Night guard Lance Lewis paced slowly through the halls of the museum, shining his flashlight in the darkness. Anyone who asked him what he thought of his job, he’d say it was dull but paid well. The only real excitement he’d seen during his time as a night guard meant either spotting exposed wires or pieces that needed serious repair. Tonight, however, would be different.
The museum’s crowning attraction was the world’s largest confirmed emerald. It was a three by five inch rectangle, kept in the Hall of Gems in the geology wing of the museum inside a glass display case in the center of the room. The emerald rested upon a white velvet cushion on top of a marble pedestal. Valued at nearly four million, it was bound to attract unwanted attention.
At around 1:30 am, Lance thought he heard the sound of breaking glass as he entered the geology wing. He quickened his step a little, shining his light ahead as he passed by prehistoric skeletons and various dioramas. He heard a voice muttering as he neared the Hall of Gems. A soft thud, and then a yelp betrayed the presence of an intruder. Lance rushed inside the exhibit, his flashlight revealing everything that had transpired.
Broken glass from the center case was scattered across the floor, the vacant cushion lay askew on the pedestal. A man of roughly thirty-six hopped up and down grabbing his foot, the emerald on the carpeted floor in front of him. He froze when he saw Lance.
After talking to the police, showing them the crime scene, and seeing the thief arrested, Lance surveyed the damage from behind the yellow tape barrier. He’d have to report this to the administration and the curator, and the case would cost a lot of money to replace. The emerald itself was surprisingly unharmed, for a notoriously brittle gem. Lance sighed in relief, at least it was safe. It would be a nightmare to replace it if it had broken, let alone the bad press.
