The Heavens May Fall Read Online Free PDF Page A

couldn’t put a name with the face. If she’s been to the bookstore, it’s more likely than not that she has some tie to Kenwood. Any luck on your end?”
    “Nothing yet, but I’m waiting to hear back from a diamond merchant in Canada. The earrings were branded and had a serial number. We might be able to get a name if we can track that serial number. But for some reason, the guy from Canada is reluctant to—”
    The phone buzzed in Max’s hand. He looked at the screen and saw the number from Toronto.
    “Gotta go, Niki. This should be him.” Max switched callers, and a voice he didn’t recognize, a woman’s voice, greeted him.
    “This is Victoria Lowell. I’m the vice president in charge of customer relations here at Hercinia Diamonds. I’ve been authorized to help you locate a store that sold a pair of our diamond earrings. If you give me the serial number, I can tell you which retail outlet sold them, but I’ll have no way of knowing the buyer.”
    “That’s okay,” Max said. He read the serial number and listened to the sound of her keyboard clicking.
    “Those earrings were purchased from us by Galibay Jewelry in Minneapolis.”
    Max had never heard of the store. He did a search on his computer and read that Galibay Jewelry was a small shop in Uptown that catered to high-end jewelry buyers. No store hours, the only way to see their merchandise was by appointment. The website had a phone number for making appointments, but no e-mail address or fax number.
    “Ms. Lowell, I don’t suppose you have a fax number for Galibay on file?”
    There was a pause at the other end of the line. Then, “Yes, I do have a fax number.” She read the number to Max, who typed it into the subpoena form, along with the other pertinent information about the store. After he ended his call from Toronto, Max sent the completed subpoena to the County Attorney’s Office for a signature and called the number for Galibay Jewelers. A pleasant-sounding woman answered the phone.
    “This is Detective Max Rupert of the Minneapolis Police Department. Could I speak to the owner or manager there?”
    “This is Miriam Galibay. I own the store.”
    “Ms. Galibay, I’m trying to ascertain the identity of a woman found dead this morning.”
    Ms. Galibay gave a slight gasp.
    “I need your help.”
    “Certainly, but how . . .”
    “The deceased was wearing a pair of Hercinia diamond earrings. We contacted the company, and they informed us that the earrings were purchased by you for resale. We need to find out who bought those earrings.”
    “Oh . . . Oh my, I . . . I’m afraid I cannot help you. Our clients rely upon us to protect any information given to us. I mean, you’re just a voice on the phone. I can’t give out client information to anyone who calls. You understand, don’t you?”
    Max looked at his inbox and saw the completed administrative subpoena scanned into an e-mail. He sent it to the printer. “Ms. Galibay, I’m going to fax you an administrative subpoena. It requires you to provide me with the name of the owner of those earrings. I understand your situation, but this is important.”
    Max walked to the printer with his cell phone pressed to his ear, pulled the subpoena, and sent it to Galibay as they talked.
    “But, Detective, how do I know that you are who you say you are? I don’t know what an administrative subpoena is. I have a reputation to protect.”
    “Ms. Galibay, call the Minneapolis Police Department and ask for Detective Rupert. They’ll connect you back to me so you know that I am who I say I am. If I have to, I could drive down there and hand-deliver the subpoena, but this is urgent. Can you just call me back? You’ll see that I am who I say I am.”
    “Okay. I’ll do that.” The line went dead.
    Max went back to his cubicle and waited for his phone to ring. Thirty seconds. One minute. A minute and a half. Two minutes. Finally, after two minutes and fifteen seconds, the phone rang.
    “Max