Part 5 (2/2)

Lillian's hand stilled on Maggie's back. ”You are going to go to Grandberry Falls and let Hazel take care of you. You will sort it out. Figure out what's next for your life. I'm going to go to South Africa a few weeks early.”

Maggie hated to admit it, but Lillian was right. As embarra.s.sing as it was going to be, she needed to go home and find comfort-especially from Hazel.

Chapter 13.

Superst.i.tion: An itchy palm means that you are going to get money.

It took another couple days for Maggie to completely drag herself out of bed and shower. Lillian had made sure Maggie was going to be okay before she packed her things into storage and said goodbye, promising she'd keep in touch over the next couple of years.

Maggie had until the end of the week to go. There was nothing here that was hers but the clothes. Clothes that she wouldn't need in Grandberry Falls, so she packed up a couple duffle bags and any spare cash in the office. Grady never once contacted her. Maureen had sent instructions by courier, and a personal letter that simply read that she was sorry. Grady had given her the Volvo as sort of a consolation prize.

She sat on the edge of her bed, fiddling with her ring. The velour black jumpsuit and tennis shoes would be perfect for driving and the black matched her mood.

The diamond danced along the walls and ceiling when the sun caught it at the right angle. What was she going to do with it? Grady had put in the instructions to keep it, but she had no desire. She slipped it off her finger and laid it on the night stand that was going to be Grady's.

She strolled one last time around the penthouse, remembering all the items that had been on their to-do list once they were married. Items that were now only a dream. She ended up back in the bedroom. Looking at the ring was a blow to the chest. She rubbed her hands down her neatly combed hair she'd secured with a headband and reached out to touch the ring one last time.

”He did say to keep it,” she murmured, scratching her right palm. It was beautiful and she was sure she'd never have anything like it again. She picked it up and slipped it into her pocket. What if she made it into a pendent? No, it would remind her of Grady and those were memories she wanted to put behind her. She looked down at her itching hand and smiled. ”Wonder how much it's worth?”

She walked into the family room and took the ring out of her pocket. She held it up in front of the windows and took a good look at it in the direct sunlight before putting it back in her pocket. She looked out over the skyline, knowing it was going to be her last time in that very spot. She scratched her itchy palm, remembering that an itchy palm means money. But how much?

Yes, the ring must be worth a lot. She wondered how much. There was only one way to find out.

On her way out of town, Maggie found the closest p.a.w.n shop. Many times she'd seen p.a.w.n Stars on History Channel and they'd love to get their hands on a precious gem like her yellow five-carat diamond stunner. She was sure of it.

The store was nothing like she saw on TV. The floor to ceiling junk and flickering lights made it hard to see where she needed to go. Speakers of all sizes lined the back of the store, all thumping some type of heavy metal band.

”h.e.l.lo.” The guy greeted Maggie with a wink and a smile. s.h.i.+vers ran up her legs. She wanted to p.a.w.n the ring and get out of there as fast as she could. ”How can I help you?”

Maggie didn't have time to waste. She was ready to see Hazel and hide in the country for awhile. ”I want to sell my ring.” She handed the five-carat beauty to him with pride. She knew her itching palm was telling her it was going to be good.

Big Mike, that's what his name tag read, took the ring, pulled out a cloth and put it on the gla.s.s top.

She'd put the money in an account until she decided what she was going to do with her career, her life. She was sure she'd get 30 grand out of it.

”Very nice.” Big Mike continued to look at the ring from all angles through his loupe. He pulled it from his eye and gave his offer. ”How about 500.”

”Five?” Maggie gasped. Surely Grady did love her. Maybe he was having cold feet. There is no way he'd spend five-hundred thousand dollars on someone he didn't love. ”I...” Maggie didn't know what to do. For a split second, she thought about calling Grady to make sure he truly wanted to break the engagement.

”Yep. I can't do anything with the cubic zirconium, but the platinum I could melt down or maybe sell the piece as a whole to someone who wants a really good fake.”

Maggie started to twitch. She was sure she heard him wrong. ”Excuse me? Cubic Zirconium?” She picked the ring up and put it on her finger, holding it out to get a better look.

”Yea, the stone. You still want to p.a.w.n it? Five hundred dollars is the most I can give you.”

Maggie closed her fist, the ring tight around her finger. ”No, I think I'll keep it.” There was no way he was right. This was his living, scamming people out of money to get the best bang for his buck. ”I don't think the Cohen's...”

She stopped herself. He had no clue where the diamond had come from. There was no way a Cohen was going to give a fake diamond as an engagement ring. There was only one way to find out.

Luckily, across the street was a reputable jeweler who knew the Cohen family. They'd tell her the truth, and then she'd go back over to the p.a.w.n shop and give Big Mike a piece of her mind.

The jewelry store was a hole-in-the-wall, but a gem to the wealthy. There were a couple of private showings in the back when Maggie walked in. Quietly they closed the curtain away from the showroom.

”h.e.l.lo.” the woman behind the counter smiled at Maggie, recognizing her from the events she'd attended with the Cohen family, ”I'm so sorry to hear about your broken engagement, dear.”

Maggie tried to seem self-a.s.sured, but it was hard maintaining her composure when she too, was sorry about her break up.

”What can I show you to help ease your pain?” The sales lady rubbed her hands together. This was what Maggie had gotten accustomed to with the Cohen's. When something went wrong, an expensive piece of jewelry was the answer to the problem.

”Actually,” Maggie slipped the ring off her finger, ”I want to get an appraisal for this.”

The lady took the ring. ”Yes of course. Leverage for the settlement?” She wrinkled her nose in delight.

”Something like that.” Maggie knew all too well, that no matter what she told the woman, the woman was going to tell the story the way she saw it and not the truth. It was certain to be in the society tabloids in the morning, just like all week.

It was the same old song and dance Maggie had seen at the p.a.w.n store, except the sales lady gave Maggie a gla.s.s of champagne while she waited. She eyed the entire bottle of the Dom-- a gla.s.s wasn't going to make her feel better.

”Miss?” Maggie looked over at the gemologist. ”Your appraisal is ready.”

Her gla.s.s was still three-fourths full, she gulped it down. She wanted to be ready to celebrate and her flute needed to be re-filled. The dollar signs were adding up in her head. She didn't need Van Meter Attorney At Law when she had her engagement ring fund to tide her over until she decided what she wanted to do with her life.

”I'm sorry. Mr. Cohen did not get this here.” The gemologist pushed the ring toward her. ”We can't and don't appraise cubic zirconium.”

”Cubic Zirconium.” Maggie held onto the gla.s.s display case. The heat from her hands left perspiration marks around her fingers. ”I...”

Maggie grabbed the ring. She didn't know what to say. Not only did Grady fake loving her, he gave her a fake ring to prove it.

”No need to say anything, dear.” The saleslady refilled the flute. ”You need a few of these.”

Maggie waved her hand in front of her. ”No thank you. I appreciate your time.”

She walked out with dignity, but once she hit curb, she ran to her car. It was time to go home to Grandberry Falls.

Chapter 14.

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