Finders Keepers by Edie Baylis (epub ebook reader txt) 📕

exactly what they were, but wanted to see how much of a fool his mother took him for and exactly how far she was prepared to go to evade the truth.

‘I don’t know where Michael got them. That wasn’t the kind of thing you asked a man back in those days. As for what they are, looking at the colour, rubies perhaps?’ she lied.

Robert’s eyes narrowed. Rubies, my arse. They are pink diamonds and worth a fucking fortune. ‘Are they stolen?’

Dulcie adopted a horrified expression. ‘Stolen? No! Michael wasn’t like that!’ Robert wouldn’t understand Michael’s work. He was a shielded and sensible boy - he always had been, she’d made sure of that. He didn’t need to know the ins and outs of what had gone on back in the day. Besides, she didn’t know all of the details surrounding the diamonds and had never asked. There was more to be gained by acting dumb and she didn’t want Robert going holier than thou on her. Time to change the subject into something a lot more beneficial.

Dulcie sniffed loudly, furiously dabbing at her eyes with her handkerchief. ‘Your father entrusted these to me for our and, of course, your, future. The night he gave these to me was the last time I ever saw him and are the only things I have left.’ She squeezed Robert’s knee. ‘Apart from you of course. You’re the most priceless thing he could have ever left me, but now I hope you can understand why these mean so much and why I was looking through Teagan’s room. I... I guess I wanted to prove myself wrong and that she hadn’t taken them.’

Inwardly, Dulcie was disappointed she’d had to show Robert the diamonds. It wasn’t supposed to be like this – she’d got it all planned when to reveal their nest egg and it wasn’t now, but now he’d caught her red-handed it was the only available option. What she hadn’t expected was to have to use Teagan as a scapegoat. That really messed up her plans. It also contradicted everything she’d said so far about the girl. Damn and blast it. Still, she’d just have to make it convincing. At least it solved the problem of Robert wanting anything to do with the woman and she could keep him for herself – the way it was always supposed to be.

Dulcie frowned. Losing Teagan also meant she’d lost the inroad to Darren Harding. She’d just have to think of something else. A pain the in the neck, but the lesser of two evils.

Realising Robert still hadn’t spoken, Dulcie upped the angst. ‘I’d hoped my imagination was running away with me. I-I’d ignored the things I’d seen before because I didn’t want to accept they were true.’

Robert pushed his frozen voice box into life. ‘What things?’

Dulcie conjured a loud sob from the back of her throat. ‘Being here on my own all day gave me a lot of time to think. I-I was thinking of possible reasons for Teagan abandoning me and the more I thought about it, the more I remembered things which have been fuzzy because of those awful pills Helen gave me.’ Yes, get a dig in about Helen and one to Robert for leaving her alone. That would play on his mind and keep him closer.

Robert stared at the box in his mother’s hand, wishing she’d get to the point. ‘Go on...’

Dulcie blew her nose and snuffled miserably. ‘Several times I caught Teagan going into the pink bedroom at Footlights – you know, the one I didn’t like anyone in? She knew the room was out of bounds but went in when she thought I was asleep.’ She clutched Robert’s arm. ‘One time I even caught her pocketing a silver trinket box!’

Dulcie flapped her hand, glad to see by Robert’s face that her words were hitting home. ‘She denied it, of course – and acted most upset to be accused of stealing. She claimed she was picking it up off the floor, blaming me for knocking it off during one of my night terrors. A likely story, I realise that now, but at the time I was so confused because of those drugs...’

Robert didn’t pull away from his mother as she latched onto him. He wanted to, but also wanted to hear everything she’d got to say.

‘There was a few more times – something and nothing then, but now... now it all makes sense...’ Dulcie paused for effect. ‘Things in the sitting room went missing. Only small things, but I knew she’d taken them. I guess I didn’t want to believe it even though it was obvious. I dearly loved that girl.’ She began crying again. ‘I’m broken hearted and feel so, so betrayed. What a stupid old fool I am.’

‘No you’re not,’ Robert said. ‘She fooled us all.’ He knew that was what his mother wanted him to say, so he’d said it, but he didn’t believe it. He didn’t believe a word of it. ‘The thing I don’t understand is if you believed Teagan was stealing from you, then why you didn’t say anything?’

‘I did!’ Dulcie exclaimed. ‘I told Helen, but she accused me of imagining it. I know now that was part of her plan to make me believe I was going insane – or maybe she genuinely didn’t believe it was true?’

Robert sighed. Teagan had told him about a box she’d been given for safe-keeping. Why would she tell him if she’d been planning to steal it? His brow furrowed. It was possible, but unlikely. Still, he’d play the game.

‘Oh God, I was so stupid to tell Teagan about the box!’ Dulcie sobbed. ‘She could have stolen everything!’

‘But she didn’t, so it doesn’t make sense.’

Dulcie bit her lip. No it didn’t, did it? Quick, think of something. ‘She must have been planning on taking it, otherwise it wouldn’t have been stashed in her suitcase, don’t you see? Oh Robert, when things started going round my mind earlier, I