TWENTY-ONE
LONDON, 2021 AD
New suede shoes resting on the walnut veneer of his desk Stephen Bentley admired his handiwork. The jewel shone before him in all its magnificence. A little silver polish and a soft velvet cloth had worked miracles. The tarnish had disappeared and now he could appreciate the workmanship, the delicacy of the carving on the feathers, the sinuous lines of gold framing the blood-red stones, the exquisite double zigzag decoration around the dove. The bird seemed to dance as he moved it in the sunshine pouring in through his office window. He guessed it must be worth a small fortune, but the age of the jewel was what made it so priceless.
Bentley was tempted to keep it. All he had to do was say the kids found nothing. He took his feet off the desk and sat back in hi
