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Dawg could only shake his head. “God, and here I thought you were the least stubborn sister. ”
“Just the quietest one,” she amended the thought. “Trust me, Dawg: No matter the impression Eve gave you, neither Lyrica, Zoey, nor myself are willing to live like fugitives or witness protection candidates. You’re going to have to come up with a solution other than some strong, forceful caveman to keep us from attracting trouble. ”
“No kidding. ” He grunted, rising to his feet. “I’m going to get out of here and make a few phone calls, catch up with Natches and Rowdy, and see what we can figure out. ” His gaze sliced to Jed’s. “Make sure she’s either not in this room, or that her locks are secured against anyone determined to get in. ”
She felt Jed shift behind her and glanced back.
He was staring at her worktable again, only this time, as he released her, his fingers went to the dark green glass jewels scattered amid the red and clear cut crystals.
“Those will be so pretty on the dress I’m designing. ” She sighed.
He rolled several in amid another batch whose color didn’t seem as deep or rich.
“Where did you get them?” He picked a few up before moving across the room and handing them to Dawg.
Piper watched them curiously.
“A craft shop in New York, in the Garment District. ” She shrugged, catching Dawg’s eye. “You’ve taken me there before. ”
Dawg rose slowly to his feet, his gaze on the pieces of colored glass.
Closing his hand quickly around the stones he held, he flipped the cell phone open again and made a call.
“I need you down here in Piper’s room, ASAP. And if you have a jeweler’s loupe or a strong magnifying glass, bring it with you,” he ordered—Tim, Piper assumed.
She rather doubted he was ordering one of her sisters or her mother down here.
Flipping the phone closed, he moved to the table next to her bed and flipped on the light.
Holding his hand beneath the brightest area of the lamp’s glow, he turned the stones with a finger, studying them carefully.
“What the hell is going on?” Piper whispered as trepidation began to rise inside her.
The panicked feeling that tightened her stomach shortened her breath and left her with the sensation of being unable to fill her lungs.
“Piper. ” Dawg lifted his gaze as Timothy rushed into the room, magnifying glass in hand. “These aren’t glass. ” Lifting his gaze to Timothy Cranston, he motioned him over. “Tell me what these are. ”
Dropping the stones in Timothy’s hand, Dawg stared down at him with a dark glower.
Holding his hand beneath the light, Timothy moved the magnifying glass over his hand and studied the colored objects with a frown.
“Where did you get these?” he asked Dawg, never taking his eyes from his palm.
“Piper brought them home from New York. ” The growl in Dawg’s tone was a dangerous rasp. “She says she picked them up at a craft store. ”
Timothy didn’t bother to lift his head or his gaze from the magnifying glass.
“She didn’t get these at a craft store,?
? he murmured. “Where else did you go?”
“What are they?” she questioned him warily.
“Emeralds, rubies, diamonds, and sapphires, Piper. These aren’t pretty crystals and colored glass, sweetheart. Now, tell me where else you went. ”
Piper shook her head, swallowing tightly.
Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires?
