Page 31 of Lost Cause
As they backed away, she mounted a flexible ruler on the wall next to the portrait for scale, then lifted her camera, that was hanging around her neck, up to snap photos of everything from various angles. When Burke first met her, she seemed relaxed and carefree, but her concentration now would rival his when on the job.
“Done.” She eased away from the wall and scanned the hallway as she stepped away.
Burke carefully lifted the picture down. An ancient-looking safe protruded out of the wall in the same shape as the misshapen canvas. The safe’s rusted metal had originally been black, but most of the paint had chipped away, revealing the raw steel underneath. A circular handle along with a round combination wheel were mounted in the middle, and heavy hinges secured the door.
Burke glanced at Abby. “A safe, just like I thought.”
She inched closer to it. “Clearly an antique. Must’ve been here for some time.”
“Do you think Victor knows about it and has the combination? If he did, when we mentioned the hidden compartment, why not tell us about the hallway and the safe too?”
Abby’s eyes tightened. “I’ll add one more question. What could possibly be inside there?”
“And, more importantly, is it related to the theft of the crown?” Burke asked. “We need to question Victor about it and get him to open it.”
“I’ll just get this stuff packed up.” Sam tapped her small bin.
Burke turned his light down the hall. “Let’s see where this hallway goes, then we’ll talk to Victor.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Abby said, but didn’t move for some reason.
“Hopefully, he hasn’t purposely been withholding this information.” Burke looked down the hallway, eager to see what else they might find. “If we discover thisisrelated to the crown and he hasn’t been open about it, we can’t rule him out for stealing his own crown. In fact, even without an obvious motive, I’d move him to the top of my suspect list.”
Abby took one last look at the safe. She wanted to give Victor the benefit of the doubt. Believe he didn’t withhold this information on purpose, but she couldn’t help but think he knew about it. Burke could be right. By Victor not mentioning it, he could be involved in the crown’s theft. Sure, they couldn’t see a motive right now, but that didn’t mean he didn’t have one. Between the hidden passageway and the safe he’d kept secret, what else wasn’t he telling them? The very question she would ask him as soon as they finished checking out this hallway.
Burke waved her ahead. “After you.”
She took a few steps but slowed to let him come closer. “Not that I’m complaining, but what’s up with all of the ‘after yous’, pulling out chairs, and offering to help Sam with her cart and bins? Or do you seriously still do things the old-school way?”
He looked at her. “You don’t need to worry—I’m not working some hidden angle here. I know I haven’t exactly shown it, but I was raised in a strict Christian home. I was taught to respect women, to step up and help when I can.”
She stopped and faced him. “Because we’re the weaker sex?”
“No way. The Bible says men should respect women the same way they’d respect their own mother or sister. I don’t agree with everything my parents drilled into me, but this is one thing I’ve carried into adulthood.” He held her gaze. “It’s not about thinking women need a man to intervene—it’s about giving the respect God expects me to show.”
Was he being real, or just trying to play her? His voice and that dead-serious look didn’t leave much room for doubt. Maybe he actually was one of the good guys—the kind any woman should be glad to have around. So why was every part of her itching to tune him out?
“Hold up,” Sam called out from behind them. She was squatting, studying a spot on the floor. “There’s something else here. It’s some sort of oil, but it’ll take detailed analysis to tell you the kind.”
Burke crouched next to her. “Do you have the tools to analyze a sample or is it beyond your scope?”
Sam stiffened. “I may not have a world-class lab like the Veritas Center, but thanks to Gage, my lab is very well appointed. So yes, I’ll take a sample of the oil today and let you know what I discover.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean anything negative by that,” he said.
Sam continued to study the spot but didn’t speak.
“I told you Sam was good at her job,” Abby said, proud of Sam for standing up for herself. “Not only processing unusual evidence but locating it in the first place. She noticed this spot when we both walked right over it, and it could turn out to be important.”
“Or not.” Sam stood, her irritation gone. “You never know until you know.” She laughed and headed toward the library.
“I like her,” Burke said. “I put my foot in my mouth, and she’s already over it.”
“I should’ve warned you it’s a hotspot for her. Her lab is small and not well known in the law enforcement field, so she often gets questioned by skeptical officers.”
“From what I can see so far, she seems quite capable. Plus, for a science nerd, she’s quite personable.” He chuckled.
Abby grinned along with him. “Now that’s something she doesn’t mind hearing.”
