Chapter 36: Chapter 36: You Want Me to Trust You?

Hilda escorted us into Narcissa’s room when we arrived. I detected a faint stench of cigarettes beneath the sweet, lemony aroma which welcomed us.

Vincent – who was stretched out across the jade, polyester sofa – glanced up from his phone and switched on an “I’m-onto-you” grin. “They’re here!”

Narcissa scrambled into the room, her appearance far more in shambles – her hair now blonde and tangled, her face weary, her outfit a simple gray lounge dress.

“Why aren’t you disguised?” Narcissa asked.

“Why should I disguise myself?” I asked.

“Because I told you to.”

“It accomplishes nothing and requires me to expend energy I’d rather not.”

I figured her request was either a surveillance countermeasure or some sort of test of my disguise capabilities. If the former, I wasn’t concerned; it’s not as if my involvement wouldn’t be soon known anyway. If the latter, it would only prove I possessed such skills, which Vincent could theoretically exploit as circumstantial evidence against me. Of course, the fact I took part in drama club and known acting skills likely wouldn’t help my case, but that took more effort to discover and prove.

“Now,” I said, “let’s proceed with why I’m here. Where is The Maker’s Tear?”

“It’s on its way,” Narcissa said. “By the way, I told you to wear a disguise because I was trying to help. If you lose it, it’s on you.”

I squinched my eyes. “Have you left Bergmastand since you rode The Bergma Express?”

“Does it matter?”

“Should I assume The Maker’s Tear you brought to the train is a fake?”

She cast an accusatory glance. “How’d you know?”

“Because I recognize your intelligence,” I said, aiming to appeal to her ego. “If I were in your position, I’d consider bringing a forgery, just in case. If you hadn’t brought a forgery, you could’ve provided me The Maker’s Tear already, seeing as you haven’t left. Thus, the genuine article is on its way.”

“Wow, you figured it out,” she said. “Good for you. Well, since you’re so smart, where did I hide it?”

I figured it best to humor her, with the caveat I didn’t expose the true depth of my knowledge. “My first theory is with Sharpe Security. They’re your allies and anywhere they’d place it would be highly secure.”

“Not a bad guess,” Vincent said, amused.

“But it is a wrong guess,” Narcissa said.

Three loud thuds came from the door. One of the Damatessa opened it and brought in a new person.

The word which best describes the figure who walked in is “amorphous.” A baggy, gray hoodie shielded the person’s figure and head. Black, round sunglasses thwarted any attempt to see their eyes. Even their pants, baggy blue jeans, minimized the ability to discern anything about her. So much so that, ironically, it poked at me due to how inconspicuous it was. The black backpack hooked to them would’ve made me consider them in passing at the least.

“The right answer is with my sister,” Narcissa said, “Elizabeth.”

I arched my brow – genuinely arched my brow.

She pulled the hood back, exposing her blonde knotted ponytail, and removed the sunglasses. Her sea-blue eyes, narrow nose, and full lips mimicked Narcissa’s.

“Please,” her sister said, her voice significantly softer than her twin, “call me Liz.”

This can’t be true, I thought. Gabrielle knew the locations of all but one. That one had to be the true hiding spot. Why else would Narcissa keep it obscured?

“Are your issues with one another fake?” I asked. “I read some stuff online about you two.”

“Issa—”

“Ehm!” Narcissa said.

With a frustrated squeak, Liz said, “Narcissa and I never faked anything. We had some problems – which were my fault – and we’re working through them now.”

“Didn’t see that coming, did you?” Narcissa asked, self-satisfaction oozing with every word.

A part of me did wish to know more, but the mystery itched at me.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” I said, “but you hid how you’ve been mending your relationship with your sister to better conceal where The Maker’s Tear was.”

“I always was the smart twin,” Narcissa said, her chin jutted.

Liz petered out a brittle laugh and smiled, but her eyes remained the same.

I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had occurred between the two if Liz was willing to bear such disrespect from Narcissa. I decided against involving myself then and there, however; my interest remained with The Maker’s Tear. I couldn’t allow my curiosity to sidetrack me.

“Should I assume The Maker’s Tear is in the backpack?” I asked.

Liz nodded as she removed the backpack. She unzipped it, reached in, and produced a tear-shaped, red necklace. It dangled from its chain and glistened in the room’s light.

It’s fake, I theorized.

I couldn’t see Narcissa lending the true Maker’s Tear to Liz. I could, however, see her duping her sister into believing she possessed the real one. That way, if anybody acquired it from her, they’d believe its validity.

I withdrew my cell phone from my jacket pocket and sent a text.

“Take it already,” Narcissa said.

“I can’t accept it—” I began.

“You’re helping The Grandmaster, aren’t you?! This was so you could expose where I hid it! That’s why you didn’t care to wear a disguise too!”

I rolled my eyes. “Had you let me finish speaking, you would’ve heard me say ‘yet.’ I’ve someone on the way who will authenticate this.”

Liz’s gaze traveled downward. “Don’t you trust me?”

She knows it’s fake, I realized.

“I don’t want anyone else coming here!” Narcissa thundered. “What if they’re The Grandmaster in disguise?! Or a spy?”

“I’ve performed a background check on the appraiser,” I said. “His name is Myles Adin. He’s also a Dilmurid, so I imagine he’s well suited for the task.”

Fear practically dripped from Narcissa’s eyes. “How dare you let one of them anywhere near my diamond!”

“If you don’t wish to cooperate,” I said, “I’ll see myself out.”

“No! You don’t get to just leave after exposing my plans!”

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“Then why object to an appraisal?”

“Because it’s not real,” Eliza said as she tucked her hands into the hoodie’s pockets and sealed her eyes.

“What are you doing?!” Narcissa growled.

Liz opened her eyes and shot a dirty look which further confirmed they were twins. “Issa, you’re being paranoid.”

“I’m up against a thief who broke into my home and turned my assistant against me! And this suspicious bitch here refuses to take a lie detector test – yet she expects me to trust her?!”

I’ve never been happier to have had years of experience mastering my mask. I fought back the urge to laugh so much at her breakdown.

I spun back to face her. “I warned you if you tried—”

“Shut up! You want me to trust you? Take the lie detector already!”

I flashed a glare. “I best head out—”

“You don’t get to leave!” Narcissa screeched as she lunged at me.

Wynn practically manifested in her way, seized her arm, twisted it behind her back, and snaked his free hand beneath her chin. He didn’t tighten it, but she froze all the same.

“Get off her!” Liz cried out as she drew back her right hand for a slap.

Vincent clasped her hand. “Everybody, calm down!”

Eliza jerked her left elbow back, but Vincent blocked and restrained her arm.

“Please,” Vincent said, “settle down.”

“Get him off my sister,” Liz gritted out.

“I’m sure he’ll release her when she’s not a threat to Cassidy,” Vincent said.

“Yeah,” Wynn said, his grasp on Narcissa firm.

Instead of submitting, Narcissa displayed a face marked with loathing toward me.

“Narcissa,” Vincent said, “honor your deal. If you don’t, I’ll no longer honor ours.”

That wiped the scowl from her face. Color leeched from her cheeks and a shadow of alarm altered her. “Eliza, give the real one to them.”

“I will if he gets off me,” Liz said.

Vincent released her. She soothed her arms for a moment before bending over and pulling up her left pants leg. Beneath the leg was The Maker’s Tear, fastened to her knee via tape.

I blinked rapidly as Narcissa’s full scheme dawned on me. In case you’ve yet to connect the pieces, she provided Elizabeth two tears: one genuine and one false. The false one would work like a decoy wallet did against a mugger. It was a brilliant ploy!

“I still need the appraiser to inspect this,” I said. “Is that okay, Narcissa?”

“Do what you want. Just get him off me.”

I snapped my finger and Wynn released her.

Myles arrived not too long after our skirmish, executed the task as a professional should, and confirmed The Maker’s Tear’s validity. We went to the exit, but before I could, Vincent asked to escort me to my car. I agreed, curious as to what he’d say.

“Do you know what I like most about you, Cassie?”

I cringed a little at him calling me Cassie but carried on regardless. “My hair?”

A light chuckle sprinkled the air. “I do like your hair, but it isn’t as interesting as your mind. From what I can see, you’re always using it in some way. You’re the perfect counter to The Grandmaster of Theft."

“Of course I am,” I said with a smirk. “Mystery solving is in my blood.”

For the record, I had no inkling as to what he truly meant or sought from this conversation.

Once we reached the parking lot, we made our way to the car, Liz called out to us. We turned to find her panting, clearly from running.

“Sorry for how everything went back there,” she said. “My sister’s been under a lot of stress.”

“Challenging a vigilante thief can do that,” I said.

Liz shook her head. “You’re a detective, right?”

“I dabble. Why?”

Eliza’s glance snapped to Vincent.

“Wynn,” I said, “give her one of my cards.”

Wynn retrieved a business card from his pocket and offered it to her.

“Feel free to contact me,” I said.

Eliza studied the card before bowing her head. “Thank you.”

“It appears you inherited all the manners,” I said.

Her shoulders stooped and her breathing slowed. “Issa isn’t always as bad as she seems. Plus she has her reasons. If there’s anyone to blame for why she’s like this, it’s me.”

I tilted my head. Now seemed as good a time as any to gain answers. “What exactly happened between you two?”

Eliza began to open her mouth, but she shut it and grimaced instead. “Sorry, I can’t stay too long. Issa and I got plans for tonight. Goodbye.”

She hurried back into the hotel. Vincent followed not long after, after giving his farewells too. I was ready to leave as well, but my phone jingled.

I sighed, wondered if I was ever going to leave, and opened it to find a message from Grandpa.

Come home, it read. We need to talk.

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