The Reincarnationist

Chapter 65

“Why don’t you sit down and show me what you put in your pocket when I walked into the room.”

“Harrison, don’t be ridiculous. Don’t you realize who you are accusing of-”

“Rachel, please. Now, Mr. Lipper, what did you put into your pocket?” Harrison was trying to keep his eyes on Josh and look around the room at the same time. When he realized he couldn’t, he opted to watch Josh and asked Rachel to take inventory.

“Is the Fabergé letter opener on the desk?”

“Yes, of course. Harrison, there’s no way that Mr. Lipper would take-”

“There should be a small frame next to that, rubies, enamel.”

“It’s here. Put down the gun,” she said. Her voice was shaking and Josh thought that was okay. It would make sense to Harrison that Rachel, with one of her clients being held at gunpoint by her lover, was nervous.

Harrison’s eyes had not left his face, but Josh still couldn’t read his expression, couldn’t get a bead on him. “Mr. Shoals. I can show you what you saw when you walked into the room, but to do so I’m going to need to put my hand back in my pocket.”

He nodded. “Fine. Do it slowly.”

Josh reached into his jacket pocket and found the box of breath mints, wrapped his fingers around it and pulled it out. He was taking a chance, but he’d learned from watching Malachai do his magic tricks that most of the time, people don’t know what they’ve seen because they aren’t looking in the right place.

“This is all it was. I’d be happy to wait while you inspect the rest of the treasures in the room, but honestly, I didn’t take anything of yours.”

This was the truth, and Josh knew his voice presented it as the truth. He knew his face showed it as the truth. The stones had never belonged to Harrison. As Josh suspected, he had not even known they existed.

Harrison picked up the box of mints, shook it and listened to the slight rattle. He returned it to Josh and lowered the gun.

Rachel ran over to Josh’s side as fast as she could, considering she was limping convincingly. “I’m sorry, Mr. Lipper.” She’d apologized, but the look in her eyes was gratefulness. That was when Josh realized that she was going to be all right now. She’d come to understand how her past was warning her about her present and what she needed to do with the information.

Josh waved her off, as if to say it was nothing and he didn’t blame her. She was gathering up her bag and her jacket.

“Where are you going?” Harrison asked her.

She looked at him, held his eyes, shook her head. “You pulled a gun on him! You could have shot him. I don’t belong here. This was all a mistake.” She walked to the door, to where Josh was waiting for her.

“What kind of game is this, Rachel? Did your uncle put you up to this? What kind of scheme are the two of you planning with the Bacchus?”

“My uncle? What does he have to do with any of this?”

“You didn’t know he’s the client I mentioned? Oh, please, don’t insult me. I just want to know what’s going on.”

“You have to believe me, I didn’t know…I had no idea. My uncle’s been talking to you about buying the Bacchus?”

“He’s determined to own it. But we’re at an impasse over-No, I’m not falling for this. You must know. I’m the one who’s being played for the fool.”

“Harrison, it doesn’t matter to me whether you believe me or not, but my uncle has no idea I’ve been here today.”

“Rachel?” Josh said in a quietly insistent voice. “We need to go.”

She walked through the door that he was holding open for her. Josh let her pass, then, just before he walked out, he turned and looked back at Harrison Shoals. “The frame isn’t an original-you should do something about that.”

“The frame is unimportant.” Harrison shook his head, incredulous.

“Not to me. An original frame would have been quite a treasure,” Josh said, and walked out.