章 273: Rings are mandatory

Coop had a jeweller who bought stolen gold and silver from the pirates. He used it to fashion jewellery and decorations that were then sold to merchants at a price that was lower than what was commanded at distant markets. It was good business. He paid his taxes to Bella and lived as comfortable a life as was possible on the island. There were the occasional breaks in but that was what he kept his pets for. Five very poisonous snakes with thick armour-like skin were hidden in the shop and they did their jobs very well. Dozens of robbers had died trying to steal from the jeweller. The others had learnt their lessons after that. Now nobody dared to attempt a robbery.

Heavy knocking on his door roused the sleeping jeweller. Late-night visits were never good news, not even on Coop Island. Especially on Coop island. He slowly pushed open his window and peeked down at the door expecting to see a rowdy gang.