her routine check of each display at the exhibit this morning when she discovered the substitution. From the time the Flawless Set arrived here in Rome—when it was authenticated by an independent expert to be the true and rare set of jewels—until this morning, the only person who had full access to the pieces was Signor Throckmorton. He is missing.”
Jack’s voice cut in sharply, “Missing?”
“Yes. His hotel room is empty. He is not answering his mobile, and no one has seen him since last night. Where is he?”
“I have no idea. We were supposed to meet for lunch, but he didn’t show up.”
“Was that part of the plan?”
“What plan?”
“Your plan with Signor Throckmorton to steal the Flawless Set.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Jack’s voice had gone to a quiet level that set off alarm bells for Zoe. He only spoke that way when he was angry or upset.
The other man continued as if Jack had not spoken. “You see, the bracelet in the display case has a complete clasp. It is not broken. The display case has not been opened since last night—we know this because it has a computer sensor attached to it that records all movement, very high tech, is how it is phrased, no? Therefore, a substitution has been made. The real diamond bracelet has been replaced with a fake, as have all the other gems. The necklace, bracelet, and earrings on display this morning are copies. Since the case has not been opened since Signor Throckmorton placed the jewels inside it last night, we must conclude that he made the switch last night during the exhibit opening.”
“And how could he make the switch with everyone watching him?”
“Sleight of hand. Even a passable magician can distract. The waiter tripped and dropped his tray. The crash drew everyone’s attention away from the diamonds. Signor Throckmorton palmed the real set and replaced it with the fakes, which he must have had hidden in his sleeves.”
“But you’re talking about three separate pieces of jewelry—no