Donatti waved her off. “I’m in a foul mood.”

“I understand.”

Rina looked at Talia, who was carefully measuring out the coffee beans. The assistant put them in a grinder and said, “While you were gone, I got your favorite coffee, Chris. It’s that time of the season.”

Lost in thought, Donatti didn’t answer. Rina caught her husband’s eye. She jerked her head toward Talia’s desk.

Decker regarded his wife and shrugged.

Rina repeated the gesture.

Slowly, Decker ambled over to Talia’s desk. He tried the top drawer, but it was locked.

Talia turned. She saw Decker at her desk and turned white. “What are you doing?”

Decker looked up. “Do you have the key to the drawer?”

“I beg your pardon?” Talia answered.

Donatti had come to life. His eyes darted between Decker and his assistant. He said, “What’s going on?”

Decker said, “Just like a quick look inside, if that’s okay, Chris.”

Donatti paused. Then he said, “Give him the key, Talia.”

The woman put down the coffee bag and began to rummage through her belt bag. She pulled out a ring of keys and studied them one by one. She looked up and said, “I’m so sorry, but I must have put it on a different chain. It’s not here.”

“It’s fine, I can get it open.” Decker pulled out a pocketknife. “But it is odd that you came to work without it.”

Donatti was on full alert. “What are you thinking, Decker?”

“Not sure, Donatti. Give me a second.” Decker played with the blade, wedging it between the bolt and the desk drawer. It finally popped. He opened the drawer: pencils, pads, paper, paper clips, a lipstick, a packet of tissues, a pair of sunglasses. Nothing weird.

He looked up at his wife and shrugged.

Rina marched over. She stuck her slender fingers all the way to the back. She wasn’t even sure what she hoped to find—maybe a key or something—but instinct told her something was there. She kept at it until, lodged in the corner, she felt something small, round, and metallic. Two things. She inched her fingers forward until she was able to grab them, then she dumped what was in her hand on the desktop.

A gold ring featuring two round diamonds, and a gold wedding band.

Donatti stood, his eyes wide and jumpy, in total disbelief. The orbs went from the rings and landed on Talia’s face. She put down the coffee and crossed her arms over her chest.