Precious Gems - Sierra Hill Page 0,52
Who the fuck does that? You don’t care about me. I’m just an innocent girl in your precious, sick game. We’re done, Faron. Don’t bother trying to contact me again.”
When I hit end, my hand shook so hard the phone just fell to the floor, and I balled up onto the couch the minute Dorian left where I stayed until it grew dark.
I’d begun my search through the house, in the attic in my dad’s closet, the boards behind the furnace, and the wall behind the stove, but everywhere turned up empty. I even searched the fridge, where I knew he’d hidden money from time to time, but that came up empty, too.
That’s when I went out back, the Big Thug following closely behind, watching my every move.
“Hey, come on. At least make yourself useful,” I say, removing chopped wood from the pile, and handing him them one by one. That’s when I find it.
It was a hollowed-out log, like one of those electric fireplace log inserts, and I immediately knew I’d find it in there. I had to make a decision. With the Big Thug Clive standing right behind me I have to create a distraction and sleight of hand if I want to remove it from its present location. Or, I wait and retrieve it some other time.
The only problem is that the clock is ticking and if I have nothing to give Dorian tomorrow night, it could very well be the end for me. And I’ll never get to make amends with Faron.
“Dammit,” I grunt, picking up a huge armful of logs and setting them down next to the other discarded pile. “We need a shovel. I’m pretty sure it’s buried underneath.”
I glance over my shoulder to the shed, tilting my head as Clive follows my gaze. “Would you mind grabbing me one from in there?”
He eyes me suspiciously, rightfully so, but heads off to the shed, while I, in turn, quickly unearth the fake log and remove the jewel pouch. I slip it in my bra and adjust my shirt as Clive returns, shovel in hand.
We dig for over an hour, and of course we find nothing. Plopping down on my ass, I dust off all the dirt from my hands and my knees, acting disappointed and troubled.
“I thought for sure it would be here. I don’t know where else to look.”
It’s getting late, well past ten by now, and although the jet lag isn’t so bad returning to Jersey, I’m still hungry and tired. I push up to my feet and plant my hands on my hips.
“I think I’m done for now. I need to eat, shower and get some sleep. In that order.”
He just shrugs his shoulders, neither concerned over or critical of my decision to stop for the night.
With nothing to eat in the house, and since I don’t have a phone at my disposal, I ask Clive to place an order for a pizza while I go shower.
I strip down as the water warms up, carefully removing the diamond from my cleavage and holding the stone up to the light in my hand, examining its flawless beauty. The gem isn’t as large as the Star of Africa, which I’d heard is the biggest diamond in the world, weighing over a pound before it was cut into smaller portions.
But this one is definitely beautiful, the light from overhead reflecting against its tiny grains, shining like a small disco ball, shooting its brilliant light across the room. Based on Faron’s explanation of the gem, he had said it was roughly estimated at over 100-carats and could be worth anywhere from ten to twenty-million dollars.
Yeah, I get why all the cloak-and-dagger is necessary and maybe even why Mudd did what he did. That, I guess, I’ll never know.
What I do know is that there is no way in hell I’m ever letting Dorian get her hands on this.
Some way, somehow, I’m going to make sure Faron gets what he was promised.
Chapter 27
After taking the longest, most needed shower in my life, I get dressed and hide the pouch between my legs, just like I’d done before first meeting Faron, before turning out my bedroom light and getting into bed.
I fall into a fitful sleep thinking of him and wondering when I’ll ever get to see him again.
I’m woken with a start.
My lids burst open as a hand seals over my mouth. It’s too dark to see anything and my eyes haven’t adjusted yet, so my