“Thank you. I think.” She waited a few moments. “So . . . what do you think, really? Am I completely off base or what?”
Drayton pursed his lips. “I think . . . I think perhaps we should take a closer look at that guest list.”
? ? ?
But twenty minutes later they hadn’t come up with much of anything.
“Look at the names on this list,” Drayton said. “Two Pinckneys, a Ravenel, and a Calhoun. All old-name solid citizens. Pillars of the Charleston community.”
Theodosia had to agree. “Some of these families are so rich they don’t need any more money.”
“A bunch of jewels would be chump change to them.”
Theodosia thought for a few moments. “Then let’s look at the people who aren’t so rich.”
“Let me see.” Drayton frowned as his eyes traveled down one of the pages. “Well . . . this is going to be rather difficult. I mean, how do you calculate the net worth of someone you don’t really know that well?”
“I have no idea. But why don’t you take a ballpark stab, for Brooke’s sake. You actually know quite a few of these folks. Plus, you’re on the board at the Heritage Society and you hang out with the opera crowd . . .”
Drayton held up an index finger. “Many of whom I shall be rubbing shoulders with this Wednesday evening, since La Bohème is opening our season.”
“Excellent. So you see, you do hobnob with some of the wealthier folks around town, the socialites.” She tapped the list. “Keep looking. See if any of these names arouse your suspicions.”
“I suppose it wouldn’t be very polite to ask them outright,” Drayton said.
“I think not.”
They checked and debated a few names for a good half hour.
Finally, Theodosia said, “I have another idea.”
“Which is?” Drayton asked.
“What if our insider didn’t take part in last night’s robbery at all? But what if they put together a group?”
“You mean like in the movies?” Drayton said. “A gang of hired thugs?”
“Sure. Kind of like the Bling Ring that knocked off Paris Hilton’s home. Stole jewelry, designer handbags, you name it.”
“Sounds far-fetched,” Drayton said.
“Okay, what about those crazy Eastern European gangs that have been in the news lately? The ones who’ve been hitting the Paris and London boutiques?”
Drayton considered this. “Yes, they are quite daring. And you really think one of those gangs could have landed here?”
“They could have,” Theodosia said. “And if this is a well-organized smash-and-grab gang, and they decide to hang around Charleston for a spell, you can bet there’ll be another disaster just like last night.”
Drayton pursed his lips. “You’re talking about our big show at the Heritage Society. You’re trying to scare me.”
“Yes, I’m trying to scare you,” Theodosia said. “If it happened once and the thieves got away with it, it could happen again. You should have seen those guys. They were smart, perfectly coordinated, and fearless. I mean, they were good.”
“Hmm, maybe we’d better take another look at that list.”
They went over the list again and ended up putting red question marks by six names. They weren’t exactly suspects; they were just people they didn’t know all that well.
“This lady, Sabrina Andros,” Theodosia said. “I spoke to her last night after the robbery. She cried a few crocodile tears, but in the end she didn’t seem all that shaken up. She was more, um, interested in what was going on in the aftermath, though she really didn’t want to speak to the police.” Theodosia blew out a glut of air. “But I don’t know a single thing about Sabrina and I’m pretty sure my suspicious mind is getting way ahead of me.”
Drayton closed his eyes in thoughtful contemplation. “Andros. Andros. Something about that name sounds familiar.”
“Well, I know Sabrina’s come into the tea shop a couple of times.”
Drayton snapped his fingers. “Wait a minute. Isn’t her husband the yacht guy?”
“I don’t know. Is he the yacht guy?” Theodosia didn’t go sailing as often as she liked anymore. So she hadn’t been hanging around the Charleston Yacht Club, sipping Sea Breeze cocktails and picking up the latest boat gossip.
“Andros. I think that’s the name,” Drayton said.
“Easy enough to find out.” Theodosia picked up the phone and dialed the number for Heart’s Desire. “I’ll just ask Brooke.”
“I’m going to grab us a fresh pot of tea,” Drayton said as he disappeared out the door.
Then Brooke was on the line. “You found something already?” she asked.
“I’m afraid not,” Theodosia said. “I’m just calling to ask you a quick question.”
“You and two hundred other people. Angry people.”
“But I’m not angry,” Theodosia soothed. “Just a little curious about two of your guests.”
“Which ones?”