Arbor Bay School Auction

It is April 1968 and the effects from the previous Summer of Love continued to linger on the streets of San Francisco. The socialite daughter of wealthy San Francisco oil tycoon, Robert Ralston, is being swept up in the psychedelic scene. Agnes River Ralston is always in front of the cameras and often mentioned in Herb Caen's Chronicle column after lighting up the San Francisco nightlife. One Friday evening, she had been grooving to the music of the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane at the Avalon Ballroom, when she was invited by Grace Slick to an after party at the Airplane's mansion on Fulton Street.

The night was glorious! However, as she laid in her bed that evening reflecting on all of the new connections she had made, she noticed her famous heirloom citrine diamond ring had been stolen right off her finger during the flurry of the evening's events. Her rare citrine diamond had been in her family for generations, originally purchased by her great grandfather and worn by her famous grandmother until she received it as a gift.

Suddenly, the ringing of the doorbell startled her. She ran downstairs and opened the door. "Telegram for Miss Ralston." The thieves had sent a ransom note demanding $2M, noting that they had hidden the ring in "a safe place that no one would suspect, hiding in plain sight, guarded by thorny and protective layers."

What did that mean? How would she find it?! Can you help!