The Jewelry
Vittorio had managed to get upstairs and into his and Marie's bedroom without his wife or anybody else. He removed the small sack from the pocket of his coat in the closet and put it in his pants pocket. Checking the hallway first, he wandered back downstairs and around into the kitchen. He knew Josie was outside, working in her garden.
Actor silently let himself out the back door and down the steps. He looked around and spotted the older woman kneeling between rows of vegetables with her back to him. Casually, Vittorio walked around the garden, seemingly interested in the plants.
Josie looked up as she noticed she was no longer alone. A smile crossed her face. Through correspondence for several years with the man, she had come to be fond of the Italian now-ex-convict.
"Am I bothering you?" Actor asked.
"Not at all," said the woman.
Vittorio walked down between the rows to where she was kneeling, sitting back on her heels. He sat on his heels in front of her.
"Josie?" began Actor cautiously.
"Yes, Dear," she answered him, curious as to his demeanor.
He frowned. "Would there be somewhere we could talk in private? I am in need of your help with a matter."
"You want my help?" she asked in surprise.
He nodded and checked a pea pod that was not ready yet.
"Well, the tool shed is empty right now," she replied. "I suppose you could carry a hoe out for me." This should be interesting, she thought.
Actor rose to his feet and held a hand down to help her up, not that she appeared to need assistance.
"I'm dirty," she said hesitantly.
"What? You think I've never been dirty? I believe that is what sinks are made for," teased the Italian.
With a soft chuckle and a shake of her head, she placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her up. She reached her left arm out and pointed to the tool shed. "That way."
They walked to the wooden structure and inside. Josie looked up at the man, who seemed a little uncertain.
"I would like to ask your assistance in a matter, that probably isn't right," he began.
"Who do you want to con?" the older woman asked. The man's eyebrows shot up. "I am a DiCaldo. I am familiar with cons. Now who do you not want to know about something?"
"Your sister and Teresa's husband," he admitted, watching for her reaction.
This definitely was going to be interesting. "Continue, Vittorio," she said.
Actor eyed her. "Back when we were looking for Teresa in Brandonshire, Goniff spotted something in a pawn shop window. It was a necklace that belonged to Teresa. The owner said she had pawned some of her jewelry to have money with which she could purchase boat and train tickets to go home." He paused a second. "Back at the beginning of Teresa working with us, with me, during the war, I purchased some jewelry for her to wear when we were attending parties for the Reich. To get information," he added quickly. "The necklace in the pawn shop was the one I had purchased her, and matching earrings," he said.
"And you bought them again?" Josie asked with a little smile of certainty.
"Yes," he replied.
"Do you have them on you?" At his nod she said eagerly, "May I see them?" She knew whatever they were, they would be real, judging by his past.
Actor pulled the sack from his pocket, glanced at the door, and opened the bag. Carefully he pulled out the diamond necklace and held it out to Josie.
She felt her hands were too dirty to be handling it, but it didn't stop her. She knew authentic diamonds when she saw them. Turning, she held it up to the light from the door. Oh, they were real all right.
"This is magnificent," she breathed. Turning back to Actor she said, "And you bought these for Terry?"
"Yes," replied Vittorio. "When we were working cons against the Reich, we attended rather extravagant parties with high ranking officers and officials. She needed to look the part of my . . .," he hesitated, unsure how to say this to the girl's mother.
He need not have worried. "Wife, girlfriend, mistress?" Josie asked with a smile.
Actor nodded. "I think Teresa might like to have them back. However, Marie would not take that well, and neither would Casino."
"So you would like me to get Terry alone and give them back to her for you," she said, knowing the answer.
"If you could be so kind, Josie," the former confidence man said with sincerity.
"I don't have a problem with that, Vittorio, and I think it would be better for Terry to have them privately," agreed the girl's mother. "I can arrange that." She handed the necklace back and asked. "Could I see the earrings?"
He smiled and pulled them out of the bag, holding his palm out with them in it. She took them and shook her head.
"It has been many years since I held anything this beautiful," she said emotionally.
Actor took out another necklace before putting the diamond one back in the sack. She pinched her lips between her teeth, and handed the earrings back. Apparently that little action had not been learned by the Warden and Teresa from General Garrison.
"Now this is a replacement for a necklace that Goniff gave her. It was taken from her by a German Field Marshal and she never was able to get it back." He handed Josie the emerald and diamond four-leaf-clover on the gold chain. "I had this made for her, to look like the one that was lost. That one was paste." Josie nodded, knowing the term. While she was looking at it, he continued. "I realize it is not appropriate for me to give this to Teresa who is now married. And I know my wife would not approve. Would you object to giving it to her?"
Josie handed the clover necklace back to him. As much as she had learned to love her son-in-law, Charlie, she could not help but feel there had been a stronger relationship between her daughter and the man standing in front of her.
"Sometimes, Vittorio, it is better the spouses are not hurt by feelings we have for someone else," said Josie. "I will be happy to give these to Terry for you."
The sigh of relief Actor released was palpable. He handed the bag of jewelry to her and watched her tuck it into her pocket and adjust her handkerchief so it was covered. "I would like to do something else, probably also not totally appropriate," he said.
"Go right ahead," Josie said. "I think you are 'on a roll' as they say."
Actor gave a wide grin, leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Josie's cheek. "Thank you, my sister-in-law."
"You are very welcome, my brother-in-law," Josie grinned. Now she pointed to some tools hanging on the wall. "You might bring the hoe and rake with you. It is nice of you to offer to carry them for me."
Actor picked up the tools and escorted the woman back to the garden with a wider grin on his face.
It was two days before Josie was able to get her middle daughter alone for a quiet talk. She was hanging laundry out when Terry came by, alone.
"Terry?" called her mother.
"Yeah, Ma?" the girl turned back to Josie.
Josie's voice was quiet so as not to be overheard. "The men are going out to ride fence this afternoon. Actor is going to take Marie for a little ride into the park and St. Mary's. Chris will be in the bunkhouse, plotting how to change it into a home for her growing family. Can you come to my bedroom then? I have something to discuss with you in private."
That was unusual. "Sure," replied the girl.
After lunch, and everyone had gone their separate ways, Terry walked into the kitchen where her mother was deciding what to make for supper.
"Do you have time now?" asked the girl.
Josie nodded and led her into her bedroom, closing the door. The two faced each other. Terry was beginning to get concerned. This wasn't like her mother.
"Vittorio talked to me the other day, in the tool shed," began Josie.
The tool shed? Terry raised and eyebrow.
Josie continued. "He had something of yours he thought you should have. His giving it to you would make it awkward with Marie and Charlie."
"What?" asked Terry in confusion. What could Actor possibly have of hers that would be 'awkward?'
Not answering, Josie went to her chest of drawers and retrieved the little cloth bag from her underwear drawer. She handed it to her daughter and watched.
Terry was still confused. Cautiously she opened the bag and dumped the contents into her palm. Her eyes widened and her free hand went to cover her mouth. She made a tiny sound and her eyes became glassy. She tossed the bag on the bed and lowered her hand to touch the jewelry with a forefinger. They were hers. She knew that.
"How? How did he get these? I pawned them in Brandonshire to get the money to come here." Eyes wide, she stared at her mother.
Josie nodded. "Apparently Goniff spotted them in the pawn shop window. That is how they knew for certain you were alive and on your way here. Vittorio purchased them back. He said he ordered the clover necklace because he thought you should have that too." Josie gave an amused smile. "He said the original was 'paste'."
Terry's fingers closed over the jewelry, and her folded fist went too her chest. Her other hand went back to cover her mouth again. This time a tear escaped the corner of her eye.
"He bought the diamond necklace and earrings for me, and then he bought them again?" asked the young woman. "And had the other one made?"
"So he says," said her mother.
The girl's reaction told Josie there was still feelings between her daughter and the Italian. Feelings they did not show in front of anyone.
"Now," said the older woman, getting back to the issue at hand. "What are you going to do with them?"
"I can't very well keep them here," said Terry. "Charlie is familiar with all of them." She looked at Josie. "I still have a safe deposit box in Cut Bank. Charlie doesn't know about that one does he?"
"Not that I know of," said Josie. "We had a little Garrison only family discussion one night. We decided, as we did not know what was in it, to just leave it be in your name. I would pay the yearly fee on it."
Terry nodded. "Can I leave them with you until I can get to the bank alone? Nobody goes through your underwear drawer."
Josie nodded, accepted the bag and put it back into her drawer. Terry sank down to sit on her mother's bed.
"And you're all right with this?" asked Terry in wonder.
Josie smiled. "It has been many decades, but as I told Vittorio, I am still a DiCaldo. I understand probably more than you think."
Terry was setting the dining room table for supper, when Marie entered and headed for the stairs. Vittorio came slowly inside, behind her. Terry caught his eye and mouthed 'thank you.' After a glance up the stairs, Actor smiled and gave a slow blink of his eyes before following his wife.
5