He paused as he put the bowls Gemma had covered in the refrigerator. “When Nell told me where she’d found the box and what was inside it, I remembered that it was blinking the day I met you, then later . . .”
Gemma nodded. “Right after that, Nell got her wish for her father to come home and live in Edilean.”
“Exactly,” Tris said. “So if it was blinking again on the day of the barbecue, then—”
“Someone was making a wish. I guess you found out about our little game that afternoon.”
“I called Sara, and she went over everybody’s wishes.”
“And since then, Sara unexpectedly had twins,” Gemma said softly as she thought about what had been said that afternoon. “At least no one wished for something bad.”
“I think your mind works like mine,” Tris said. “If the world found out that there’s a possibility that something like this existed . . .”
“No Frazier would be safe,” Gemma said. “I could see Shamus being kidnapped on his way home from school and some crooks demanding that he wish so and so would win the lottery.”
“Or they’d demand weird things like being able to stop time.”
“Good one,” Gemma said. “How about spirit transfer? Or wish for the power to be able to take over the world.”
“When I heard of Sara’s babies, all I could think of is the bad that could come from this. I wish it weren’t already all over town.”
“Me too,” Gemma said. “Colin says . . .” She broke off.
Tris gave her a little smile. “Got it bad for him, don’t you?”
Gemma smiled modestly. “We get along well, and he’s easy to be around.”
“That’s not what other women have said.”
“You mean Jean?”
“No,” Tris said. “The other women Colin dated when the two of them weren’t together. They wanted his full attention, and when they didn’t get it, they weren’t, shall we say, pleasant.”
“But Colin does give a woman his attention,” Gemma said. “We talk about everything.”
“That you get Colin to talk at all is something no other woman has achieved.”
Gemma was smiling as Tris went to the picture on the wall and opened the safe, ready to put the silver box back in it.
“Wait!” Gemma said. “I think there’s something you should know about wall safes. Is it okay if I tell you the truth about the robberies?”
“Sure. Colin and I talk about his cases all the time.”
She told him how the robber had opened the safe in one house. When she finished, Tris said, “It sounds like someone is looking for something small that’s well hidden.” He nodded at the necklace.
“But who could know what the Heartwishes Stone is? Know that it’s small enough to fit into a little safe? I’ve done a lot of research and I didn’t find out what it looks like. I mean, until now, that is. If that’s the Stone, which we’re not sure of.”
“So where do I hide this thing if not inside a safe?” Tris asked. “Maybe I should put it back where Nell found it.”
“The thief found a brooch inside a bedpost, so I doubt if that picture will hinder him. Why don’t you give it to me? I’ll have Shamus sketch it and I’ll photograph it. At least that way, whatever happens, we’ll have a record of it.”
“Where will you keep it?”
“In its lead case, and I think I’ll put the compact in with my other makeup so it won’t look like anything special.”
“Gemma, that’s quite clever,” Tris said and smiled at her warmly. “Are you sure you’re set on Colin? No other man has a chance?”
He was a truly beautiful man, but she wasn’t interested. “I think perhaps I’m absolutely sure.” She looked at her watch. “It’s after nine. I better go. The gym comes early tomorrow.”