Read Online CELEBRITY STATUS (The Kate Huntington mystery series #4) by Kassandra Lamb - Free Book Online Page B

words.
                “I’m going to send in another guy to stay with you and Ben until Dolph’s finished canvassing the neighbors. Then Dolph’s going to stay tonight, along with Ben. He’s one of our best operatives, Cherise. Only the best for you. But I’ve got to investigate who’s doing this. And get some ducks in a row for Friday. Coordinate with Howard County cops and Merriweather security.” He’d already done that, but he wanted her to think he planned to spend the evening working her case, rather than kissing his kids and making love to his wife.
                “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he promised, and was finally able to pull loose from her and get out the door.
    * * *
                Skip got up well before dawn in order to catch the seven-thirty Acela train to New York. He arrived at Tiffany & Co. on Fifth Avenue just as they were opening the doors. Making a mental note of the fare and tip he had given the cabby so he could add it to his expense report later, he donned the Stetson he had dug out of the back of his closet, along with his Western-style suit. Entering the store, he sought out one of the female sales staff.
                “Howdy, ma’am,” he said, as the young woman greeted him. Laying the hat on the counter, he poured a considerable amount of Texas into his voice as he told the saleswoman he was looking for a bauble for his wife. For some reason, a Texas accent often seemed to charm the ladies.
                “My friend, Timmy Lansing, said he was in couple a weeks back. Got himself a gold doodad for his girlfriend. Showed it to me ’fore he gave it to her. Had some real nice engravin’ on it. Thought I might get one of them fer the missus.”
                The saleswoman showed him quite a few gold bracelets. He kept shaking his head, even though he had recognized the one Cherise had received. Finally he said, “Don’t suppose you could look up what ole Timmy got, now could you?”
                “Certainly, sir,” the young woman said, and pulled out a ledger to rest it on the counter. “Two weeks ago, you said.”
                “’Bout that, as I recollect,” Skip drawled.
                “Hmm, well, Mr. Lansing did make a purchase two weeks ago, but it was a pearl necklace. However, I seem to recall he was in more recently than that.” She flipped forward in the book. “Ah, here it is. He was in just this past weekend. Bought a gold bracelet, number 165490.” She pointed to the tray of bracelets they had just perused. “This one, sir.”
                “Ah, now, darned if that isn’t it. Guess I didn’t recognize it without the fancy engravin’ on that there gold plate.”
                “Uh, sir, this is a rather inexpensive bracelet. We stock them mainly for the kids, you know, to give to their girlfriends.”
                “Well now, how much is it exactly, ma’am?” Skip asked.
                “Only two hundred dollars. I can show you something much nicer that your wife would be sure to be thrilled with.”
                Skip was trying to hide his shock that this young woman considered a two-hundred-dollar bracelet inexpensive. He was also trying to fathom what teenagers could afford a little bauble like that for their girlfriends. Even the rich kids in his hometown would have considered two hundred dollars a bit on the expensive side.
                “Well now, that sure doesn’t sound like Timmy,” he drawled. “Never thought that boy was such a cheapskate.”
                “Oh no, sir. He bought a pair of diamond earrings the same day. He probably just liked the bracelet because he could get a fair amount of engraving on it. It will hold up to fifty characters and spaces.”
                “Yes, ma’am, I’m sure that’s why he got it. ‘Our love forever. Til death do us