“We’re here to speak with whoever handled Mrs.Rothschild’s jewelry when it was appraised two weeks ago,” Miles said.“And I know we don’t have an appointment, but this is very urgent.”
“Of course.That would be Mr.Harrington.”She pointed down the hallway to their left and said, “Go all the way down the hall, take a right, and his is the last office on the left.”
They nodded their thanks and followed the woman’s instructions.The first hallway was filled with more paintings, each one probably worth a small fortune.Miles noticed Vic looking at a landscape that might have been a Hudson River School piece with rapt fascination.They took the right and came to Mr.Harrington’s office.
The door was opened and when they came into the doorway, Miles saw Harrington hanging up his landline phone.Probably the lady up front calling to warn him,he thought.
Harrington’s office managed to be both spacious and intimate.Here, there was more wood paneling, more antiques, and a desk that could have belonged to a Gilded Age robber baron.Behind it sat a man in his early sixties.His gray hair was combed back, and he wore an expertly tailored suit.
"Agents," he said, standing to shake their hands."I'm Richard Harrington, director of Whitmore.Please, sit."
Ah, so shedidwarn him,Miles thought.
Miles and Vic took the chairs opposite his desk.Harrington settled back into his own seat with the ease of someone completely comfortable in his environment.
"I understand you're here about Diane Rothschild," Harrington said."Terrible business.We were all shocked to hear about her death this morning."
"Did you know her at all outside of your business relationship?"Miles asked.
"Not personally, no.But she'd been a client for several years.We handled appraisals for her on three separate occasions."
"The most recent being two weeks ago, correct?"
"Yes.She brought in her platinum collection for evaluation."Harrington folded his hands on the desk."She was considering insurance updates, I believe.Some of the pieces had appreciated significantly since their last appraisal."
"Who handled the evaluation?"Vic asked.
"I took the job in…the paperwork and all of that.But it was Gregory Marshall, one of our senior gemologists, who handled the evaluation.He's worked here for twenty-three years.Impeccable credentials, and absolute discretion.Would you like to speak with him?"
"Please."
Harrington made a brief phone call on the landline, spoke very briefly, and then stood."He'll be down momentarily.I'll leave you with him.If you need anything else from me, just ask reception."
He left, and Miles took the opportunity to look around the office more carefully.Every object had been chosen with intention.Certain elements did look a bit pretentious but there was a simple elegance to it all—the colors, the layout and the feel of everything—that made him feel slightly comfortable.
Less than three minutes later, there was a knock at the door.Gregory Marshall entered and Miles’s first thought was that the man looked a bit like a scarecrow.He was tall and thin, probably in his late fifties, with wire-rimmed glasses and thinning brown hair.He wore a cardigan over a button-down shirt, looking a little too casual for the environment.
"Agents," he said, shaking their hands.His grip was gentle but firm."I understand you have questions about Mrs.Rothschild's collection."
"We do," Miles said."Please, have a seat."
Marshall took the chair Harrington had vacated, adjusting his glasses as he settled in."I was devastated to hear about her death.She was a wonderful client.Very knowledgeable about her pieces, always interested in their provenance and craftsmanship."
"Tell us about the appraisal," Miles said."What was the scope of it?"
"Mrs.Rothschild brought in thirty-one pieces, all platinum.Necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings.Each one had been custom-made to her specifications over the years.No retail pieces whatsoever.Everything was bespoke."
"Custom-made," Vic repeated."Why?"
Marshall smiled slightly."Mrs.Rothschild had very particular tastes.She wanted pieces that no one else would have.Unique designs, specific stones, certain settings.She worked with various jewelers who could execute her vision."
"And the value?"Miles asked.
"Collectively?Approximately two point three million dollars.Some individual pieces were worth as much as two hundred thousand.And that’s just the platinum-heavy items.As I’m sure you know, she had much more at home.Gold, diamonds and so on."
Miles kept his expression neutral, though the figure was staggering."Walk us through some of the standout pieces."
Marshall leaned forward, warming to the subject."There was a necklace, for instance, with a forty-carat oval diamond set in platinum filigree.The work was extraordinary.The platinum was formed into these delicate spirals that looked almost like lace.The craftsmanship alone took over eight months."
