My Christmas On You... A Nine Days of Christmas Inspector Gloria Mystery DAY THREE
Day Three: The Jewellers
Center Street was quiet and already baking hot even this early in the morning. Gloria stretched and then sighed. It wasn’t just the fact that she was spending her holidays on a criminal investigation but more that the alleged crime was so boring. She realised she had very little interest in the parade, its costumes and characters. She was happy to support it when it happened but running around trying to find some missing outfits was beginning to feel very irksome.
She headed for her friend Hassan’s shop. He usually knew if there was anything going on among the jeweller’s community. She also knew that if she timed it right she would get a cup or two of delicious Lebanese coffee.
Unlike the fashion houses of yesterday, Hassan’s shop was full of people who seemed to be in competition to outspend each other. Hassan took her behind the counter and got her a chair while calling for one of his assistants to bring her coffee.
‘I’ve never seen so many people in a jewellers shop before and with so much energy’, she watched as two middle aged women argued over a large gold necklace set with a green stone, ‘no wonder you have extra security on duty.’
‘Well, it’s the President’s Ball in a few days, the annual Christmas awards and biggest showing off competition of the year hence...’ he waved an arm in the direction of two other women who were being separated by one of the security while an assistant clutched the display case with more gold chains on it. ‘But it’s great for business! Are you’, he hesitated, ‘looking for something to wear to the Ball?’
Gloria gave a loud laugh. ‘I’ve only been to that Ball once, and that was to arrest someone, someone close to the president, so I don’t think I’ll ever get an invitation. Thankfully. No, I’m here on a different matter.’ She explained about the missing costumes and jewellery and asked if he had heard anything.
Hassan was looking at her strangely. ‘I made some of that Gloria, you do know that its not all fake, some of those jewellery pieces are very valuable. I did often wonder where they kept it for the rest of the year.’ He shrugged. ‘Not my business but I’m only surprised it hasn’t been stolen before.’
Gloria stared at him, suddenly interested. ‘We’ve always been told it was basically worthless, just for decoration. How valuable are we talking?’
Hassan made a face and shrugged. ‘The three pieces I made are worth thousands. I only made them a few years ago so I do remember.’
‘And who did you take the order from?’
Hassan shook his head. ‘It was all a bit strange. The order was made by a tall woman who wore a veil over her face, said she was in mourning for someone. Called herself Queenie Seapoint. But she paid upfront and added a bonus when she came to collect the pieces. That was the money that allowed me to expand my shop and send my children to university in England. I never saw her again.’
Gloria let Hassan go to see to a customer and allowed the feeling of unease to grow in her. She should have known that a simple, almost comical, theft would not be so simple in Liberia, there would be depths, there would be complications. She thought of Ismael Tartoh’s insistence that she shouldn’t get someone from the police in case it put people off the masque parade. She wondered how many people had known of the jewels’ value, must have been one of them who stole them.
Gloria left the shop, a new sense of urgency on her. If there was money and deception involved here as she was now convinced there was, then there could be big trouble for anyone involved.
‘Ma Christmas on you auntie.’ She heard the voices before she saw them. The groups of street kids who roamed the central shopping area begging and hustling were out in full force these days. ‘Auntie, auntie...’ she heard them coming behind her and stopped. When she turned around, they all stopped in an almost comical way. ‘Oh, tha you ol ma? We not know you without your uniform.’
‘Hmm, you here disturbing people eh? You know people can be so vex during the season this time eh? You mun be careful, take time eh?’
‘Auntie, no work this time, and begging is very weak. So so mean people can be around now. Not like normal time at all.’ This from a child who looked about ten-years-old.
Gloria smiled and sucked her teeth at the same time. ‘You know normal time eh. I think your ma born you right during the war, way after normal time finish? Normal time!’ She took out a few notes and gave them to the biggest boy who she recognised as the leader. ‘Go eat something and then get off the streets.’ They took the money quickly but without any promise to do any such thing.
Gloria was back in Westpoint by early afternoon, after sweating and cursing her way through the crowds at the market. She went straight to the Bathhouse and Ismael’s office where she found him with two other men hunched over an open ledger. Before he could speak, she indicated that he should follow her. The wide porch which faced the sea was empty except for a group of women who were fixing rattan chairs and tables at the far end and making a huge racket while they did it.
‘Ismael, you asked me, in fact you demanded I go find your costumes but you’re not telling me the whole story, are you telling anyone the full story.’ Ismael was looking nervously around him.
‘I beg you Gloria, I will explain everything but you know now that there’s more at stake than some old costumes.’
‘Yes, a whole pile of money in the form of gold jewellery.’
Ismael stared at her, obviously puzzled. ‘Gold jewellery? What are you talking about? There’s no gold jewellery. I’m talking about Mammy Wata, the spirit,’ he went on seeing Gloria’s puzzled face.
Gloria groaned out loud. ‘I know who Mammy Wata is Ismael. But what’s she got to do with this?’ She took him by the arm and propelled him to the steps. ‘Let’s start from the beginning. You tell me what some tale about the queen of the water has to do with the parade and the thefts, and I’ll tell you about the gold.’