Chapter 11

"No. We weren't looking for a watch ... we were looking for a boat title."

"I see," she looked a little disappointed, as if she thought she was in command of the situation, and realized, she wasn't. She gave the two of them, totally ignoring Megan and Franklin, a look that said, you win. "Could we please look? It's important."

"Ah, " said Seph. "The magic word." There was a long pause, the anxiety from Violet was redolent. "Sure ... Ed? Let's see what we've got."

"Thank you."

Remember, Persephone had been tossing the keys in the 'bag' one at a time, as they fit a lock but not what they were looking for. Of the four remaining chests, Violet picked one. Persephone handed her a key. There was a twenty-five percent chance that the key would fit. It did. Violet threw open the chest lid like a kid would open a box with a new BB gun. They couldn't open just one of the seventy-five little pasteboard boxes. They had to open each one. Krugerrands, seventy five boxes of twelve one ounce Krugerrands. Fifty-six pounds of gold. No wonder they had to use a dolly. Violet was disappointed.

How can a person be upset with nine hundred one ounce gold coins valued at Seventeen hundred dollars each? Persephone wasn't. Edmond wasn't. Neither was Harold, and all he got to do was look. One point five million dollars. They boxed it up ... put it in the chest and locked it.

"Which one now, Violet?" asked Ed.

"Oh ... let Harold have a turn. I can't stand the suspense." She gave a little nervous laugh. "I don't know what I'm going to tell the Makers if we don't find it."

"Harold? Step up ... choose."

Harold asked, "How about I chose a key and work from there?"

"Works for me," said Ed.

Seph held out the envelope ... Harold hovered...

"Well, damn it, Harold ... pick one," demanded Violet.

Harold cracked up..."Violet ... I can see why it took you so long to learn to fly."

"Huh?"

"No patience."

An idea ... not really, more a torture ... struck Ed, "You know the other chests?"

"OH ... NO!" exclaimed Seph, "we didn't check EVERY box ... Shit, Shit, Shit." She turned her bag upside down on the bench ... again.

They were a little less ceremonious about sorting the junk. If it wasn't a key ... and one didn't shake out when they shook it ... back in the bag it went. They did find one in the Colt ... stuck between the hammer and slide. Eleven keys.

"We're missing a key!!" Instant pandemonium. People on all fours with drop lights and bench brushes ... searching under the workbench and shining lights on the floor ... looking for a bump.

Ed grinned..."It's in the chest with the titles and your coin set." Ed pointed ... the little bugger was sticking out of the lock.

Seph stuck the ten keys in the envelope. Harold drew one and commenced to try chest locks. I know we've been through this before but ... it would be damn stupid to keep trying locks after the chest was open. It was the chest that had the diamonds.

Open a pasteboard box.

Check the velvet bag.

Put the bag back in the box.

Try another.

"More diamonds." Seph was disappointed ... over diamonds?

After six boxes of diamonds they found rubies ... then emeralds ... opals ... tanzanite, "Ooo! pretty!" ... alexandrite ... sapphires..."Lord knows what this one is." ... but no watch. The bags were put in the boxes and the boxes in the chest.