Kermit tapped a few keys and hit Enter. The picture vanished, to be replaced by a list of names and dates. "It says here," he pointed at the monitor, "that particular design was created by a goldsmith in Boston, a Mr. Byron, in the year 1872. He made exactly ten bracelets, one for each of his children."
"Big family."
"Indeed." He scrolled down the list. "Three of them were sold out of the family. One now resides in a private collection in Germany, one in Australia, and one is in a small shop in Jackson Hole, Wyoming." He swiveled his chair to face her. "The rest are still in the possession of Byron's descendants. You will be interested to note that of the remaining addresses, two are right here in our wonderful city."
That certainly narrowed her list of suspects. She clapped him on the back. "Great. Get me a printout of that and I'll see about getting the proper warrants. I think we're closing in on this one; I can feel it."
She turned to leave, but he called out after her, "Hey, Skalany."
"Yeah?"
"I heard what this guy did to Peter." He nodded, his lips curving into a smile that revealed a flash of shark's teeth. "When you bring him in, give him a couple extra bruises for me--if necessary, of course."
He couldn't know how strongly she had been resisting that impulse in herself, and it scared her that she was so near to agreeing with him. Perhaps he even meant it as a joke. She decided to take it as such, for her own sanity. She winked. "You'll have to wait in line." She tried to toss the comment off lightheartedly, but she couldn't prevent a tinge of her own rage from slipping through.
Not much got past his hidden gaze. He grabbed her wrist before she could escape from his office. "You okay, kid? You sound a bit on edge. You want to talk about it?"
She patted the back of his hand to show she appreciated his concern and then drew away. "I'm fine. Really." The tightness of her voice betrayed her and she knew he suspected her of lying, but she had to be in control for this one. Something inside her had twisted into a knot when she realized what had happened at the library--she could sense it, curled up beneath her breastbone, cutting off her breath if she dwelled upon it too long--waiting to be unleashed.
She wouldn't have been able to meet his eyes even if he took off his glasses, so she didn't try. "I'll see you later, hmm?"
He nodded warily. "Later."
She left his office and went to take care of the paperwork. Long hours stretched ahead of her, even with only two addresses to check; she should let Caine know she probably wouldn't be able to make their date on time. She could drop by his place on her way to the first address to tell him.
The Ancient set down a glass bottle of dried yellow flowers and smiled. "He is at the hospital, visiting his son. May I be of assistance?"
She sighed. "Just tell him I have to work tonight, so I won't be able to meet him for supper. I had hoped to see him before..." It figured that she would miss him when she was in most need of his company. "Well, I'd better be off."
"Wait." The Ancient motioned her closer. "You are--unsettled? Do you wish to talk about it?"
"I really haven't the time," she protested, but she allowed him to urge her into a seat. She didn't know why she felt more relaxed in his presence. The tension that had been causing her stomach to clench and her blood to pound melted slowly away as she contemplated putting her fears into words for him.
Fears. That was the crux of the matter--she was afraid. Not for herself, however; she had made peace with her profession long ago and one hired gun couldn't shake that resolve so easily. If she didn't fear personal danger, then for whom was her reaction?
She knew the answer, though she hadn't the slightest idea how to express it. The Ancient stood patiently beside her until she could begin.
"When I was little," she started, deciding that background might help put the problem in perspective, "I dreamed that I would grow up, marry a nice Catholic boy, and settle down to have a house full of noisy kids." She chuckled at her youthful imagination. "It didn't exactly work out that way, as you can probably tell."
"Are you happy?"
"Yeah. Yeah, I am. That's what I find so amazing. I'm living a life totally different from anything I could have conceived of as a child, and yet I'm loving it more than I thought possible. I wouldn't change a thing."
"But something has changed."
Her shoulders slumped at his simple comment. "I'm sure you know about the attack that put Peter in the hospital. I stopped a man from shooting Caine that night. If I hadn't been there..." She had to pause as the mere thought made her heart race. "I know, he's as mortal as anyone else, but it never really struck home before. He's the best part of what I am right now, and if I were to--to lose him--it feels like my whole world would come crashing down." She had to work to force the words out past a throat constricted with pain.
The Ancient laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, though he didn't speak. He allowed her time to face her fear and regain her composure. His hand felt as light as a bundle of straws, but there was a strength behind it that reassured her she was not alone, that he would support her no matter how her tale ended.
She blinked to clear her vision as it began to waver. "I could never forgive myself if I allowed that to happen," she continued. "Not before we really had a chance. A chance to see if maybe we could have been...something more. I need that chance."
"Do not worry. You have time."
She shook her head. "I keep getting the feeling that everything's going to change tonight, that my life will never be the same after this, and I can't shake it off. It's creepy. That's why I wanted to see him. In case...well, just in case."
"Ah." He nodded and walked back to Caine's shelf, picking up a sea shell. "You should trust your instincts. Go to see him at the hospital."
"I would--but I can't." She stood up to leave. "I really have to get back to work. Hopefully to catch a killer." She hesitated in the doorway. "You'll tell him what I said?"
He bowed. "Of course."
"Thanks. I...owe you one."