On Sido's deck in the East Bay Hills, plates of assorted pastries were arrayed on the redwood coffee table. Sido poured French Roast coffee into matching Tunisian mugs, topped each serving with cream. It was a sunny morning in that late September time of year in Northern California where the weather was warm enough for summer clothes. Both Caydance and Sido had succumbed to the temptation to wear flowery dresses.

They were talking about Anne Merry Lafitte St Denis -- her name, her likeness to the description of the woman who bought the music box at Thrift Town, painted scenes on it herself or commissioned somewhat else to paint it, and concealed a medieval book of hours within its base. "Is there anyway she could know that a buyer at the art school fundraiser would discover what the music box contained?" Caydance asked.

"When it became apparent how easy it was to remove the diorama from the base, the book was not difficult to find,” Sido responded. “The base is surprisingly large, as if it was meant to be a container. The space below the music mechanism is accessible, as if meant to contain a hidden treasure. But not everyone would see this."