Eleanor Williams was as vain as she was rich, but also as kind-hearted as she was wealthy. She enjoyed giving frequent cocktail parties with close friends. So it was one Friday evening when she hosted a small group of friends in her luxurious downtown penthouse apartment.

Eleanor was very observant and could be critical of her friends, but always kept these thoughts private. She tended to be domineering, but everyone who knew her well knew that this was simply a cover for her gentler disposition.

This particular Friday evening would later become known within Eleanor’s circle as the Night of the Diamond Necklace. The initial act in the chain of events leading to her necklace’s disappearance was simple enough: at 5:20 p.m., as she held the necklace aloft to place it around her neck, the bedside telephone rang.