Free Gentlemen Prefer Nerds by Joan Kilby

store, the police had moved the public out and locked the doors. Officers in white overalls were dusting the shop for fingerprints, spreading white powder everywhere. A male cop was checking the windows and doors for evidence of a break-in, while the lone female was taking a statement from the man from the security firm who’d arrived ten minutes ago.
    Grace was still slumped in a chair behind the counter holding a damp handkerchief to her forehead. A young female assistant, her platinum hair streaked pink—presumably in honor of the occasion—hovered nearby looking like a scared rabbit. A Korean gentleman paced silently, an impassive expression on his moon-shaped face. No doubt he was the illustrious Kim of tai chi fame.
    Seated at a desk, Maddie had been on the phone for fifteen minutes, her cheeks blazing red as she angrily wiped away the occasional tear with the heel of her hand. She was probably conveying the dreadful news to the owner of the Rose, William Franklin of Ogilvie Diamonds.
    Fabian lowered the binoculars. The crowd who’d come for the unveiling hung around outside hoping for more excitement. The media, used to long sieges, had set up camp on the sidewalk outside the perimeter of the checkered police tape. One of their group had gone on a coffee run and was handing around foam cups with curling wisps of steam rising from holes in the lids. Passersby, seeing the police cars and the gathered press, stayed to find out what was going on. Instead of dispersing, the throng was growing.
    An unmarked police car pulled up and a plainclothes detective got out. He was in his fifties—short, gray-haired and tending to bulk around the middle. Not exactly stooped, he had a forward lean as if he spent his days hunting the ground for clues. With a mild expression on his pudgy face, he glanced around at the chaotic scene on the footpath. Then, ignoring the clamoring reporters, he entered the store with an expectant air, like a kid about to purchase a new toy.
    Maddie, the phone pressed to her ear, went over once more for William Franklin the few facts she knew. She could picture him in his corner office overlooking the Swan River in Perth where she’d first met him. A large, good-natured man, he’d reminded her of Baby Huey. Now she could sense his shock, disappointment and fury beneath the reassuring words. His anger wasn’t directed at her but even so the knot in her stomach grew. She’d been entrusted with the most valuable pink diamond in existence and she’d let everyone down.
    “I’ll get the Rose back if it’s the last thing I do,” she promised. Though how she was going to accomplish that she had no idea. A man in a beige trench coat had slipped through the police barricade and entered the store. From the way the cops were deferring to him she decided he must be the detective in charge. “Excuse me, William, I have to go.”
    The detective glanced around the shop with large pale blue eyes. He said something to a uniformed cop—something funny apparently. Then he chuckled at his own joke while the cop smiled dutifully. Great, the biggest crisis of her life and the man was a joker.
    A vein pounded in Maddie’s temple, bringing bright stabs of pain with every beat of her pulse as she tried to figure out what had happened. The only person beside herself who’d had access to the diamond in the past twenty-four hours was Dr. Hauzenegger. He wouldn’t have stolen the Rose. He couldn’t have. She was with him the whole time. But he might have seen something last night that she’d missed. Some clue.
    Reaching for her cell phone again, she dialed Willa’s number at the university. Rolf was likely there now, getting ready for his lecture. She should let him know the police would probably want to speak with him. His alibi would be that he was with her most of the evening. And the night clerk at the Sofitel might have noticed him entering the hotel.
    While she waited for Willa to answer, Maddie walked over to