Free Shades of Earl Grey by Laura Childs Page B

Drayton, “I know you have serious doubts about opening the Treasures Show to the public next Saturday. Please . . . just take into consideration how much promotion has already been done, how much publicity we’ve gotten.”
    Timothy gazed at the front page of the newspaper again. “Publicity,” he snorted. “This kind of publicity we don’t need. What’s important now is damage control. This incident has been the worst kind of blight on the Heritage Society.” Timothy spat out the word blight as though he were discussing manure.
    â€œWhich is why we should stay the course,” pleaded Drayton. “Open the Treasures Show to the public next weekend as planned. Show everyone that it’s business as usual, that we haven’t been affected!”
    Timothy sighed deeply. “I don’t know. I’ll have to speak with the insurance company. And our executive advisory committee, of course.” Timothy sat quietly in his chair, staring out at the garden. “Any word on the poor fellow who got clobbered on the head?” he asked finally.
    â€œThe man’s name is Harlan Wilson,” said Drayton. “He was one of the security guards from Gold Shield who has been employed by us on several other occasions. As far as we know, he’s still terribly groggy, in and out of consciousness. He has a rather nasty concussion as well as a hairline skull fracture. The results of his ECG, his encephalogram, looked very positive, however. There are no interruptions in brain activity, which is a very good sign. Doctors, being doctors, are remaining cautious, though. They haven’t allowed the police to question Mr. Wilson as yet. They warn that it might be a day or two before he’s well enough for that.”
    Timothy shook his head. “Such a terrible thing. Poor man getting hurt like that.”
    Theodosia had remained quiet during most of the exchange between Timothy and Drayton. She wasn’t on the board of the Heritage Society like Drayton was. And she wasn’t a close friend of Timothy’s like Drayton was. But she did share their anger and frustration. After all, she’d also had a nervous rumbling about this. And had thought, mistakenly it would appear, that security guards and some newly purchased gadgets would be enough to ensure safekeeping of the European Jewel Collection.
    Did that make her partially responsible for what happened last night?
    With Theodosia’s sense of fair play, the answer was a resounding yes. Yes, she was partially responsible. So, yes, she was determined to try to help resolve this problem.
    Delaine had begged for her help in trying to find the missing wedding ring; now Drayton and Timothy seemed to be in a fairly tight situation as well.
    Theodosia also knew that the one issue that desperately needed to be discussed remained unspoken.
    â€œYou know what this means, don’t you?” began Theodosia quietly.
    â€œOf course,” said Timothy with an air of resignation. “It means our good name has been besmirched. How willing are people going to be to donate a silver tankard or a piece of Chippendale if they think the Heritage Society can’t even offer decent security?” He shook his head. “I doubt they’ll even trust us with a dog-eared photo album now.”
    â€œTimothy,” Theodosia said slowly, “this second theft gives us a fairly good confirmation that some kind of special thief or cat burglar is operating in the historic district.”
    She watched as Timothy lowered his head in his hands.
    â€œWhy, oh why, didn’t I take this more seriously?” he lamented. “I assumed that missing wedding ring had just rolled into a corner somewhere and was lying there in a puff of dust. I never thought any kind of serious theft would occur at the Heritage Society. Not in my wildest dreams!”
    â€œDon’t be so hard on yourself,” spoke up Drayton. “I’d