Page 100 of Gem Warfare

“Sorry I asked. Of course you did,” said Garrett. “Can you check the box for me?”

“Must I?”

“Please,” I said. “It would set our minds at rest.”

“Who’re you?” he asked.

“She’s consulting on my case,” said Garrett. “Now, please, humor me.”

“Give me the number again,” he said and Garrett reeled it off.

“Wait here. I know where it is. I’ll grab it.” He pushed off the desk, ambling away and disappearing behind a shelving rack. A minute later, he returned carrying a brown cardboard box. He set it on the desk and made a point of indicating the seals to us. “Nothing’s been cut,” he said.

“Open it,” instructed Garrett.

The sergeant plucked a penknife from the desk drawer and slit the tape open. He set the lid to the side and tipped the box forward. Inside was the plastic bag, the jewels wrapped in tissue, along with the photograph in another bag.

“Open the larger bag please.”

“I’ll have to log this,” said Sergeant.

“Not a problem.”

The sergeant reached for the bag, popped it open and tipped the contents into the upturned lid. He unwrapped the tissue and revealed the larger jewels. “This what you expected to see?” he asked.

“It is,” confirmed Garrett.

“Good. Now watch me count every piece back in and then I’m going to log it and you can sign off after I reseal the box.”

“Thanks,” said Garrett. “Much appreciated.”

“Anything else, or do you want to get out of my hair?” asked the sergeant as he resealed the box.

“We’ll get out of your hair,” said Garrett as he signed the paperwork. “Thanks for your help.”

I narrowly avoided pointing out the sergeant didn’t have any hair as Garrett ushered me from the room.

“I would have had a heart attack if the jewels were stolen from under our noses,” said Garrett. “Are you sure you recognized her? It’s not your nerves playing tricks?”

“I’m sure. At least…” I hesitated, feeling uncertain now. Nothing had been taken and I didn’t know everyone in the building. What if she just looked like Maddox’s thief? But what if my gut feeling weren’t wrong? “Let’s say it was Maddox’s suspect. She must have wanted something else. Maybe she wanted to access a file instead? Could she do that?” I asked.

“Not without a password. Maybe you were mistaken? It’s been a long day. I’m tired. You’re tired. The tracking bug and tires blowing out spooked us. I hate to say it because I know you’ll be mad at me, but it was just a face in a crowd. Maybe she looked like a photo but there’s no reason to think anything Maddox is working on is directly related to this case. You’re spooked. It’s natural.” Garrett gave me a sympathetic smile. “We have the jewels. That’s what matters.”

“I’m sure it was her,” I insisted softly. “I’m sure it was.”

Disappointment weighed on me as I decided against checking in on Jord, and called Solomon instead. Perhaps Garrett was right. Perhaps I was hallucinating. Perhaps I was seeing thieves wherever I looked.

Or perhaps we missed something.

Chapter Twenty-Two

I’ll be outside in five minutes.Solomon’s text message flashed on my screen.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” I said, rising from the chair in Garrett’s office. My half-drunk cup of coffee was left on the desk, abandoned. Garrett was on the phone and he hung up when I rose. For the past several minutes, I’d been contemplating calling Maddox and finally ruled it out. Garrett was right. The woman was just a face and the jewels were all there, secure in the evidence locker. It had been a long day.

“You got a ride?” asked Garrett.

“Solomon’s picking me up.”

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