Sparkle Mystery, Chapter 1; Surprises All Around

"Hey, Ralph, you sure you got the time of that funeral, right? We gotta get in and out. No surprises."

"Keep your shirt on, Taylor. We got plenty of time. It is some old broad who died. They will be there talking about how much they are going to miss her and all. I know this is the attorney who is handing out the will and reading everything later today. The info I got is prime. That buddy of yours at the insurance company said they insured a fifteen-caret diamond for this lawyer. We get it while the funeral is on, and no one is the wiser."

"Git your gloves back on. Ya wanta git hauled in first crack outa the box? This furniture is all polished up. One fingerprint and boom, back to the pen. This fancy office looks like a big shot attorney."

"I bet he put it in his safe. I'll check and see if I see one a ring box. Yous right… here is the safe. Now, take it slow and listen for the tumblers. Use the stethoscope… it works great for this."

"Got it. I think the stuff must be in this box here. Old broads keep stuff in places like this. We ain't got time to check. We'll just grab the box and git out of here."

"You look all polished up. Like you was coming tah see a Lawyer. Ha, ha. You leave first. Then I will jist walk down the street and we will be on our way."

"Okay Go."

We will find a place to park then see if there is anything in tha box. It is a pretty box. Wow! Wow!

"Would yah' just look at that rock?"

"Why did you open the box. I told ya to wait till we were out of here. You've done it now. Just grab the ring, we gotta git outta here. Throw the box over there."

"How do they do that?"

"Ralph, I already told yah. It is a man-made diamond company. They take the body of the dead person and they put it in a furnace and cook it until it is nothing but ashes. Then they use pressure to convert the ashes into a stone. Boy, I ain't never seen a pink diamond. The ring is setting is platinum. I will check it all out with my loop later. Right now, we gotta make like the wind blow out of here."

"What do you two morons think you are doing? Put me back in the box. Get me off your finger. You son of a Siberian Sea Cook. How dare you steal my granddaughters' inheritance. I did not go to all this trouble and expense to help you. Put me back. Now!"

"Geeze, did you hear that? Who said that?" Be careful. You are going ta start knocking things off the shelves in a minute. There ain't no one here but us."

"Ralph, why you are spinning around like that."

"I heard someone say put me back in the box. I swear. I heard a voice say that, Taylor. Something weird is going on here. You pulling a prank on me? You know how I feel about spooks."

"Here, I am tossing this to you. Maybe you hear something too."

"I told you to put me back in the box. Now!"

"I think the lady is stuck in this ring. What you gonna do about it? I got the ring and you ain't got nothing ta fight with."

"Ouch, Ouch, what you trying to do to me? Get it off, it is burning my skin. Quick, get it off."

"Now you've done it. You broke the glass door to the office. Someone has got to have heard that. We gotta run. This place is a wreck. Let's git."

"What have I gotten myself into. At least I know I can make my glow a little warm when I need to do so. Where is Janie? She should be here by now. I hope Jackie remembered everything. He turned out to be a good pick for an attorney. Looks like I got a lot of figuring to do. They're in for a rude awakening if they think I am going to just shut up. I wanted to be set free not spend eternity trapped in a pear-shaped diamond. It looks like it was pink. This guy's pocket is tight and stuffy. Wonder if I can poke him a bit.

"Stop that lady. Oh, Geeze, that hurt. Yikes, Ralph, it is getting hot again."

"That is funny, Tayler. You got a hot diamond. Good one."

"The old broad is right about one thing; you are a moron. We are going to take this thing to the fence, get our money, and blow. Let the fence deal with the spook."

"We are out of here. We will know what to do and when to do it if we watch the papers. The way we left that office will surely hit the news. Now, Ralph, disappear. I will see you in two days at Edwardo's warehouse."

"Maybe, I should stick with you. You got the ring. I am not sure I trust you that far, Tayler."

"Okay, Okay, come on. I guess it is best I keep an eye on you. Let's go get a drink."

"Jackie, you have to call the police this minute. What has happened to your office? You said I had to be here. Okay, I am here. Why all the secrecy? What is going on? Does my mother know what it is all about? Do, the cousins know? Jackie, we grew up together and I know you.? I trusted you to take care of my grandmother's affairs. I knew we could trust you. This office is a mess. Watch it, there is broken glass."

"Janie, I don't know what happened. The police will sort it out. I gotta find something first. Oh, no. It looks like whoever got in here took your grandmother with them."

"Jackie, what are you saying. I have done nothing but cry all day. I miss my grandmother. You say someone left with her. What is going on?

"Sit down." We will go back here while the police start working through this mess. Are you still joining the force? I was just wondering. You have been through all those courses on criminology. I heard you got some pretty high marks."

"Jackie, can we stick to the subject at hand. You have been burgled. What is so secretive that you could not let anyone in the family know but me. Spill. Now."

"About a year ago. Your grandmother made arrangements to have her body turned into a diamond. She wanted it mounted as a pear-shaped stone in a platinum setting. I got the package two days ago. It is exactly what she ordered. Her body has been turned into a diamond ring for you and you alone to inherit. It is just that simple. She wanted you to be able to borrow against it or use it for whatever adventure you might want to go. She did not want money to stand in the way. Leaving you cash would not work. You know your family. The cash would have been lost to other attorneys working for your cousins. She wanted you to have something they could not touch."

"Jackie, have you seen it? Where is it? Oh, my. I would rather have grandmother. Oh, my. I really don't know what to think. I think I am getting dehydrated from crying so much."

"I have taken pictures of it and have a legal description of it in the vault. But it looks like the jewelry box it was in is gone. I just think telling the police about the ring as a ring is all we need to do. I don't think they need to know the mystery behind it."

"Oh, to be so close and not be able to see it. I miss her so very much."

"Janie, I know how close you two were. I can tell you are exhausted from the day. I will finish up with the police and you go home and get some rest. We will figure this out. It will be okay. I am sure we will be able to find your grandmother soon."

"This is so bizarre. Why did you let her do this? I am so sorry, Jackie. I know how she was. She would not have let you stop her no matter what. I have the picture. How big is it? Fifteen carats. It is pink? I have never seen a pink diamond." Wow. Only grandmother would turn herself into a pink diamond."

"Jane, get some rest. I know that detective mind of yours will not stop until you have all the police reports. You know we have a new Senior Detective now. He is a good man. I think you will like him."

"I won't if he does not let me work on the case."

"Let me know if you find out anything at all. I promise to do the same. I gotta go check on Momma and the cousins. Later, Jackie. And thanks. I mean that."

"Jackie, look… There is blood on that broken glass. DNA."

"Call your new detective, let him know I am coming in with this forensic team on this one. I don't need rest; I need to solve this and get my grandmother back. I am on my way now. Don't touch anything."

"Hello, I am Janie Farrar. Did Jackie Green call you? The items stolen from his law office belong to me. I need to look at the police reports since you refused to let me go in with the forensic team. I want to check on the blood that was on the broken glass. There has to be DNA we can cross-reference with…."

"Hold on there, little lady. First, this is my office. You have not yet passed your detective's exam so I would appreciate it if you would allow me to conduct this case. Granted you are an officer, but you are not yet a detective."

"I guess the problem, here, chief… is you don't know I am already a detective. I have been solving mysteries since I was a kid. I don't need a test to tell me what I am."

"That is great. Just what we need is a blind man leading the department. I will be back to shove the results of my test down your throat chief. Sorry, I don't have time to cultivate anything here. I can't respect anyone who does not even look at the obvious. I will make you eat your words. I will be back. It is not a threat; it is a promise."

"I wonder if she always crashes into a room and slams her way out?" This one is going to be a handful. Wonder why this case is so special?"

"Chief, she is right about one thing. She has helped us with cases for years. Everyone here, but you, knows she is a very good detective."

"Good to know. She has the fire for sure. Those blue eyes of hers were flashing sparks."