Page 27 of To Catch a Sub

Floor to ceiling metal shelving lined all four walls. A long metal table, looking almost like an autopsy table, ran the center of the room. A large frame was suspended above the table, cables leading to a computer on a small desk. The desk sat perpendicular to the work table, creating an L. In the open space below the table, bankers boxes were stacked, their white sides labeled with a diversity of methods, from things scribbled in pen to neatly printed labels.

He examined the expensive-looking digital SLR camera mounted to the frame above the table and pointed straight down. A bin of neatly folded fabrics in shades of white and black sat next to the computer, and on the floor was a large container of acrylic stands and blocks.

There was a box of gloves on the shelf by the door, and Landon grabbed a few, putting them on before pulling a clear plastic bin carefully off the shelf and setting it on the table. He removed the lid, and used the tip of a pen to lift the thick layer of cushion.

Several small worn rectangles rested on a layer of padding. Each was about half the size of a deck of cards, and looked to be sculpted from some dark, almost black clay. The largest and best preserved one was in the middle. He could make out what looked a large human figure, possibly with multiple arms, standing in the air above a lion.

“Kali?” he guessed.

Colette joined him, peering into the box. “Hmm, no, I’d go older. That’s probably copper, so Babylonian or Assyrian. Looks like she’s standing on a lion, so maybe Ishtar, or Inanna, depending on when and where it’s actually from.”

“Does either of those goddesses have multiple arms?”

“I don’t know. This is not even close to my area of specialty.”

“What is?”

“Gems and jewelry.”

“Right, you said you were studying gems.” Landon pushed the top layer of padding back into place and put the box back on the shelf.

He looked around once more. “This is a photography studio.”

“Yes.”

“And I’m guessing all these boxes are full of items waiting to be photographed.”

“That’s what I’ve heard, though artifact photography isn’t one of my skills. I’d like to learn though.”

“Are these items already listed on an inventory, or is this part of the museum’s cataloguing efforts the director mentioned?”

“Um, I’m just an intern. I don’t know.”

“Right, sorry. You’re not the one I need to ask these questions of.”

“I wish I had answers for you,” she said softly.

“You’ve already been more of a help than anyone else.”

“That’s…bad.”

Landon laughed sadly. “It is.” He wandered the shelves, looking at the various boxes, even poking into a few. Many were carefully packed, with custom fitted padding. But an equal number of boxes were simple cardboard and filled with a jumble of artifacts wrapped in paper or sealed up in sandwich bags.

“And any volunteer who knew about the door problem, and the hidden key situation, could have come in here and pocketed a small item.” Landon pantomimed sliding something into his breast pocket.

Colette looked at her feet. “Yes. I’m so sorry.”

Landon stripped off his gloves as he walked back to the door, where Colette hovered. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t steal them.”

SEVEN

Colette whimpered as she peeled the bandage off.

Blood had soaked through the large rectangle of gauze taped to her left side. The long cut sliced from her lower rib on the front, curved around her side at an angle, and ended just above her hip.

She’d used tape and glue to close the wound, but she hadn’t done a good job, thanks to the angle.

Landon tossing her around hadn’t helped, and by the time she finally made it back to the hotel the gauze was soaked. Luckily she’d covered the gauze in a layer of plastic-backed bandages, so her white dress had survived.