Page 4 of Gem Warfare

“It’s true. I can’tcluckingargue with that.”

“Do you haveanyinteresting cases?” I asked, desperately hopeful. Anything to stop the puns.

“One that is a longstanding headache. I might need to go to Europe soon to pursue a lead on a jewel heist. Several, in fact.”

“So sorry to hear that. How awful for you. Europe. Sexy jewel heists. All on the FBI’s dime.” I shook my head in mock sadness,and made a mental note to ask Solomon if he ever planned to take the agency international. A Paris office would be terrific. Maybe Milan.

Maddox merely grinned. “There’s no way the MPD would have ever sent me to Europe, and the case is way beyond their purview, so I’m very happy with the way my career is going. Unfortunately, catching my thief is the headache part. She’s slipperier than an eel.”

“She?”

“Plenty of female criminals around,” he said. “You constantly surprise me by not being one. Anyway, I’ve lost her for now but she’ll pop up again. Maybe when…”

“Hold on,” I said, catching movement in the salon. Not by the doors where I expected, but from the ceiling. Someone was entering the salon from a direction I’d never considered.

I pointed and Maddox leaned in. “Would you look at that,” I said, as we watched the figure wriggle, dangle in the air, then drop to a crouch on the floor. “Yours might be in the wind but I think we can catch this thief.”

Chapter Two

“Guess I’ll leave you to it,” said Maddox, reaching for the door handle.

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t want to crash your party.”

“You’re invited to the party since you crashed the pre-party.”

“Shall we divide and conquer?” he asked, grinning, and making me wonder if he’d just engineered the invite by feigning disinterest. It didn’t matter; I needed the help.

“I’d suggest I take the front and you take the back but I’m sure they can’t escape that way. They must have been entering and exiting through the ceiling the whole time,” I said, struggling to think of exactly how. I couldn’t see a ladder and the figure had dropped a little way from any of the furnishings. I couldn’t see how he or she could climb back up.

Since I’d learned a few things during my time as a PI, I did the sensible thing and called Solomon before I walked into who-knows-what kind of mess.

“How’s the stakeout?” he asked.

“Paying off. I just watched someone drop through the ceiling into the salon.”

“Creative.”

“I have Maddox here but we might need backup.”

“I’m a half hour out. I can call Fletcher and Flaherty and see if they’re closer but I think you’ll be good with Maddox.” Fletcher and Flaherty were my fellow PIs and usually worked as a duo. With backgrounds in CIA and the police force, Solomon had found them perfect fits when he was setting up the agency. I’d initially found them stony and skeptical, but now I knew them to be big-hearted men who always strove to do the right thing. Unless it involved donuts, in which case they would trample overeveryone they loved to get the flavor they wanted.

“I’ll try to keep her under control,” said Maddox, loudly enough for Solomon to hear. Solomon snorted a laugh and I thought I heard Delgado laughing too. Then Solomon hung up. “He doesn’t believe me,” said Maddox. “I don’t know why I said it. I didn’t believe it either.”

“He’s too far to be of immediate help. I’m going to call Jord. Burglaries are his thing.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate arresting a criminal red-handed.”

“Sis’,” said Jord, answering. “Lily enjoyed your surveillance afternoon.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Shame you didn’t catch the perp.”

“Not so fast. I have my eye on the suspect and I’d appreciate your help. Do you want an easy arrest?”

“Sure! Wait… what did they do specifically?”

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