“Oh, those are beautiful,” he said to the old woman. Her diamond necklace shone and sparkled when she inched her walker forward. “The diamonds, I mean.”

The old woman flashed a toothy smile, gripping her walker as if she might fall over. “What a kind young man. Would you like to hear how I got them?”

“Please.” He put down the food tray he was supposed to be carrying to room 209. “I’ve always been fascinated with diamonds.”

“Is that so?” Her wrinkled fingers brushed their sharp surface. “Well, please, do come in, and help an old lady while you’re at it.”

The young nurse guided the lady into her room, put away her walker, and sat her down in the chair. She moved as if she forgot how old she was, and stumbled a few times on the way over.

“I owe you a story,” she said. Old makeup drooped from her silver eyes. “It all started years ago—when I was a young thing—I know, I know, I still look young.” She winked. “And I fell in love with a handsome young man, much like yourself, you’ve even got his eyes. Got into some trouble, he did.”

“What happened?”

“Promise you can keep a secret?”

He zipped his mouth closed and threw away the key, making a big show of it. It made the old woman laugh.

“He made a living robbing museums, and I’m not talking about a local cheap, walk-in museum. I mean the big ones, the Met, the Lourve, the Getty center. My love was a clever man, too clever if you ask me now.” Then she touched the necklace again, and a sad smile took her wrinkled face.

“Anyways, that’s neither here nor there, I guess a leopard can’t change its spots, can it?”

“He stole the necklace?” The young nurse asked.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“Oh, I get it,” he winked. “Can I at least see it?”

“A lot of people have been looking for it, for years and years in fact. He told me to keep it safe., and I have.”

The young man’s eyes gleamed with mischief.

“Would you like to wear it?” She asked him.

He nodded, eagerly, “more than anything.”

“Come here, dear.” She motioned to the spot of carpet in front of her. He kneeled, back to her, and waited to fit its cold surface. Taking her time, um loosening the clasp with shaky hands, she placed it around his neck. When he made to stand up, she grabbed onto the necklace.

“You forget.” She tightened her grip and he clawed at her bony old hands. “Diamonds may be beautiful, but they are also strong.” And she tightened harder, watching his face turn red, then blue, and he fell to the ground.

“He thought he was the first to try and get it back.” She laughed, then reached for the remote and put on Jeopardy.