Queen of Diamonds

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

As we all emerged back into the closet, the sun beat through the windows warming my skin from the cold baron jewelry cave. However, the frosty vibe still lingered in the air between the three of us. A few more frigid moments past as we aimlessly looked around the room for our next move.

"Should we just go?" I suggested to my arduous partners in crime to which I was met with agreeing grunts.

As we set out to the master bedroom, Andrew's head down, dragging his feet, Sarah's chin raised high appearing unruffled by the scuffle, and I leading the pack shoulders slumped in conflicting defeat.

Walking back through the master suite we heard a door slam and all three of us stopped dead in our tracks.

"Please tell me I imagined that?" I breathed squeezing my eyes shut.

"Afraid not," Sarah whispered digging her nails into my arm.

"What do we do?" I said. And then the voices started. And a name was said that I never would have expected turning me on my heels to look behind me.

King.

And Carter.

I stared at Andrew as his eyes bugged out of his head like he needed an EpiPen.

"I-I," he stammered looking down at me but keeping his attention to the voices down the hall as they continued.

"King, Carter," the voice repeated again. "I told you, my father has searched the grounds and has found nothing."

"Dash!" an angry voice interjected as if chastising a child. An angry voice which could only be Stone Carter, Cash and Richy's dad, or Roy King, Andrew's dad. "It has been 2 years, how has nothing turned up!"

"How should I know?" he replied calmly despite the attack of old Richie men. "Isn't this your family's old place? Maybe you have a lead?"

"If I had a lead I wouldn't need your useless company!" Stone Carter's voice roared down the hallway bouncing off the deteriorated walls trying to escape out the skylight to billow his frustration to the forest.

"On the contrary," Dash replied, still unruffled. "If it weren't for Bolderdash Construction this property would have been ceased or left vacant for anyone to rummage through."

I guess Dash wasn't so privy to the reoccurring all too curious teenagers just down the corridor.

"Bolderdash Construction," I repeated whispering to Sarah. "That's the sign of the company in front of the gate outside."

"So?" she questioned giving me a puzzled look.

"That Dash who is in there must be the son of that company," I explained.

"And again, I say, so?" Sarah repeated.

"Clearly, they are in cahoots with the Carters and the Kings," I said giving Andrew a pointed look.

"Ava, I don't know anything about this!" Andrew defended in a hushed plea.

"Little Prince, shut up. No one is talking to you right now," Sarah snapped throwing her hand up to block Andrew's face without looking in his direction. "What does that mean though? I've never met this Dash person," Sarah said, addressing only me.

"I haven't either," I agreed." I've never even heard anyone talk about him."

"I have," Andrew chimed in trying to get our attention.

"Of course, you have King," Sarah growled. "Your father is in there right now with him!"

"I didn't know about it though!" Andrew replied in a rush. "I've never even met him before. I've just heard his name thrown around by Richy and Cash."