Diamond Deceit Read Online Free PDF Page B

certain skills.” With another laugh she added, “I assure you, Len definitely does not have those skills.”
    Len did seem to be the only one besides Marcia who’d had access to the necklace before it was returned to Joanna Burton, Nancy thought. Since Marcia hadn’t been in the shop when the actress picked up the necklace, she couldn’t know for sure that the necklace still had the real diamonds in it.
    Nancy walked over to the back door and examined the lock. “Does anyone besides you have a key to the shop?” she asked.
    â€œLen does, of course. Other than that, the rental company may have one. We added a security system monitored by a local company after we rented the shop. Jewelry stores are always a potential target for theft.” Marcia showed Nancy the electronic panel beside the back door. A light on it was blinking red.
    â€œWhat does the red light mean?” Nancy asked.
    â€œThat the alarm is off,” Marcia explained. “When it’s on, the light is green. This door leads into an alley, but we rarely use it. There’s a second panel beside the front door. Every morning we enter a code to deactivate the system, and we activate it when we leave at night.”
    Nancy’s gaze skimmed over the work area again. “Who has access to the safe?” she asked Marcia.
    â€œLen and I are the only ones who know the combination.”
    Nancy had no more questions for the moment. She wanted to talk to Joanna Burton, though. The actress might be able to tell her if anyone else had access to the necklace.
    When Nancy asked Marcia for Joanna Burton’s telephone number, Marcia handed her a business card. “Len mentioned that you might need the number, so I wrote it down for you. The card has the number here at the store. And my home number is noted beneath it, in case you have any more questions.”
    Nancy glanced at her watch. It was past eight-thirty.“Can I use your phone to call Miss Burton? I’d like to try to set up an appointment with her before it gets too late.”
    â€œNo problem,” Marcia said. She gestured toward the phone on the desk. “We have two lines. One is for the jewelry shop, and one is for Len’s landscaping business,” she explained as she walked into the front room. Nancy punched in the numbers Marcia had written on the back of the card. The line was busy. Nancy leaned against the desk to wait.
    Just then the doorknob on the back door rattled, startling Nancy. She froze, all her attention focused on the door. If it was Len, she’d expect to hear a key in the lock. Instead she heard a scraping against the wood.
    Moving quickly to the door, Nancy pressed her ear against it and heard someone moving outside. She took a deep breath and unlocked the deadbolt. Then she slowly eased the door open and slipped outside.
    Nancy gasped as a tall shape lunged out of the shadows at her. Before she could react, the figure had reached out and grabbed her!

Chapter

Five
    N ANCY SCREAMED as her arms were pulled behind her and held in a grip of iron. She struggled to free herself, but her attacker was too strong.
    â€œMarcia! Call for help!” Nancy shouted back into the building.
    Footsteps raced into the workroom. “Morgan! It’s okay,” Nancy heard Marcia shout.
    When Nancy was free to turn around and confront her attacker she found herself face-to-face with one of the handsomest men she’d ever seen. His eyes were a bright aqua blue, and his skin was perfectly tanned. His thick, wavy brown hair was streaked with sun-bleached highlights as if he spent a lot of time at the beach.
    â€œMarcia, sorry,” the man said in a deep,resonant voice. “I was making my rounds, checking to make sure your door was locked, and then it was slowly pushed open. I thought whoever was coming out was sneaking out. Very sorry, miss,” he said to Nancy.
    â€œNancy, this is Morgan Fowler. He works for