Now I'm just Alexei. Whoever that is.

Proprietor of Wardenclyffe Antiques and curator of the River Heights Historical Museum. Show a little character, don't ask too many questions, and we should get along just fine.

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

As he ventured deeper into the small shop, Joe considered Alexei’s words. Being a detective was something he was good at. Other things? Not so much. Mixed emotions made Joe silent. Instead of talking, he was studying each piece of the shop’s wares and imagining it in his new homestead. Is it cool? Does it have some purpose? Would Frank approve or find some way to spill juice on it and have it thrown out?

A bizarre item captured Joe’s attention. It was a scuba helmet, only it wasn’t wearable. Joe pulled the front of the helmet opened and revealed itself to be a cabinet with shelving. “This is cool…” Joe commented, hoping for an explanation and a low price from the shopkeeper.

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

If Alexei was glad to get away from talking about himself, he was even more relieved to get away from discussing feelings and careers altogether. When it came to that sort of stuff, words were beautiful butterflies in his mind and dead moths when he opened his mouth. He had to rack his brain for the next thing to say, and even then his sentences tended to come out insufficient and awkward as hell. Antiques, however, he was fluent in.

“Very cool,” he said, turning to face Joe and the helmet now, where moments earlier he'd been diffident. “It’s a real World War II era Soviet diving helmet. That well-worn look isn’t just for show. Found it at a show in Chicago, a rather crafty fellow got it from his father and added the shelves inside for novelty.” Most kids Joe’s age were more into the 'IKEA everything' aesthetic, but Alexei imagined that Frank and Joe’s place was probably full of weird knickknacks from past cases, each with an interesting story attached.

[doctorfvckingwho]

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

The kind words brought a grin back to Joe’s face. Whatever feelings given to him were reflected back tenfold. It never took much to cheer him up. The down side is that it didn’t take much to bring him down. And the constant anxiety of not knowing what to do with oneself was weighing on him like an anchor. He couldn’t move until he freed himself from it.

“Yeah I guess you’re right.” He pondered a moment, fiddling with a mechanism on a desk before recognizing the fragility of it and leaving it be. “It boils down to whether or not I want to be a detective, or something else. And if I choose to be a detective, would I be missing out on whatever other life I could have had.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

Alexei’s remark had been an honest observation rather than a deliberate cheer-up attempt, but it put such a bright smile on Joe’s face that Alexei felt gratified nonetheless. Kid had a good smile, it came easily and seemed totally guileless. Alexei suddenly felt even more guilty about having been so coarse earlier. His impression of Joe was that he’s one of those rare individuals to whom people just want to be nice.

“Well, all I can say is what my dad always said about the army. Only sign up if it's the only thing you can ever imagine doing. Think that probably applies to any big decision.” He supposed more pragmatic advice would be do whatever is lucrative, steady and safe. But he’d never cared much for pragmatism. He felt strongly that if you spend all your time doing something you don’t enjoy just to get by or because it’s easy, you might as well be dead. He almost said as much, but figured he’d already given too many opinions, considering Joe hadn’t actually asked for them.

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

He listened intently. The old man was hardly telling a tale, sounding more like careful evasion to Joe. Everything Alexei shared with him was information Joe could gather just from their circumstances. Old, single, surrounded by antiques, bringing up a past that he looks back upon fondly, and yet never shares. It was the classic case of a too early tragedy.

Joe picked up on the diversion and was willing to play along to keep things friendly. “Frank’s going to law school, eventually. So he’ll be playing a different role, a safer one, but one that matters. And pays.” He chuckled. “Nancy’s… she’s not stopping any time soon. No matter what else she plans to do with her life, she’ll never stop wanting to help people and solve problems.”

He shuffled his feet and looked towards the far wall as he finished his thoughts. “I mean both sound nice, but… I love what I do. Being a detective. I don’t want to give that up. But I’m not as smart as Frank or Nancy, I couldn’t do something else and still be a detective. And I just have idea which path I want to take.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

If Joe had mused aloud that being surrounded by antiques was a symptom of a tragic lonely existence, Alexei would’ve had a resentful remark for him. True, the antiques were a window on the world, but his appreciation for them went vastly further than that. But fortunately Joe didn’t say anything of the sort, though others did often enough that Alexei thought he might be thinking it. He caught himself overanalyzing as usual, and made himself focus.

“Frank seems like he’d make an excellent lawyer. Can’t think of anyone with a better head on their shoulders for handling this--” don’t say fucking disaster, he reminded himself-- “mess of a justice system. And Nancy, well, she’s Nancy. I agree with you there, she's wholly cut out for the job. Just like her mom.”

It didn’t take detective skills to notice that Joe’s body language became insecure and noncommittal when he began talking about his intelligence compared to his brother and friend. Alexei knew right away that this was a sensitive topic. “In my experience, one has to be fairly intelligent to be capable and willing to question their own intellect. Seems contradictory, but it’s true.”

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

Joe was very perceptive of others. There was a shroud of mystery and sadness surrounding the mysterious and sad man. Something had happened to him. He could always ask around, Nancy would likely know something. But maybe he didn’t have to be anything but honest and a good listener. “It sounds like there’s a story. I’d be interested if there’s anything you ever want to share.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“Hm?” For a second he didn’t realize he’d muttered that last comment. He was always micromanaging his brain, constantly reminding himself not to say anything personal, but sometimes his brain didn’t listen, and it came out anyway. There was no going back on the topic now, so he tried to address it as briefly as possible. 

“Oh, yes. There’s a story, alright. I was once just like you and your brother. Now I’m not. It was fun while it lasted, but it didn’t last. Same thing very nearly happened to Nancy last year, she probably told you all about it. But there’s nothing much to be said about the matter at this point. Spent thirty years dwelling on it, but the one loose end has, at long last, been tied up. My point is, you’re lucky to be able to decide whether you want to continue down this path or not. You said Nancy and Frank have made up their minds. Which way are they leaning?” His escape tactic when he started talking too much about himself was to flip the conversation around at the first opportunity.

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

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Dylan listened in rapt silence as Alexei explained the nature of the box, allowing his eyes to roam over the box appreciatively. It wasn’t anything that he wasn’t already aware of – Dylan knew how to do his research – but it was interesting to listen to Alexei’s account of the history. The man also knew his stuff – Dylan suspected that he could give the full history of any item in that room, even if Dylan picked it at random. They were similar in that regard, what with Dylan and having to know everything there was to know about whatever he was touring that day. Dylan could appreciate the man’s attention and care for detail and had a feeling they were going to get along. Not that Dylan was planning on staying in that town for too long, of course. 

There was one thing that took Dylan by surprise, however. When Alexei said that he got the box open Dylan felt his stomach flip, his mind in overdrive as he reminded himself that he was supposed to know nothing about the box. The fact that the box was suspected to hold a valuable item, that no one could even get it open, was part of its value and mystique. Dylan didn’t know quite yet whether or not the fact that Alexei had gotten it open would be a good thing or a bad thing. “Huh…Fascinating.” After a moment Dylan turned to Alexei, his brow raised slightly as he observed him. “How did you get the box open? Was there anything inside of it?”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

Alexei appreciated that Dylan seemed intently interested in hearing the particulars of the box. Many people tended to zone out as soon as Alexei started talking. Even though Dylan seemed to be holding something back, Alexei thought he could imagine taking a liking to the fellow. Maybe. He’d taught himself long ago to not accept people too easily. He could admit to having (in his view, completely justified) raging trust issues. Which is why he wasn’t even sure if his perception of Dylan was based on anything real he’d detected, or if he was just being his usual cynical self. But better to be paranoid than get played. That credo had served him well over the years. Even if it was kind of isolating.

“If you decide you want it, I’ll show you.” Alexei said slyly, continuing to play coy for now. “It’s a puzzle box, I will tell you that, and what a puzzle. Whoever devised the thing was incredibly crafty. But unfortunately the results aren’t worth the effort. It’s empty.” That much was true. What he didn’t add was that he was pretty certain there was a secret compartment in there somewhere. The size of the empty main compartment didn’t quite match the size of the box from the outside. And of course he couldn’t resist wanting to discover it himself.

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

Joe perked up when he heard Alexei mentioned he worked on cases in his past. Was he once an amateur detective as well? It wouldn’t be surprising, nor would it be the most unusual coincidence Joe ever experienced. He let Alexei finish speaking before chiming in, allowing himself to wear a large, goofy grin while the man was turned away.

“Yeah, same as Nancy. There comes a point in every young sleuth’s life when they’ve got to decide if their hobby is going to become their career. And it’s hard to figure that out when you spend all your time solving mysteries. Think of it like a sabbatical.” Joe shrugged his shoulders, even though Alexei couldn’t see. “Pretty sure Nancy and Frank have their minds made up. Me? Not so sure.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“That makes sense, I suppose.” Alexei couldn’t imagine the luxury of being able to decide whether or not he wanted to continue being a detective. He might have eventually reached that point given the chance, but the option had been taken away. Like lost relationships and everything else that ended prematurely, the ‘one that got away’ quality of his career made it seem even better in his mind than it probably actually was. “Never take for granted the choices that you have the freedom to make,” he said somewhat cryptically, unintentionally finishing his thought out loud.

[fuckyeahpetercapaldi]

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

Joe’s jaw briefly dropped. “So this is where he was working. He didn’t tell me so I wouldn’t get him fired, which is completely ri–” He took a glance over at the damaged clock. “… completely right of him to think that.” A laugh, a feeling of relief washed over Joe as he at last felt comfortable in the store. He even had the chance to brag a bit. “And yeah Frank and I were pretty good detectives. Although I don’t think anyone can solve the case of how to keep up with that hobby and survive midterms.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“Mm-hmm, this is the place. I had no idea it was such a secret. He left when school started up again, though. Liked him. Focused, quiet, careful. No nonsense. Unusual for a boy of his age.” Alexei was about to add, Now I see why they say you two are different as night and day, but didn’t, remembering his resolution to be less of an asshole. Instead he smiled a bit at the remark about midterms.

“If anyone does have the solution to that, it isn’t me. Surviving high school was tricky enough. Trying to balance a full dance card of cases at the same time kept me on my toes, to say the least. With college I can see how it’d be nearly impossible.” He didn’t even realize how easily he’d let himself slip into talking about his past, a topic he usually skirted. Joe was basically a blonder, bubblier version of Alexei at 19, so it seemed to come out naturally.

“What’s this about were? Nancy told me she’s taking a break for awhile. Same with you two?” While talking he went back to shuffling items into color groups. He preferred to busy himself while conversing whenever possible, as it gave him an excuse to avoid eye contact and made him feel less put on the spot.

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

[seekerlucy-deactivated20170311]

Dylan had to fight the urge to grab the box and get it all over with, to just appease the people who wanted this thing in the first place so he could just get out of the business altogether. The stress and the hunting down items was exhausting. The money may have been amazing – he probably never would have set foot in River Heights if it wasn’t – though it wasn’t like Dylan enjoyed it or was even comfortable with it…but desperate times called for desperate measures. 

“I’m not sure…” Looking between all three of them Dylan finally settled his attention upon the one in the center, the one he actually gave a damn about. Getting a better look at it he paused before continuing. “This one’s curious. What’s its story?”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

The box, about a square foot in size, was made from many different colors of wood, intricately inlaid to form strange imagery on all sides. Centuries of handling had rounded the edges and burnished the surface to a velvety finish.

“Ah, yes. You picked the most interesting of the bunch. Italian Renaissance. As you probably noticed right away, the style is quite unusual. Would be tough to pinpoint its age, if the artist hadn’t been so kind as to date the bottom-- 1664. According to the provenance documents, they gave it to a friend or relative, and it remained in their family for several generations. But for whatever reason, in 1740 this box was sold at auction, along with the rest of the family’s belongings. I don’t know if they all died, or had debts to pay off, or what. But after that it passed through a long string of dealers. No one seems to have held onto it for long. A business acquaintance of mine over in Springfield picked it up at an estate sale, but she got frustrated trying to open it. No visible lock or hinges, you see. So she passed it off to me. I had it open in an hour. There’s a trick to it.”

Alexei smiled a bit, almost mischievously, undeniably proud of his knack for puzzles. He could have gotten into the more interesting details, but didn’t want to ramble. He was aware that his ebullience when talking antiques came off as annoying to some.

“So that’s the gist of it. The paper trail’s rather faint, and there were a few curious incidents along the way. But there’s just enough documentation to verify its authenticity.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

[seekerlucy-deactivated20170311]

As Dylan followed the man he let his eyes roam, falling over various artifacts that were either covered or displayed. Everything had its place and he could instantly tell that Alexei was very big on organization and making sure that everything he possessed stayed in perfect shape. That certainly boded well for Dylan if he was ever to get his hands on this box to sell, if Alexei even had it at all. But given the amount of things that he did have Dylan suspected that the box was there in all of its glory – but he couldn’t get too excited once his eyes did lay upon it. Dylan was supposed to be just browsing, after all.

Stopping in front of the marriage chest Dylan eyed it appreciatively – it was a beautiful piece – Dylan quietly nodded his appreciation until Alexei turned his attention over to the boxes in a glass cabinet. Right there, sitting in the center, was everything that he had been looking for. Keeping his face entirely neutral Dylan moved over to the cabinet and looked at all three, taking an equal amount of time with all of him instead of going directly for the one in the center. “Just an interest in the period, mostly,” he murmured, his eyes studying one of the other boxes that he didn’t care for as if he was interested in it anyway. “I can appreciate a fine piece of art when I see it.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

When Dylan got a look at the boxes, Alexei couldn’t be sure if he was interested in any particular one. Every savvy buyer, no matter what you’re buying, knows that you mustn’t show too much enthusiasm, lest you get taken advantage of. And clearly Dylan was nothing if not savvy.

“It was an incredible era for all areas of culture,” Alexei nodded. “Anything you’d like to take a closer look at?” Dylan had something enigmatic about him and Alexei was enjoying trying to figure out what it was.

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

Joe pouted slightly, having thought he escaped the notorious designation of “Frank’s brother”, being the second most well-known Hardy Boy, dealing with Frank’s reputation being known but for Joe having to sound like he’s bragging to get any attention. He feigned a smile at that remark. “Yep. Frank’s my brother. We’re also a team, ya know. We’ve done a lot together. He’s… yeah.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“Oh, I know that. I’m acquainted with you boys’ exploits.” He would have felt weird saying he was kind of a fanboy. Keeping up with the Hardy Boys’ detective work in the crime news was like following a serial adventure novel, one which happened to remind him of his own adventures. “I ask because I know Frank. He used to work here up until a couple weeks ago. Talked about you near constantly. Almost every time he opened his mouth I could expect the J-word to be the first thing out.”

[joehardydetective-blog]

[If You Break It] Joe / Alexei

[joehardydetective-blog]

Joe was looking for a good day and was in no mood for confrontation. He was glad the man forgave his mistake, and Joe was determined to rectify that by not leaving until he had purchased something. It was the least he could do. He put on a friendly face and introduced himself. “Joe Hardy. I saw your store earlier today and decided to come in and look for a thing. I have no idea what that thing is going to be though.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“Well, Joe, allow me to apologize.” Every year Alexei resolved to work on his anger issues, and by year’s end he always ended up realizing he’d never become completely zen. But the year is young yet, so he was still trying. “You’re certainly in the right place to find a thing. Just watch your step, and when you find something you like, let me get it for you, alright? Wait, Hardy, as in Frank’s brother?”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

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“I just really appreciate history and antiques certainly have that, don’t they?” Dylan had always had a fascination with history, even from when he was a small boy. A passion for the world and a desire to see as much of it as he could. It was only natural that he fell into what he did for a living. Not so much the shadier part, but Dylan was working on getting out of that. “Expansion? Business must be good.” It was obvious that the place was in need of expansion, just from the amount of antiques Alexei actually had. He wouldn’t have been surprised if there was far more behind the counter, and Dylan was certainly hoping that was the case considering he didn’t seem to have much luck with everything that was displayed. 

Even so Dylan was very careful to move around, knowing himself the importance of not touching anything or bumping into anything. A simple touch or a bump could ruin something precious in the blink of an eye and Dylan had too much respect for the items in that shop to take that chance. But damn, he was itching to get his hands on what he was actually there for. As Alexei answered his question he fell silent, his ears perking up when he mentioned that he had boxes in the back. It took everything in him not to visibly sigh in relief and instead he smiled with interest and gave the man a nod. “I’d love to. The chest and the boxes sound particularly interesting, if you wouldn’t mind.” 

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“More than happy to oblige. Right this way.” He wished Frank was still around to keep an eye on things, but after the boy’s sudden departure, it was just Alexei again. He wasn’t too worried, though-- he could still drop someone in a pinch. He pushed aside the curtain obscuring the storeroom door and led the way. Now it became clearer than ever why an expansion was needed. Nearly every inch of floor and wall space was occupied, though it was all meticulously arranged, with walkways weaving through. The light was dimmer here, and most things were draped in ghostlike sheets, adding to the attic vibe.

“Welcome to Ali Baba’s cave. Watch your step, I keep it rather dark. Not that I have to explain that to a fellow preservationist.” He unlocked a door to a more secure, climate-controlled inner room. “Here we are. This is the chest I mentioned.” He pulled the sheet off an impressive, five foot wide walnut chest covered with carved moldings and elaborate pen work. “Spanish Renaissance marriage chest, or archa de novia. The front panels open to reveal drawers. Hidden compartments, too. The person I acquired it from didn’t even know they were there, but I found them.”

Next he gestured to a glass cabinet which held three smaller boxes in a row. “These all date to the same period, 1680 or so. They all display the incredible craftsmanship of the period, but I like the studded leather travel case the best. Only a few studs are missing from the design, amazing considering it’s been around for well over 300 years. See how even the latch and handles are highly ornamental. They don’t make many everyday objects with an artist’s touch anymore. Do you have a special interest in period cabinetry?” He’d detected excitement in Dylan’s demeanor as soon as he mentioned the boxes, and suspected it had nothing to do with an affinity for cabinetry, but it was a good way to try and steer the conversation towards the truth. Of course there’s nothing inherently suspect about wanting a specific item, but the fact that Dylan insisted he wasn’t made things interesting. 

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

[seekerlucy-deactivated20170311]

“Of course.” It was amusing to Dylan that Alexei collected his various antiques through the proper means while he himself was looking to pass along one of the man’s antiques through improper means. That was the plan, at least, given that he actually found what he was looking for. As Dylan moved through the shop, his eyes falling on the various things for sale, he didn’t know if he was actually going to be so lucky. At least the man behind the counter wasn’t a bad conversationalist. “Like I said before I’m impressed with what you’ve amassed. It’s refreshing to find a place around here that’s not a museum yet is right up my alley.”

Spying a shelf with a few boxes on them Dylan casually made his way over to it, eyes carefully scanning each one for the one he was really looking for. “It’s not just flattery,” he said with a laugh and a shake of his head. “All you need is my accent, I think, and you’d be set.” When he mentioned that he had been a detective Dylan’s ears perked up and he turned his head to look at Alexei with a look of interest. Bloody hell, every person he ran into seemed to be a detective. It didn’t bode well at all for his line of work. “A detective, huh…You’re a curious bloke, aren’t you?” Dylan’s eyes were friendly but they were searching, like he was trying to read Alexei. And he was. “Detective turned antique collector and seller. It’s interesting.”

It probably wasn’t good for Dylan’s focus that he was enjoying the conversation more than he should have. It was in his nature to be engaging but it was also in his nature to be drawn to intriguing situations or people. From the very little information he had gotten he could already see that Alexei was one of those and he had to silently remind himself to stay focused when the conversation shifted back to the antiques that were in the shop. “As I said I specialize in the Ancient World but not quite that old.” Not seeing the box Dylan sighed and kept looking, keeping his body language casual as if he was just browsing. “Early Modern European, perhaps?”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

Alexei shrugged off the suggestion that he was curious or interesting, but not the compliment to his store. “Thanks, I’m glad you like the place. I can tell you’re a man who knows his antiques.” Vaguely suspicious or not, he appreciated the way Dylan took great care not to bump against or even touch anything. He noticed that Dylan looked somewhat frustrated, like he wasn’t finding whatever it was that he wanted.

“I apologize for the cramped quarters. I have more pieces than this space can currently hold. I guess I’m a bit of a hoarder. But the shop next door recently closed, so I’m in the process of buying it. Planning to knock out that right wall and expand, then this place will look less like a stuffed attic.” The recent increase in business, as well as his new museum job, had plenty of perks.

“Early Modern European? Sure. Mostly mid-18th century furniture. Also some earlier goodies... a 17th c. wedding chest, some jewelry, mirrors, an exquisite harp, and a few interesting little boxes. But I keep all that in the back. Out of direct sunlight, you know, and I can keep a closer eye on it. Anything you’d like to take a look at?” 

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

[seekerlucy-deactivated20170311]

That was an interesting anecdote about the man. Now as he looked around the place, taking into consideration that the man apparently hadn’t travelled much, he could see that collecting these things probably had a deeper meaning to him than Dylan would have originally thought. That could prove to be difficult for his own cause but it was interesting to him nonetheless. “You haven’t done much traveling, then? I wouldn’t have guessed that. How do you come into possession of all of this?”

Dylan chuckled slightly under his breath at the ‘live and let die’ comment, having to look up at him from across the shop. “Are you implying that you’d rather leave it in the past or you wished for some kind of James Bond type of career? I have to admit,” he said after a moment and with a smile, “I think I could see the James Bond thing.”

When he heard that there wasn’t anything worth putting in a museum Dylan felt both simultaneously discouraged and suspicious. If the bloody box he was looking for wasn’t there Dylan didn’t know what he would do, but there was no cause for panic just yet; he hadn’t gotten a proper look. “I’m not denying that. There’s a story to everything.” He shrugged. “Do you have anything that’s particularly…old? The past fascinates me more than the present.”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

"Not as much as I would have liked, no. But I still manage to get things from all over. People bring things in to sell, I scour estate sales, sometimes I go on hunting trips to other towns, and of course there’s the internet. You’d be amazed by what people will sell for pennies when they don’t know what they’ve got. Of course, I always do my own research to make sure everything is genuine and acquired by proper means.”

Alexei actually laughed at the James Bond comment. "Now I’m sure you’re just flattering me. No, nothing quite like that. I was once what you might call an amateur detective. Good at it, too. I was going places. But we don’t always get what we want, do we? I suppose it’s not too late just yet. I’m busier than ever now, but if I ever get a little free time, maybe I’ll scratch one of those destinations off my list after all.”

He was actually a little alarmed by how easy it was to talk to Dylan. The man was an expert at charming and disarming, even when the mark knew full well that he was doing it. He was glad to get back to talking antiques instead of about himself. “That’s something we have in common. You won’t find anything less than sixty years old in here... well, except for you and me. How old are we talking?”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

man of the world | alexei & dylan

[seekerlucy-deactivated20170311]

“Is that right? I’ve been told that I’m good at what I do.” Knowledgeable, a travel enthusiast, good-looking, charming. It all helped him in his line of work. “I’ve never been one for working in a Museum setting,” he said after a moment, forcing himself to look back at Alexei instead of scouring the antiques shop for what he was looking for. He was supposed to be browsing, after all. “I prefer actually being onsite, showing whatever it is that I’m showing in its proper setting and place. Although I simply just love to open people’s eyes to new things and that’s what museums can do best.”

Turning to the table nearest him Dylan allowed himself to browse, his eyes falling over handcrafted clocks and a few trinkets that were interesting but not exactly what he was looking for. “I can tell that you have a love for it. You take extremely good care of these things.” Dylan could tell just from the way they shone, how meticulously they were placed and how each little thing seemed to catch your eye. The guy wasn’t joking around when it came to antiques and Dylan was definitely hopeful that he had found the right place.

“What was your first career choice, if you don’t mind my asking?” He had to admit that he was curious as he made his way past the table, being careful as to not to bump into or touch anything. “I haven’t been but I certainly will be, considering I’m a bit of a history freak. Curator, though? Impressive, though I can’t say I’m surprised.” Shooting Alexei a smile Dylan paused briefly and vaguely gestured around the shop. “Would you say there’s anything of significant historical value here?”

[alexei-markovic-blog1]

“Oh, I’ve no doubt that seeing things as they were meant to be seen, in their original setting, is the best way to go. I suppose the fact that I never got that chance has something to do with my affinity for collecting objects from around the world. As for my first choice of career, well, ‘live and let die’ is all that need be said about that.”

Yep, there it is, he thought when Dylan asked if he had anything of value. The way he made the conversation segue into what he really wanted to talk about was quite smooth. Alexei thought Dylan might be casing the place-- wouldn’t be the first time someone tried.

“Nothing worth putting in a museum, if that’s what you mean. Those sorts of things go to the historical museum, and those artifacts are only important to local history. But I think even the things you see here are significant in their own small ways.” He held up one of the postcards. “Even this was significant to someone.”