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I look up and realise that I’m staring into the window of the new pawnbroker’s shop on the high street– staring but not actually seeing the items in the window. But now that Rory’s drawn my attention to it, the display is quite eye-catching.
‘Nice guitar.’ Rory steps closer to look.
‘You don’t play, do you?’
He grins. ‘No. But I’d definitely be the next Eric Clapton if I did.’
I snort. ‘Obviously.’
‘You used to take piano lessons, didn’t you?’
‘Yes. When I was about twelve.’ I smile up at him. I passed Rory’s house every week on the way to my lesson, and I used to get so nervous and excited all at once, in case he should suddenly appear. (Which he never did, of course.) ‘How do you know that?’
‘Aha!’ He taps the side of his nose.
‘But you have to tell me! How could you possibly know that?’
‘Well... I used to see you every week, walking past my house with your little pink music case.’
‘You remember my pink music case?’ I stare at him in surprise. ‘EvenI’dforgotten about that.’
He smiles. ‘Ah, well. I remember everything.’
‘Wow. Well, that sounds a bit creepy, if you don’t mind me saying,’ I joke. ‘Talk about Big Brother watching you.’ My eyes are travelling over the contents of the shop window as I process this amazing revelation. Life is so strange. If the twelve-year-old me had known that her big crush actually noticed her walking past his house, it would have made her week... her entireyear,in fact! ‘I might have taken a different route if I’d realised you were spying on me.’
‘Hardlyspyingon you. You intrigued me, that’s all.’ He grins. ‘You and your odd little pink music case.’
‘Look, there’s one in the window over there just like it.’
‘Oh, yes.Exactlylike it. The similarity is astonishing. Except for the fact it’sbrown.’
Laughing, my eyes slide away from his face, landing on a display of watches and jewellery in the window. ‘I think I’ve still got that pink case somewhere. I must have a look for it and–’ I break off, staring at something in the pawnbroker’s window that looks familiar.
Veryfamiliar.
‘Clara?’
I swallow. ‘That bracelet. It’s Irene’s. Look.’ I point at the ruby-studded gold jewellery, nestled on a black velvet cloth, and we both peer at it more closely. ‘And I’m pretty sure that’s Lois’s engagement ring over there,’ I add, my heart beating fast.
I turn to Rory. ‘The burglar’s obviously pawned everything he stole. We need to let the police know. Then we’ll be able to get it all back.’
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
‘Will you phone the police?’ Rory asks me.
‘Yes. I’ll dash home and tell Irene and Lois first, though. I can’t wait to see their reaction when they discover I’ve found their things.’
He nods. ‘Should put a smile on Lois’s face.’
‘That’ll make a pleasant change,’ I say, without thinking. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean...’
He shakes his head, smiling. ‘I know exactly what you meant, Clara, and I agree. Lois has been so up and down ever since the accident. Well, mostly down. But she’s going to be over the moon that you’ve located her ring.’
‘I’m hoping her great-granny’s rings are here as well. She seemed more distraught about those than about Ronnie’s engagement ring.’
He nods thoughtfully. ‘She was almost in tears. Not like her to be so sentimental.’
I smile. ‘She’s much softer than people think, under that bold exterior. Lois is actually amazing when you consider that she didn’t exactly have the mostmaternalmum in the world.’
