Others? There were more diamonds like the one in the safe? I began to get a bad, bad feeling about why Tobias Dawson wanted Warren T. Fox’s land so badly. If my suspicion was correct, Dawson wouldn’t stop harassing the Foxes until he was dead. Which meant the thought of killing the dwarf just morphed from a pleasant idea into a cold, hard necessity. The sooner the better.

The first giant finished his phone call and turned back to his buddy. “They’re on their way. But I still don’t see how anyone besides Dawson could even open the safe. All the silverstone in it is keyed to his magic.”

“For a rock like that? Somebody would find a way,” the second guy replied.

As they stood there talking, I crept away from the window and slipped off into the dark, rainy night.

———

I jogged back to the far end of the basin away from the mine office. I didn’t sprint full out, but I didn’t dawdle either. I kept my pace just quick enough so I’d still be able to hear the giants behind me when their friends arrived and they decided to investigate the area outside the office. But I didn’t worry about them finding anything. The drizzling rain would wash away any trace evidence the detective or I might have left behind, including our footprints.

I reached the back slope of the basin where we’d come down, rounded the rock outcropping—and found myself on the business end of Donovan Caine’s gun.

“Nice to see you too,” I drawled.

Donovan let out a breath and lowered his weapon.

“Sorry. I heard footsteps.”

“Don’t worry. That’s not the first gun I’ve had pointed at me.” Probably wouldn’t be the last one, either, but I didn’t mention that to the detective.

Donovan holstered his weapon. Then he stepped out from behind the rock and looked toward the mine offices. By now, more lights burned there, like fireflies that had been grounded by the rain. Faint shouts drifted through the night air.

“Did you kill the guards?” Donovan Caine asked in a low voice.

“No.”

Surprise and relief flashed in his golden eyes. “Why not?”

I shrugged. “Because a possible break-in is one thing. Dead guards are another. I don’t want Tobias Dawson to realize I’m coming for him. Not until it’s too late.”

Donovan’s relief melted into stubborn consternation, and I half-expected him to start lecturing me about the sanctity of life. To tell me it was just plain wrong to go around planning someone’s assassination, even if it would save two innocent people in the end. Donovan stared at me like he wanted to do that very thing, give me the good lecture. Then another emotion crept into his golden gaze.

The detective almost looked… sad.