Shades of Earl Grey

Chapter 23

The knob rattled, then pounding sounded on the door of the Indigo Tea Shop. “Are you open?” called a voice from outside. “Can we come in for tea?”

Drayton went to the door, peered through the leaded pane at the little group of visitors that stood on the doorstep.

“I’m sorry,” he told them. “We’re closed today.” He glanced over at Theodosia, who sat sprawled at the table nearest the little stone fireplace. The lights were on, a tea kettle was whistling and bubbling, but they were most definitely closed. He also had the distinct feeling that if these strange events didn’t come to a head sometime soon, they might be closed for a few more days.

Last night had been a nightmare for Theodosia. The police had shown up and scouted through her apartment looking for signs of a forced entry. They had found none.

They’d been equally puzzled over the mysteriously appearing tea caddy that sat on her dining room table. Halfheartedly accepting Theodosia’s story that it had been stolen earlier, they’d checked back with headquarters at her urging and confirmed that, yes, indeed, a tea caddy fitting that same general description had disappeared some two days earlier from the historic Hall-Barnett House.

Theodosia had been at a loss to explain the sudden appearance of the tea caddy in her home and the police hadn’t pressed her for details. Just took the tea caddy into their possession and requested that she sign a receipt acknowledging their removing it as evidence.

She and Earl Grey had spent a restless night at Haley’s. And first thing this morning, Theodosia had given Drayton a call. It had been his suggestion that they meet at the Indigo Tea Shop and try to figure out a next step.

“Did you call Jory about this?” Drayton demanded as he poured a cup of Assam for Theodosia.

“No, I didn’t want to worry him,” said Theodosia.

“That’s precisely why you should call him,” responded Drayton. “Because he will undoubtedly be very worried about you.”

“I know,” she said, taking a sip of the hot tea, letting the sweet, slightly malty flavor refresh and revive her. “Gosh, this is good. Really hits the spot.”

“Towkok Estate,” Drayton told her. “I thought we deserved to treat ourselves, today of all days.”

Drayton knelt down, constructed a little pile of kindling in the fireplace, struck a match to it, and fanned the flames briskly. Once the kindling was crackling nicely, he added a couple of medium-sized logs to the fire.

“Drayton,” said Theodosia, “I think that tea caddy was meant as another taunt.”

He stood up, looking remarkably poised, and pocketed the matches. “I’m sure it was.”

Theodosia peered at him anxiously. “Is it someone close to us?”

Drayton frowned. “Hard to say,” he said, staring into the fireplace. “Maybe we miscalculated with the stamp,” he said finally.

“What do you mean?” asked Theodosia.

Drayton rocked back on his heels, stuck his hands in his pants pockets, jingled his change. “Not enough of a lure?” He pulled his hands from his pockets, fidgeted some more. “To be perfectly honest, this whole charade made me extremely nervous. And people did ask a lot more questions than I thought they would last night. I felt like I had to keep explaining things.”

Theodosia’s brows knit together upon hearing this. “What do you mean, Drayton? What did you tell them?”

“Exactly what we rehearsed. The Z grill stamp, issued in eighteen sixty-nine, Benjamin Franklin, blah, blah, blah.” He grimaced slightly. “But I still felt like a fraud, seeing as how it’s not really part of my collection.”

“Did you tell people the stamp was staying on display?” Theodosia asked.

“Heavens no,” exclaimed Drayton. “I made it quite clear that this was a one-time event. That I was returning the stamp to my personal collection the very next day.” He shook his head. “I really hated saying that.”

Theodosia stared at him. “That’s what you told people? Really?”

“Awful, isn’t it? I feel like such a liar when it’s not even my stamp. What happens if a bunch of reputable collectors ever ask to see it? I’m cooked.” He sat down at the table across from Theodosia, stared at his tea.

A smile suddenly formed on Theodosia’s face. Her blue eyes began to twinkle. “Drayton, you’re a genius.”

He looked up from his tea sharply. “What?”

“You heard me. A genius.”

“I am?” He looked pleased yet befuddled, quite unsure as to what his great brain power status was being attributed.

“Don’t you see?” began Theodosia excitedly. “Knowing it was on display for one night only, the thief might decide to come looking at your house.”

Drayton’s face suddenly dissolved into worry. “Oh no. That’s not good at all. Especially when it won’t even be there.”

“Are you kidding?” said Theodosia. “This is a terrific break!” She grinned. Yes, she thought to herself, it suddenly made perfect sense. The bait had been there for the taking last night. But then Drayton, in all his nervousness about the stamp, had related his little story about the stamp being on loan just for the opening night. That it would soon be returned to his own private collection. So, if the thief had truly been intrigued by the Z grill stamp, he had to figure it would be much easier to break into Drayton’s house than risk a second attempt at the Heritage Society!

Theodosia looked at her watch. “I’d say we’ve got some serious planning to do.”

Drayton gave her a skeptical look. “For what, pray tell?”

“We’ve got to be ready in case that cat burglar decides to break into your house tonight.”

“My house? Tonight?” His voice rose in protest. “Oh, no. I don’t think so.” He crossed his arms resolutely and shook his head.

“Oh yes,” urged Theodosia. “This could be our big chance.”

“I’d feel far more confident if we called the police,” Drayton argued.

“I did that last night. They didn’t seem to have any brilliant suggestions.”

Drayton considered this. “True,” he allowed.

“In fact, they seemed to have no clue as to how the cat burglar even got in my house,” said Theodosia.

Drayton frowned. “I thought you said the locks had been picked.”

“Actually, I think our cat burglar came across a series of rooftops, jumped a five-foot span, and snuck in through the dormer in my bedroom.”

Drayton stared at her. “Have you suddenly gone psychic? Whatever made you compose that elaborate scenario?”

“There’s a tiny scuff on my window ledge,” said Theodosia. And indeed, there had been. Just the tiniest, minutest scuff. Nothing you’d really notice, unless you’d just dusted a couple days before and were quite sure it hadn’t been there then.

Drayton continued to stare in surprise. “A scuff. You base your theory on a scuff?”

“And a hunch,” said Theodosia. “A very weird hunch. Trust me on this, Drayton. There’s someone out there who adores playing games. Leaving notes, planting clues, playing both sides. And I think there’s a very distinct possibility they’re going to show up tonight.”

“Halloween night,” he said. “Why on earth would they choose Halloween night to appear?”

Theodosia considered Drayton’s question. “I think,” she said, “it would appeal to their sense of play. Now... are you in or not?”

Drayton rolled his eyes, plucked nervously at his bow tie. “Of course I’m in,” he replied finally. “After everything that’s happened, how could I not be?”