Read Online The Cakes of Monte Cristo by Jacklyn Brady - Free Book Online Page A

some kind of finder’s fee?”
    I hadn’t even considered the possibility. “Do you think she might?”
    â€œIf she thinks you’ve found something valuable, she might.”
    I gave that some thought and finally shook my head. “Ican’t imagine her doing such a thing. She’s . . . well, she’s quiet and unassuming and shy, and besides, she’s Estelle’s niece.”
    Simone gave me a look that said she thought I was being naïve. “To the wrong kind of person, a family connection wouldn’t mean anything.”
    I was having trouble enough accepting the idea that we’d stumbled across a valuable piece of jewelry hidden inside the stairs. I was having even more trouble imagining Zoey as someone so greedy she’d try to claim a percentage of the necklace’s worth. But suddenly my bag seemed a little heavier and the possibility that I was lugging around a fortune in vintage rubies made my head hurt.
    Our server arrived with coffee and we fell silent until she disappeared again.
    â€œWell, I hope you’re wrong about Zoey,” I said then. “And frankly, I hope you’re wrong about the necklace, too.”
    Simone grinned and stirred cream into her cup. “I swear you’re the only person I know who would feel that way. But out of curiosity, where are you headed after this? Back to Zydeco?”
    I nodded. “I still have to train Zoey. Why?”
    â€œI need to pick up some pieces from Orra Trussell at the Vintage Vault. She’s been in business forever and knows everything there is to know about old jewelry. She might be able to tell you something about the necklace. I just thought you might like to ride over there with me.”
    I considered the offer, but shook my head reluctantly. “It’s tempting,” I said, “but I really think I should show it to Miss Frankie first in case there’s someone else she’d rather take the necklace to.”
    â€œOf course. Miss Frankie knows more people in New Orleans than I do. I’m sure she has a jeweler she trusts.”
    Just then, something behind me caught Simone’s attention.She lowered her cup to the table and stood. I glanced over my shoulder and spotted a disheveled woman of about thirty winding through tables toward us. It took a moment for me to recognize the woman as Corinne Carver, an employee at the Vintage Clothing Society’s French Quarter offices. I’d met her once or twice when I went there for meetings with Simone and her mother, but I wasn’t sure what her job was.
    â€œ
There
you are,” Corinne almost snarled at Simone. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”
    Simone gave her a worried smile in return. “Is something wrong, Corinne? You seem upset.”
    That’s my friend, a master of the understatement.
    Corinne sighed heavily and made a visible effort to calm down. “You’ll never guess who just left my office.”
    â€œI won’t even try,” Simone said. “What happened?”
    â€œNatalie Archer, that’s what happened. Do you know what she’s done now? She’s pushing everybody around, including me. She’s not the only person who paid for display space at the ball, but now that the space is smaller, she’s demanding that we cut the other displays so she can have the space she wants.”
    â€œI’m sure it’s a misunderstanding,” Simone said in her most soothing voice. “That can’t be what she wants. She knows we can’t do that.”
    â€œIt’s
not
a misunderstanding,” Corinne insisted. “She thinks she’s the queen of the world. I told her we couldn’t do what she wanted and she threatened to ask the board to fire me.”
    Simone sighed and nodded toward our table. “Maybe you should sit down and tell me exactly what happened.”
    Corinne glanced at the table and spotted the necklace, which