He did not comment.
That restraint surprised her more than the sandwich.
They ate at opposite ends of the appraisal table while Penelope compared insurance photographs.
Eventually she found it.
A ruby bracelet photographed eighteen months earlier showed a microscopic chip at the edge of one stone.
The bracelet now in the collection contained a ruby without the chip.
She checked the shipping report from six months earlier.
The replacement stone was already there.
Then she checked an inspection from two years before.
Original.
“The substitutions happened during a narrow period,” she said.
Cassian moved beside her, careful not to crowd her.
“How narrow?”
“Roughly twelve months.”
They traced every object with an issue.
Each had passed through the same private storage facility during estate consolidation.
Cassian’s acquisition manager had relied on certificates supplied by the estate representative instead of commissioning a fresh full appraisal before closing.
Penelope stared at the file.
“You bought this collection before independent authentication?”
Cassian’s eyes darkened.
“I was told it had been completed.”
“By whom?”
He named the executive who had managed the purchase for him: Victor Dane, a polished financier who handled legitimate acquisitions for several of Cassian’s companies.
Penelope remembered him from Zero Bond.
He had been near the bar when Cassian arrived.
He had also been one of the people staring when she took the slider.
The following morning, Cassian called Victor into the conference room without telling him why.
Penelope kept the compromised pieces mixed among genuine ones.
Victor entered smiling.
“Cassian.
Miss Hayes.”
His gaze lingered on Penelope with the faint amusement of a man who believed he understood why she was there.
“I heard our appraiser was working very late.”
Penelope ignored the implication.
“We need clarification on the acquisition records.”
Victor’s smile remained.
“Of course.”
She asked about the independent authentication report.
He answered smoothly.
“Completed before purchase.”
“By whom?”
“An outside specialist retained by the estate.”
“That is not independent.”
Victor shrugged.
“The provenance was impeccable.”
“Provenance and condition are different things.”
“I am sure you know your field.”
“I do.”
She lifted the Art Deco necklace.
“Which is why I know this necklace is not the one shown in its historical records.”
Victor’s eyes moved to Cassian.
Only for a second.
But Penelope saw it.
“What are you suggesting?” he asked.
“I have not suggested anything.”
“You just called an eight-million-dollar necklace counterfeit.”
