There was art deco everywhere; glasses, crockery, art, it was like stepping back in time. His fingers ran over a gold candlestick telephone set. “Does it work?” he asked. “It used to, but it’s not connected now,” Boyce said with a smile. “Over here,” the older man indicated, showing Tarin to an ornate wooden table. The table’s top was carved into a chess board, and Boyce reached underneath to remove a wooden box of chess pieces and began to set them out. “Boyce, are these made of ivory?” Tarin asked as he turned a piece in his hand. “Ivory with gold leaf,” Boyce said as he saw Tarin’s finger trace the yellow band that ran around each piece. “This must be almost priceless,” Tarin breathed, suddenly afraid to touch the pieces. “It is old.” Boyce nodded. “And if I was so inclined, I could probably get a very good price for it.
