Tentatively Olivia touched the artifact. A visible shiver of energy went through her.

“This isn’t a reproduction,” she said, speaking very quietly. She did not take her eyes off the camera.

“Hmm?” Gwendolyn tried to sound only vaguely interested. “Oh, no. It’s definitely got a little heat in it, but it’s not the type of energy that appeals to true collectors. It’s just a vintage camera. It probably picked up a bit of a vibe because it was sitting on a shelf with a lot of relatively hot artifacts.”

Olivia used both hands to carefully lift the camera off the display stand.

“I’ll take it,” she said.

Excitement flashed through Gwendolyn.

“Are you sure?” she said. “I’ve got more interesting objects downstairs. I doubt if they even make film for that old camera anymore.”

“I don’t think it was intended to take traditional pictures,” Olivia said. “How much?”

Gwendolyn took a deep breath. “Ninety-five dollars.”

A reasonable price for a relic that wasn’t supposed to have much value, she thought, but high enough to sound realistic.

“Fine.” Olivia smiled and clutched the camera very firmly, possessively. “Now, let’s go see the hot jewelry you’ve got downstairs.”

—

Half an hour later Olivia left with the vintage camera and a promise to research the suspicious jewelry. Gwendolyn wasn’t worried about the status of the bracelet, necklace and ring she had just hired Lark & LeClair to check out. The provenance on them was clean. But allowing the precious camera to be taken off the premises was unnerving. Still, it wasn’t as if she’d had much choice.

She locked the front door, turned the sign over in the window and pulled down the shades. She hurried to the counter and picked up the landline phone. Eloisa answered immediately.

“The princess just left with our pea,” Gwendolyn said. “She’s obsessed with it.”

“Olivia LeClair?”

“Yes. She practically jumped on the camera. I just hope we haven’t made a terrible mistake.”

“We both know she’s our best bet,” Eloisa said. “If we’re right, she can lead us to the original Vortex lab.”

“Yes. But Lark and LeClair are closely affiliated with the Foundation. If Victor Arganbright’s people get into Aurora Winston’s old lab first—”

“We don’t have a choice. The rumors about Vortex are getting stronger. It’s no longer just a legend or a myth. Other people are looking for it seriously now. We’ve got a head start but we could easily lose our edge if we don’t move fast.”

“If LeClair realizes what she’s got, she may take the information straight to Victor Arganbright. If he gets involved—”

“Trust me,” Eloisa said, “once LeClair figures out that the camera might be able to lead her to her mother’s killer, she won’t let anyone get in her way, not even Arganbright and his Foundation.”

“I hope you’re right. There may be one other possible complication, though.”

“What?”

Gwendolyn thought about Olivia’s reaction to the camera. “LeClair clearly picked up the vibe of the artifact. Her response was very intense. She did not put it down the entire time she was in my shop.”