“Did she see you?” Metcalf transferred his attention from the ruler to Hunt.
“Not hardly. The place was dark, and I knocked her into a wall before she could get a bead on me. Lit out of there while she was still collectin’ her breath to holler fer help.”
Leroy noted that Metcalf’s brow was furrowed in thought. “Something botherin’ you, boss?” he asked casually.
“I wonder if she knows anything about this.”
Leroy snorted. “Nope!”
“Why do you say that, Mr. Hunt?”
“Cuz if she did, she woulda done a better job of hidin’ the damn thing stead of leavin’ it settin’ right on the coffee table like it was some kind of knickknack.” Hunt sounded annoyed and a trifle disappointed. “Didn’t hardly make it worth my while breakin’ and enterin’. Didn’t have to ransack nothin’. Just left it settin’ out in the open, plain as day.”
Hunt stopped speaking. A sly smile crossed his lips as a new idea occurred to him. “Course if you want I should go back and tidy up the situation for you, I aim to please.”
Metcalf appraised Hunt with a look of thinly-veiled disgust. “I think that leaving a suspicious trail of bodies behind can hardly be considered tidy.”
Leroy shrugged. “Whatever you say. So long as I get paid, it don’t make no never mind to me.”
“You’ll get your money.” Metcalf stood up from the table, indicating that the interview was nearing an end. “I am satisfied that the antique dealer’s sister is not involved in the matter. You no longer need to concern yourself with her.”
He walked with Hunt toward the dining room door. “Once this key is translated, I will have more work for you.”
“You know how to reach me, boss. Always happy to oblige.” He retrieved his hat, tipped the brim to Metcalf, and left.
Chapter 8 – Digesting the Information
Much later that same evening, a familiar group of four people gathered together in Faye’s kitchen. The mood was somewhat less grim than their last meeting as the old woman bustled about fixing them a midnight snack.
“Despite the lateness of the hour, I’m glad you were all able to join me to discuss Erik’s latest findings,” she said as she passed out platters of cold cuts and bread.
The security coordinator started building himself a three-decker club sandwich. He didn’t need any further encouragement from Faye to launch into his report to the group. “You were right, Maddie, it was them.”
“And you’re surprised that they were behind it all along?” The red-haired woman blew a smoke ring into the air. She rose to help Faye bring a tray of cups and saucers to the table.
“At first, I wasn’t sure. It didn’t fit how they’ve operated in the past.” Erik bit into his sandwich. “Besides, they aren’t where we expected them to be.”
“Don’t talk with your mouth full, dear,” Faye corrected gently as she poured coffee.
Griffin distributed the cups around the table. “Where we expected them to be? It isn’t as though we encounter these people every day. When was the last time our path crossed theirs, Faye?”
“Long before you came to join us. About ten years ago, I think.” Faye sat down and stirred cream into her coffee. “Much can change in a decade.”
“Then I suppose it’s to be expected.” Griffin directed his next question to Erik. “Why shouldn’t they have relocated their headquarters?”
Erik dutifully swallowed his bite of sandwich before speaking. “Because they don’t exactly travel light, that’s why. You should have seen this place. It looked like they’ve started building their own city.”
Maddie scowled. “Bad news for our side.”
Faye moved on to a more urgent topic. “What about this fellow who broke into Sybil’s apartment? You said you don’t think he’s one of theirs.”
“Not likely,” Erik laughed. “He was wearing a cowboy hat.”
“Did you get a good look at him?” asked Maddie.
“Not great. It was dark, and he was getting into his truck, but I saw enough to put together a sketch. And I got his license plate number.”
“Well, that’s a start.” Maddie walked over to the counter for a bag of chocolate chip cookies. She brought them back to the table. “Did you have a chance to check out the plates before we got here?”
“Yeah,” Erik hesitated. “It was a rental. I found out it was leased to a guy named Matt Dillon.”
Maddie and Faye both laughed. “Our villain has a sense of humor,” the old woman observed.
Griffin looked confused. “I’m sorry?”
“Never mind, old chap,” Erik said in an exaggerated British accent. “I guess you lot didn’t get Gunsmoke over the pond.”
“Gunsmoke over the pond?” Now Griffin looked completely lost. “What on earth is he talking about?”
Maddie patted Griffin reassuringly on the back. “Nothing important. It’s just an old TV series. What we Yanks would call a horse opera. You know, shoot ‘em up stuff. Cowboys and Indians.”
“How very extraordinary,” Griffin remarked, helping himself to a cookie.
“And what about Cassie?” Faye asked.
Erik decided to skip the cookies and dipped into a bag of potato chips instead. “Today I trailed her from her dorm to Sybil’s apartment. It was already dark when she got there. I waited for her to go up in the elevator before I followed. I was just getting off on the fourth floor when I saw this guy come tearing out of Sybil’s place and head straight for the stairwell. He didn’t see me. I ran inside the apartment to check that Cassie was OK. That he hadn’t hurt her.” Erik looked around the table at the others. Their faces were troubled. He continued. “But she was just shaken up. Lucky for us, she actually saw what he took.”
At these words, they all stopped eating. A captive audience.
“Yes?” Griffin prompted.
“She said it was a five-sided ruler with markings on it.”
“A what?” Maddie sounded suspicious.
Even Faye was taken aback. “Griffin, do you have any idea what
