“You were waiting and watching? You didn’t want Sophie or Rena to get caught if they’d done something illegal?”
“Well, I like them, you like them, and … it wasn’t that I wouldn’t want them caught. It was more about me wanting tae know the reason they might steal something if that’s in fact what happened. I was just waiting a wee bit tae learn what might have been behind everyone’s motivations before I pointed anything out. Does that make sense?”
“Yes.” If anyone believed that there might sometimes be a good reason to do something illegal, it was Edwin, but I really hoped my friends hadn’t stolen the books. “You said a couple of things have happened. What else?”
“Aye. I was in the kitchen the other day, making some tea, and I noticed something about the window. It seems as if someone might have tried tae break in. Mind you, lass, I can’t be sure, but I wondered.”
“What made you think that?”
“The glass was cracked and there are scratch marks on the bars.”
“The glass was cracked then?” I’d been in the kitchen just the day before, and I hadn’t noticed, but I might not have looked at the window. “The bars would be impossible to file through.”
“I believe someone might have tried, though, but we’ll never know. The glass is gone now.”
“You think that crack, or whatever you noticed, has something to do with the medical books?”
“I can’t be sure, but the timing is odd, and none of us knew about the scalpels before you found them last night.”
“Someone suspected the scalpels were there. Dr. Eban.”
“Right. All roads seem tae lead tae him. The warehouse didn’t look the least bit disturbed, but I’m anxious tae see if the scalpels are still there.”
“Me too,” I said.
“Mr. MacAlister,” Inspector Pierce said as if our wishes had conjured him. He came down the stairs with the other officers behind. “We’re done with everything but for one more trip to the warehouse to look in that drawer.”
“Did you find any clues?” I said.
Inspector Pierce blinked at me. “I’m not at liberty to discuss that.” He turned his attention back to Edwin. “Let’s take a look in that warehouse again.”
“Delaney will have to come with us,” Edwin said.
“I understand, but neither of you touch anything. I’ll wear gloves.”
“I’ll come along too,” Gaylord piped up from the back table. I hadn’t seen him on the phone again so I guessed he hadn’t heard back from his colleagues about Conn Clacher’s possible tie to Mallory Clacher. He was still Tom’s and my attorney.
Tom remained at the table with Hamlet. In tandem, they both sent me a supportive nod. I nodded back, probably not as confidently as I’d wanted to.
Inspector Pierce frowned at everyone but didn’t say anything. The four of us were silent as we marched over, three of us following Edwin and his quick, long steps that led us quickly to the red door.
The doorknob and parts of the frame were covered in black chalky marks.
“You fingerprinted this door?” I asked.
I didn’t think Inspector Pierce would answer but he did. “Even though there’s no evidence that someone got in this far, the shop’s front door was open. Maybe someone came and tried all the doorknobs, and you told us you were in here. Checking other knobs became pertinent. We printed the office doors upstairs too.”
I nodded and turned the key three times around to the left before I pushed the door open. “Do you want us to wait out here first?”
“No, just don’t touch anything,” he repeated. “Point, and I’ll do the honors.”
Edwin, Gaylord, and I followed him in. I could tell Gaylord was holding back a reaction, but he did send me a moment’s wide eyes.
“All right,” Inspector Pierce said as he looked at me. “How’s it look? A general impression first.”
“Fine. The same as last night,” I said as I noticed the paper over the surface of the desk and the message that I needed to call Birk.
“This the desk you put the scalpels in?” Inspector Pierce pointed as he walked to it.
“Yes, in the bottom drawer.” My eyes skimmed over the box of Rena’s books still sitting on one of the shelves. I veered that way as I walked to the desk and confirmed that the books were still inside it, undisturbed from what I could gather. Edwin and I shared a glance. I could tell he was torn as to whether or not he should mention the books to Inspector Pierce. I didn’t think he would, and I wondered if I should. I looked at him again. He seemed to tell me to make my own decision. They were Rena’s books and Edwin had only been guessing connections. I didn’t say anything. Yet.
With gloved hands, Inspector Pierce pulled open the drawer.
“In that small treasure chest,” I said.
Inspector Pierce moved all three latches easily, and lifted the lid. The four of us peered inside at the bags with the scalpels and the cases.
“Exactly as they were when we left them,” I said, relief washing through me, though I wasn’t exactly sure why. Why was it still a good thing that the scalpels hadn’t been taken? Maybe it was as simple as the fact that they were part of the story Tom and I had told about our middle-of-the-night adventures, and seeing the scalpels somehow proved we were telling the truth about everything else too.
“Scalpels, huh?” Gaylord said.
“Yes,” I said. “They look like barbers’ razors.”
“I didn’t touch anything, didn’t even think tae look in the desk, but as I told you I did come in and look in here this morning before you and I had a look. Nothing seemed out of place,” Edwin repeated.
Inspector Pierce closed the drawer. “Have you ever had any break-ins before? In here, or in the bookshop in general?”
“Never,” Edwin said.
“How long have you been in business? How long has this room been … this room?” The impatient look on the inspector’s face made it clear what
