Free Mine Until Dawn by Ednah Walters, E. B. Walters Page B

chair to their right. It was unoccupied during his earlier visit. “Does Cohen have an assistant?”
    “Yes,” Jade answered, sounding distracted. “A middle-aged woman. Can’t remember her name.” She walked toward the office. “Mr. Cohen?”
    “Remember, don’t touch anything. Not the doors, walls…nothing.” Once again, he covered his hand before he open the office door and flick the light switch. Neon lights flared up. The room was a mess. Piles of papers, pens and Starbucks coffee cups were littered all over the desk and on the floor. Cabinets were half-closed, papers spilling out. An old surveillance system was visible from a cupboard with broken doors. The computer on the workstation was gone. Right at the table leg, by the trashcan, was his bag. It looked as though they’d tried to stuff it in the trash bin and it fell out.
    “What did I tell you? The old man is in on it,” he said.
    “What have you seen?” Jade gripped his jacket in the back and attempted to peer around him. He gave her room by lifting his arm. She stuck her head into the office and gasped. “Cohen is very meticulous. He would never leave his office like this.”
    Vince stepped inside the room, squatted and studied the bag without touching it. He reached for a pencil on the floor and lifted the bag’s flap up.
    “It’s empty,” Jade said in dismay, taking the bag from him. In the next instant, she stepped away from him and started pushing papers and coffee cups around while using the bag to cover her hand.
    “Whoa. Slow down.” She raced to the other side of the desk and yanked open a drawer before he could stop her. “What are you looking for?”
    “My purse.” She tugged at another drawer. “Can’t believe Cohen is working with those hoodlums.” Her voice was shaking.
    He hoped she wasn’t about to cry. He was inept with weeping women. She shifted sideways as he reached for her arm, evaded his hand and wrenched open the next drawer. “Jade. Stop.”
    “Why? Someone already beat us to the place. What’s…one…more…messy…”
    Vince grabbed her arm, wrapped his arms about her and pulled off the bag from her hand. “It’s not here.” She twisted her body but he tightened his grip. “Damn it, Jade. Your purse is not here.”
    “You don’t know that.” She glared at him, her eyes blazing. Not a single tear in sight. “Do you?” She wiggled and he let her go. She stepped back and marched to the door.
    “Where are you going?” Vince raced after her.
    “I’m checking the other rooms.”
    “Don’t. Stay by me.” When she scowled at him, he added, “Please.”
    She didn’t touch anything after that. Just watched him with her arms crossed as he searched the bathroom and two storage rooms. He was vigilant, careful not to leave hand or finger prints. There was nothing, just more chaos. The back door to an alley was unlocked. Huge garbage bins and a couple of cars occupied most of the space. If whoever was in the store used the backdoor, he or she was long gone.
    “Maybe Cohen left in a hurry and couldn’t close up,” Vince said.
    “I don’t think so. Granted he keeps his expensive and rare pieces in a safe, some of the antiques in there,” she indicated the showroom, “are worth thousands of dollars. Besides, that is his.” She pointed at a navy blue Malibu parked by a recycle bin.
    Vince closed the door, using the sleeve of his jacket again. He had a bad feeling about this. This was supposed to be about a missing heirloom, but he had an inkling there was more going on. A whole lot more. “Where’s his safe?”
    Her arms still wrapped around her body, Jade gave him an indifferent shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe in his office. Maybe in his home.”
    Vince removed his jacket and dropped it over her shoulders. He had to get her out of here. Whether Hudson and his partner worked for Cohen or not, this was a crime scene. “Come on.”
    “Shouldn’t we call the police?” She dragged her feet as they