The Fallen (Amos Decker #4)(87)

Baron and Riley spoke briefly to Amber, offering their condolences.

Then Jamison led the pair over to Zoe and introduced them.

His eyes twinkling, Baron got down on his knees in front of Zoe. “You strike me as a person who doesn’t believe in magic.”

Zoe had her thumb stuffed in her mouth and didn’t answer.

“Do I take that as a yes, that you don’t believe in magic?” said Baron.

Zoe nodded.

“All right. Now let me see. What did I do with that?”

He tapped his jacket pockets, looked under the chair, and then reached out to the blanket and lightly touched its edges. “No, it’s definitely not there.”

Zoe removed her thumb and said, “What’s not there?”

Baron, pretending not to have heard her, said, “Oh, of course, now I remember. Zoe, could you just reach in your cat’s right ear? You’ll find it in there, I think.”

Zoe looked uncertainly at Decker and then Jamison, who nodded encouragingly at her.

Zoe slowly put her fingers in Felix’s right ear and her eyes bulged as she withdrew a small silver coin. She said, “How did it get in Felix’s ear?”

Baron clapped his hands together and glanced at Jamison. “Well, I feel sure that Felix is a very special cat, right?”

Zoe nodded.

“Well, special cats can do magical things, like hiding coins in their ears.”

He took the coin and examined it. “Now, this is a very rare coin. It will bring whoever possesses it good luck. Okay?”

“Okay,” said Zoe, still looking wide-eyed from her cat to the coin.

Baron held it up in front of her. “It’s one hundred and forty-seven years old. It once belonged to my ancestor. He had a great many coins and never parted with many, but this one found its way to me and I would be honored if you would accept it as a token of my appreciation for your being such a brave young lady, and the owner of such a special cat. Would you do that, Zoe? Will you take the coin?”

Her fingers closed around the coin as she nodded.

He sat back and looked at her. “And now do you believe in magic? Perhaps just a little? Or at least in very special cats?”

She nodded energetically.

“What do you say, Zoe?” said Jamison, gazing admiringly at Baron.

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you for doing me the honor of accepting it.” Baron glanced over at Amber, who was staring at them from across the room. “I bet your mom could use a hug right about now. And you can show her your brand-new, very old coin.”

Zoe smiled, jumped up, and ran over to her mother as Baron stood.

“That was really nice,” said Jamison.

“It was,” agreed Riley.

Jamison added, “You seem to be a man of many talents.”

“No, just a jack of all trades and a master of none, I’m afraid. My lot in life. So, how are things here?”

Jamison said, “I guess what one would expect. I’m just glad the funeral is over.”

Baron shook his head. “I don’t get the ritual of the funeral and the gravesite service. As if already grieving people need to go through that as well.”

“It’s a way of paying respects, John,” countered Riley.

Baron pointed to the bottle held by Jamison. “I would rather pay my respects by drinking that. And if you point me toward the kitchen, I can get us glasses.”

Jamison led him that way, leaving Riley and Decker alone.

“You left my place really abruptly the other night,” she said. “You said you had somewhere to go.”

“I did.”

“Where?”

Decker studied her. “I found Stanley Nottingham.”

“Who?”

“The name of the guy on the back of the photo.”

“Oh, right.”

“He was related to Baron’s butler, Nigel.”

“Wow, that’s a coincidence.” She glanced sharply at Decker. “But you said you don’t believe in coincidences.”

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t believe in one that big.”

“What did you find out?”

“Ever hear any rumors about a treasure being hidden at the Baron estate?”

Riley shook her head. “No, why? Did this Stanley guy say there was?”

“He’d heard stories. And he lived in the same building in New York that Brad Costa did. They were friends, in fact.”

“Wait a minute. Are you saying that Brad Costa came to Baronville because he heard about rumors of some treasure?”

“I think it wasn’t just based on rumors. I think he did some digging on his own and then came here.”

“But he would have had to be pretty sure that it was true to pull up roots and move to this place.”

“I agree with you.”

“Do you really think there is some sort of treasure up there?”

“I think people have looked for it. But I don’t think they ever found it.”

“Damn.”

“Baron never mentioned that to you?”

“No, never. And if he’d found anything, I doubt he’d be living as he is.”

“Agreed. But he had to know about the rumors.”

She glanced at him. “Why are you telling me all this? Isn’t it part of your investigation?”