A ladder slid down the side of the office building. Up on the roof Pete Corlear held on to the ropes that allowed him to lower it safely. He didn’t see her go.

Parr asked her a lot of pertinent questions. But it all came down to the same thing. “They didn’t take your phone? Just the necklace box was gone?”

“Nothing else. I’m sure of it.”

“And you were alone?”

“Yes. I went out for lunch, but that only took me, oh, fifteen or twenty minutes.”

“And you’re sure you didn’t leave it at home.”

“Yes,” she said exasperatedly. “I wouldn’t, for about a thousand reasons, which I shouldn’t have to explain to you.”

“Got it.” His matter-of-fact tone was infinitely annoying. The ruby strawberry still had sentimental meaning to her, even though he’d avoided her since she hadn’t said yes. For all she knew, he’d gone back to Memphis on the first available flight.

But, oh God, did she miss having him near. More than ever. The feeling got stronger every day. She couldn’t wait for summer to be over so she could go back to work and have something else to think about. Like . . . a future with no one to love. She snapped out of it when he asked another matter-of-fact question.

“Where are you?”

“Down the street from the building. In my car. I didn’t want to stick around.”

“That was smart. Don’t go back in until I can find out more. You might as well head home.”

She thought about ignoring that order—it wasn’t a recommendation or a request—then decided to let Parr check out the situation without her. He was the only one who had a reason to keep his mouth shut about a minor theft that might have major consequences for both of them, in terms of what the family would think.

There wasn’t anyone else she could call. The cops would ask her if she had a receipt, and she didn’t. Her dad would want to know where the necklace had come from and he would be sure to ask questions. Bobby Joe was out showing houses and she wasn’t going to interrupt him. The thought of the extra keys bothered her. He had the master key and she had a copy, and there had been those others in the desk drawer.

“I’ll be right there.”

So Parr was back in Iminga. He could have called or come by her father’s house. Where he was staying was something she didn’t want to know and wouldn’t ask. Alma was safely ensconced in her newly renovated home and hadn’t said a thing about Parr, though Mary Beth had only been by to see her once since the return trip from Brickell.

There was that Weston clannishness. There always would be.