I have got to get a grip. I have my grandmother in the police evidence room waiting for the trial of the guy who stole the ring from my attorney's office. How am I going to? What am I going to do? If I get the duplicate from Jackie, I could switch them out. It would have to be a zirconium stone. It just might work. If I tell anyone anything about this, they will lock me up for sure. If I keep talking to myself I will be locked up for sure and for certain.
One thing is for real. I would lose my job if anyone found out. Then they would lock me up and throw away the key. I gotta find Jackie; make some phone calls.
I gotta stop and check with Momma. "Jackie, I gotta talk to you. I am leaving my apartment now. I will meet you at your office. You gotta help me."
"I will be here: You...'click'"
"No one else is here, right. I got to tell someone what is going on or I will lose my mind. Jackie, Grandmother's spirit is trapped in that stone. I know it sound crazy but when I had it for just a few minutes, I talked to her. I should say I communicated with her. The thieves that took her the first time thought the ring was haunted."
"Janie, what you just told me is impossible. You are imagining this. You want to believe it because she had her ashes turned into a diamond."
"Grandmother said there was going to be a murder. That old woman who lives on that big estate due East is going to be murdered. Her grandkids and the other members of the family have a plot to do just that. I must talk to her to find out where the evidence is so I can get the information to the head of security. I can't just let the murder happen. I can't tell anyone how I found out. I gotta get to the ring in the police lock-up. You gotta help me do that."
"How?"
"I thought that you could say you have to have the thing certified and labeled by a gemologist to verify it." I am staring at you, Jackie. You gotta admit that is a good one. "Grandmother says you have a duplicate stone done, that is also a pink, pear-shaped stone. It is a zircon… you know… fake."
"Janie, think. You cannot get a fake stone certified as a real one no matter what."
"You are going to have to go to the new chief and sit down and tell him what you just told me. I think if you are calm and rational might listen or at least keep you from breaking the law. Besides the difference in the value of the theft is considerable. The real stone alone is worth half a million. The z-stone only a few thousand."
"Jackie, will you go with me. Maybe you can at least back me up on how the ring came to be and how I ended up with it."
"Let's go. I still think you need to call a shrink.This is a pretty wild tale, even for you."
"I am calling your chief because I have to talk to you about my grandmother's ring, the case and I need you to listen to me about some things."
"You are with the K9 units? I can meet you there. See, yah in a few."
My stomach is turning. I am feeling a little lightheaded. I best grab something to eat on the way. There he is. He is a good-looking man. I am so glad I did not say that aloud. I would never be able to live that one down. I sure hope he gives me a little credit. I will either be fitted for a padded cell, lose my job, finish going crazy, or all three. Who knows? His dog is beautiful. "Hello, what a beautiful dog you have there. I want to sit down while we talk. Okay?"
"Sure. I wanted to let you know that I went to the evidence room and got your grandmother's ring out for you. Your attorney said something about needing to get it certified for court. I have it here."
"Wow. Thank you so much. It will just take a few minutes to get the certification done."
"Janie, wait a second. Oops. Oh, no. What did you have on your hands? Your dog just ate my grandmother's ring. You cannot let this go. We got to get him to the vet and get it out of there. Your dog could get it stuck or wedged on something. We gotta get it out now. Please."
"Stop crying."
"But you do not understand."
"Explain it to me. I will listen."
"You promise to sit there and not interrupt me until I am finished?"
"I promise."