Free Kent Conwell - Tony Boudreaux 09 - The Crystal Skull Murders by Kent Conwell Page B

It
looked like glass to me”
    “But you felt how heavy it was”
    “Yes, but couldn’t it have just been glass. Glass is
heavy”
    She was right. “Could be” I racked my brain trying
to figure out whom we could contact for more information about a crystal skull. Then I thought about Janice
Coffman-Morrison and her Aunt Beatrice. Beatrice
owned the largest distillery in the state, Chalk Hills,
west of Austin. She was richer than the Queen of England, and I had no doubt that every piece of stemware
and glassware in her home was leaded crystal. Heaven
forbid her fingers touch something as common as glass.
I wondered where she purchased her crystal.
    I continued staring at the pawnshop. The left side of
my brain shifted to the right as I thought about the
black-haired goon with the broken nose.
    “Is something wrong?”

    “Huh?” I looked around at her. “Oh. I was thinking
about the guy who paid Mrs. Bernie a visit earlier today”
    She frowned. “What about him?”
    I pointed to the pawnshop. “I got a feeling he’s coming back.”
    A flicker of alarm raced across her face. “Back?
When?”
    “Tonight.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Nope” I shook my head. “But I’d give odds on it.”
I paused, then added. “Stop and think about it. Chances
are this is the guy in the storeroom, and maybe he finally located the skull today. For some reason he wants
it. Obviously, he hasn’t had any more luck that we
have in finding the pawn ticket. That means, if he
wants the skull, then he’s got to get it by some other
means.”
    “You think he’s going to try to steal it?”
    “Yeah” I nodded. “Tonight.”
    Her eyes grew wide momentarily. “So what are we
going to do?”
    After pondering her question several moments, I
replied, “First, I’ll inform Mrs. Bernie of our suspicions and have her make sure her alarm system is on.
Then I’ll tell Chief Pachuca about it. He can have the
shift officers keep an eye on her place tonight, and
last, I’ll be where I can watch. Maybe find out where
this scumbag holes up” I opened the door. “Be right
back”

    I paused at the entrance to the pawnshop, dismayed
when I failed to spot an alarm system.
    Mrs. Bernie frowned when she saw me. “Forget
something?”
    Quickly, I explained that someone had murdered the
wino who had pawned the skull, and that there were
others who wanted it. “I might be wrong, but I think
he’ll try to break in tonight. I’ll inform the police. I was
going to remind you to set your alarm system, but I
don’t see one.” I glanced around the shop.
    She studied me with amusement. “Oh, my alarm system will be on. It’s always on” She glanced at the floor
at her feet. “Ain’t that right, Max?”
    Through the barred window, I could see no lower that
her chest, but the raw growl that came from below the
window was unmistakable. After colorfully describing
any would-be thief’s ancestry, she added. “Any idiot
what tries to break in to my shop will be sorry”
    When I climbed in the pickup, I glanced at Doreen.
“We’ll head back to the office, and I’ll contact Pachuca.”
    Doreen studied me a moment. “Can I come tonight?”
    I looked around in surprise. For a second or so, I just
stared at her. “Well, sure. I just didn’t figure thatwell-that you wanted to”
    “When I told you I wanted to learn this business,
Tony, I was serious. I’m not some flighty bimbo.” She
started to say more, then decided against it.
    Maybe I had been mistaken about her. “Fine with me.”

    I started up the Silverado and headed north on Congress. We caught a red light at Second Street. When it
changed, we met a blue Miata heading south. I spotted it
just in time to recognize my on-again, off-again Significant Other, Janice Coffman-Morrison, one of Austin’s
poor little rich girls.
    She honked and waved. I returned the salutation,
glancing in the side mirror in time to see her almost
break her neck