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knew Chandra, you’d know it’s exactly the kind of joke she likes to play. She loves magic and card tricks—she always has.
    â€œI can’t tell you how many times she’s kept the crew entertained when we’ve been on location somewhere, waiting for the weather to change, or at the airport, delayed by a late flight. She’s especially good at making things disappear.” Cazzie paused for a moment. “I really thought it was one of her jokes. I even went so far as to call her…”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œShe answered, but she didn’t say anything about the diamond. She just talked a bit about the day and then asked what I wanted.”
    â€œSo what did you say?”
    â€œI was terrified of broaching the subject and ended up not saying anything. After all, if she hadn’t taken it, how would it sound if I started asking her about it?”
    â€œAs if you were accusing her…”
    â€œExactly. And of course she would have realized that the diamond was missing, and I couldn’t risk that getting out. Anyway, after I got off the phone with her, I realized that she couldn’t have taken it.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause in some little way, Chandra always brings your attention to whatever she’s taken. I think she likes to see the surprise on your face. And anyway, I doubt even she would be bold enough to steal a diamond as a joke. Then again, she didn’t seem to give much thought to its value—unlike Misty and Rafaela, the other models shooting that day. They both asked a lot of questions about the Black Amelia…”
    Cazzie paused for a moment before continuing. “I was sick to my stomach when I didn’t find the diamond. I can’t tell you how I panicked. I searched the entire studio, every corner, every centimeter, but it was gone.” She let out a long sigh.
    â€œAnd when you searched the studio, did you notice anything unusual, something that may have slipped your eye earlier in the day?”
    â€œYou mean like the proverbial loose thread from the thief’s jacket or a crumpled note with a name on it?” She shook her head. “Sadly not—and believe me, I looked. I even stayed on while the cleaners put everything in order. They do it in the evening so that the studio is ready for the following morning. I stayed on until it was spotless, white and shining. By this point I was frantic. I didn’t know what to do—I went home and fretted all night. And then, in the morning, the story about you finding Belle was all over the news and I thought you could be the answer to my prayers. I called Miriam right away.”
    I really hoped I could live up to her faith in me. I flicked through the folder until I came to a photo of the Black Amelia.
    â€œYes, that’s it,” she said, “although, needless to say, it’s even more spectacular in real life.”
    I pulled the photo out. The diamond was at the center of an ornate piece of jewelry; the picture showed it modeled on someone’s hand. Fine strands of white gold set with tiny white diamonds formed rings around the middle and index fingers, then stretched down across the top of the hand where they encircled the Black Amelia. From the bottom of the black diamond another strand of small white diamonds dropped to the top of the wrist, where it joined a fine multi-strand bracelet. The effect of the large, black glittering stone set into such a delicate ornament was exotic and unusual. Once seen, it could not be forgotten.
    â€œBy the way,” Cazzie said as I gazed at the image, “in the folder I’ve also included a brief history of the diamond. I doubt that has any direct bearing on its disappearance, but since you are trying to find the diamond, I thought knowing something about it might help you.”
    â€œHow much is it worth?” I asked.
    Cazzie shook her head. “A lot. You’ll see in the articles I’ve