Page 70 of Gem Warfare

“She?”

“We know she’s a woman and we know this is the sort of cache that might pique her interest. That’s all I can tell you. Could you give me a courtesy call if any women show up in your inquiries? Please,” he added, politely.

“I can,” I agreed, “but I’ll need more to go on than just a female menace. Is this anything to do with the names you mentioned?”

“She has a lot of aliases. Caucasian, thirties, American but she’s good with accents. It’s a long shot. I doubt she’s in town but you never know.”

“Hair? Eyes?”

“Yes, and two. Apart from that, your guess is as good as mine. She might be bald and wearing an eye patch the next time she turns up.”

“So you don’t know what she looks like?”

“I do, but I couldn’t tell you what she looks liketoday. Or if she’ll look like today tomorrow. I’ll send you some photos so you can see for yourself.” With that, several images came up on my phone. “Take a look.”

I scrolled through several grainy photos. “Are these all the same woman?” I asked.

“Yep.”

“She looks so different.” Long brunette hair and green eyes, a redhead with green eyes, a blond pixie cut, a bob with a baseball hat pulled low over her eyes. Then there was every conceivable fashion choice: skinny jeans, dirty and holey sweater and track pants, an evening dress, a pant suit. She looked different in every picture yet with the high cheekbones and a sweetheart face, I was sure I was looking at the same woman. “I’ll let you know if a woman matching that very broad description pops up.” I wondered how many of the female employees of MPD that covered. Maddox was crazy if he thought his description would help.

“Cool. I really want to arrest her.”

We said goodbye as a man walked past me, stopped to buy a newspaper and walked off with it under his arm without even looking at the cover. I caught one word in the headline: JEWELS. I hopped out, bought a copy, unfolded it, and raised my eyebrows at the headline.

PRICELESS JEWELS FOUND BURIED IN BACKYARD WITH BODY.

“Mystery of dead man living under assumed name. Police have few leads,” I read before I grabbed my phone as I settled into my car, the newspaper spread across the wheel. I called Garrett, pleased that he picked up straight away.

“Did you seeTheGazette?” he asked as a door slammed shut on his end.

“I’m reading it now. Did you release that to the press?” I asked.

“No, someone leaked it. I would have given more targeted quotes than their anonymous source. Could have been anyone from the Dugans to the morgue employees to my team. I’m afraid we’re going to get calls from a thousand fortune hunters all with a compelling reason why the jewels should be handed to them forthwith.”

“I have a lead that might help you cut the numbers.”

“Are you anywhere near the station?”

“I’m outside.”

“I’ll be another twenty minutes. Bring donuts.”

“On it,” I said and hung up. The Donut Delights drive-thru was less than ten minutes away so I killed time by heading there and ordered a mixed box. As to why I was buttering my brother up with donuts remained a mystery but since I planned to eat some too, I was okay with that.

“That was quick,” said Garrett when I walked into the station, waving to the desk sergeant. “I only just got here.”

“I’m incentivized.” I held up the box.

Garrett peeled back the lid and said, “You took a bite out of the sugar glazed ring.”

“And it was worth it.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t taste test the rest.”

“Me too!” Gosh, I was good to my brother! Helping him pro-bono and bringing donuts. If only he were a sheriff, he could deputize me immediately.

Garrett shook his head, sighed, and motioned for me to follow him. We headed to his office, keeping the donuts under guard, and he dropped the box onto his desk. As he sat, he reached for a triple chocolate and bit into it. “What have you got for me?” he asked.

---