He sucked in a breath, forcing those old nightmare memories to fade. At least thered been no small children involved in this plane flight.
His gaze swept and reswept the planes interior. He saw an overturned romance paperback on the floor. A womans red high-heel shoe lying on its side. A black driving glove. A small carry-on had upended, revealing a spill of lingerie that looked like a brides trousseau-Matthew muttered something about Jamie Morris and what hed heard about her marriage to some higher-up dignitary in Asterlands government. Down the aisle a little farther was a snakeskin purse, also lying open, with lipsticks and combs and what all strewn down the aisle. There was a sweater here, a coat there. The acrid after-smell of burned plastic and chemicals.
The door to the pilots cabin stood ajar, the cold morning sun streaming through the windows. It seemed crazy to notice the dust spinning in the sunlight, as if anything about this scene were remotely normal.
But then a sharp, bright glint caught his attention. On the carpet, near where Lady Helena had been sitting on the flight, Justin hunkered down, frowning.
Matt. Dakota.
What? Matthew bent down, too, but Justin raised a cautious hand to prevent him from touching anything.
Dakota pushed closer, sensing from the sudden excitement and seriousness of the other two that theyd found something important. He looked over Justins shoulders. That cant be what I think it is, he breathed.
The two stones were just lying in the carpet, not noticeably separable from all the other debris. A handkerchief wasnt far. The black driving glove. Ash and messes from the fire. But the two stones were a startling contrast to everything else.
One was a black harlequin opal.
The other, a three-carat emerald.
Justin exchanged glances with Dakota and Matthew. Matts face had bleached white. Probably his own had, too.
None of the men could give a holy hoot about gems-but all of them recognized these two stones. The jewels were too rare and distinctive to be mistaken for anything else, even by lay people such as them.
The whole town knew the legend of the Texas Cattlemans Clubs three jewels. And Justin distinctly remembered the old story being retold at the last Texas Cattlemans Club party- Riley Monroe recounting the old yarn to one of the Asterlanders. The townspeople never seemed to get tired of the jewel tale, even if they never believed it was true. It just didnt matter. It was a great story, and specifically a story with a message about the values of leadership, justice and peace-the Clubs motto.
Two of the stones in the old legend, of course, were a black harlequin opal and a great big green emerald.
Just like these two.
Amazingly like these two.
Exactly like these two.
Matthew wildly shook his head. I dont get this. Someone tried to steal our stones? But I didnt think anyone really believed they existed-much less that anyone had a clue where we had them locked up all these years.
Neither did I. In fact, none of this makes any sense. If thered been a break-in at night, Riley Monroe would have immediately contacted one of us. And obviously nothing happened during the day, when people are around, or wed have easily known about that, too. Justin was already lurching to his feet. So was Dakota. But the frightening thing isif those two gems were stolen-then where is our red diamond?
All three men swore at the same time, even as they were pawing and prowling around the plane, searching every nook and cranny and sifting through all the debris. All three stones were priceless, but the red diamond was so rare it was literally beyond price, beyond even a collectors dreams. It doesnt make sense that anyone would have taken the other two stones and left the diamond, Dakota grumped.
It doesnt make sense that any of them could have been stolen to begin with, Justin shot back, and then sucked in a swear word.
What? Dakota demanded. Did you find it? The red diamond?
No, he hadnt found the stone. Hed found a creased sheet of paper that would never have drawn his eye if the word emerald hadnt been written on it in a big, slashing scrawl. Frowning, he noted the Asterland stationery. I dont know what this is, Justin told the others. Its not a letter. It doesnt seem to be written to anyone specific-at least theres no name on the stationery. But someone jotted down the town legend about the jewels. The whole history. The Texas soldier who found the stones on a fallen comrade in the War with Mexico, took the stones home to Royal, then made it rich on oil before there was any reason to spend them
What else? Matthew couldnt see at the same time as the other two men.
The whole thing about the jewels. That red diamonds were traditionally called the stone of kings because they stood for leadership. Theres a scrawled history of black opals here, specifically black harlequin opals, and how, symbolically, they were credited as being healing gems as well as allowing their owners to bring justice to those around them. And the emerald is described as a symbol of peace and peacemakers. Justin looked up.
Leadership, justice, peace, Dakota echoed. Again, the men exchanged quiet glances. They all knew why those words had been chosen as the Texas Cattlemans Club motto-and what each man had vowed to protect when hed been asked to become part of the group.
I still dont understand any of this, Matthew said irritably. The whole world knows about the legend. But who could possibly have known that the stones were real, much less know where we had the jewels locked up? Wheres the damn red diamond? Andfor Gods sakedo you two think the jewel theft had anything to do with the crash landing of this plane?
Justin lifted a hand helplessly. I dont know how it could. But the coincidence is pretty hard to ignore.
Dakota said swiftly, We need to get together-as soon as we can get hold of Aaron and Ben. But even sooner than that, at least one of us needs to get to the Club. Find out if the red diamond is still there. Talk to Riley Monroe. And find out what happened to our safe.
Justin pushed a hand through his hair. Ill volunteer to do anything you wantbut to be honest, Ill have a hard time meeting until later tonight-say, eight oclock, earliest. I have patients back-to-back until then. I realize how critical this is, and I can cancel patients if I have to, but-
No, its all right, Justin. Id rather wait until after dinner tonight, too, Matt concurred. Weve got a better chance of Ben joining us. And if Aaron isnt back, we could at least have consulted with him by phone before then. Because of his diplomatic connections and knowledge, I really think Aaron should be brought into this before we make any decisions.
Yeah. Agree. Dakota nodded. But Ill hit the Club this afternoon-or as fast as I can. I have to cancel a meeting to get freed up-but Ill try, because I think well all go nuts worrying whether the red diamonds been stolen until we know for sure. But as far as a meeting time for all of us to get together, I agree with you, too. Lets aim for tonight. Justin?
Hed already turned toward the plane door, as the other two had. You want to take the emerald and the opal back with you? Justin asked, assuming that was why Dakota had signaled him out.
No. Hell. If the safes been broken into, we all need to decide together what to do with these two stones for security in the meantime. But you hold them until then. No, that wasnt the issue. I was going to suggest that you be careful what you say to Winona Raye.
Justins expression had to reveal his astonishment. Why on earth would you think Id be seeing Winona?
Because we all saw the way you were looking at her at the party. Dakota slapped him on the back, then hiked past him. So did Matt. Far as Im concerned, you couldnt get involved with a better lady. I think the world of her. Far as I know, so does this whole town. So mostly I was just trying to get a rise out of you-but it does keep occurring to me that this situation is getting seriously complicated. Right now, the police dont know about the jewels or the theft-much less that there could be any connection to the problem with the Asterland plane. Maybe that information has to come out? There may be no choice.
Justin nodded. But we all know whats at stake-the reason weve guarded our privacy all these years. The Club members could hardly have taken off on their private causes across the world if their comings and goings were regular headline news.
Hell, doc, Id trust you with my life. You already know that. For that matter, I couldnt think more of Winona. It just crossed my mind that we could be putting her on the spot if she knew something that was being kept from the local cops. At least until we know more facts about the jewel theft and decided what we need to do.
Justin had no trouble agreeing. The three split up swiftly. Everyone had their own lives and work to attend to. But as Justin headed for his car, the wind whipping a burn on his cheeks, his plan to see Winona for an early dinner went on a front burner.
Hed left her alone for two days now-except for phone calls-to consider marrying him. Hed known she needed time to think. More than likely, shed had enough time to have a cow and a half over his proposal.
He never intended to put her on the spot about the jewels. He only wanted to put her on the spot about a relationship between them. And nothing as annoying as some priceless stolen jewels was going to keep him from her. Not today. Hed waited as long as he could stand.
Five
Winona!
Winona had barel y pushed open the door to the Royal Diner before the waitress shrieked her name. Sheila abandoned her customer and bustled straight toward her.
I been hearing all over town about you and that baby! Lets have a look! Although it was barely the dinner hour, the diner was already filling up. This was not a crowd worried about eating at a fashionably late hour-more likely they were worried about how fast they could get the kids home to bed. Sheila popped her favorite Juicy Fruit gum as she herded Winona and the baby carrier toward a booth in the back, talking the whole while-loud enough, of course, for the whole town to hear.