The two shadowy figures carefully made their way back into 
Cathra's limousine with their stolen treasure and quickly disappeared
into the countryside.
     "To Comrade Higgins' home, Bruno," Cathra said, settling back
into the plush seat of her luxurious automobile. She held the crystal
to her eyes, quite pleased with her much sought after prize. "Surely
the mayor and thee capeetaleest Peerlessees weel deemand serveeces
 of a deetecteeve agency wheech eez better able to guard thees jewel. Beeleeve me, my freend, were I up to my old ways as een thee old countree, thees jewel would have permanent place een Cathra's collection, no?"
     "NO!" came a familiar, muffled voice which seemed to have come
from the car seat. It was Andrea Conartist, of all people, climbing 
from the trunk, into the back seat. She snatched the gem from
Cathra's hand. "I'll take that, if you don't mind. I can put it to much better use than you and 'comrade' Higgins."
     "You!!" Cathra said, surprised and quite angry. "How dare you??
Geeve that back!! I stole theese far and square!!" Cathra grabbed
the detective by her shirt.
     "I can't give you the prism," Karen said. "But I can give this--"
And with that, she landed a solid punch into the taller woman's
jaw! A fight resulted, which caused the gem to fall through an opened window. However,  so intent  were the two lady thieves in thrashing 
the other, the loss of the gem had gone unnoticed!!