I heard Ozzie’s short response but couldn’t make out the words. A moment later, she hung up. “He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Turning, I looked at my crew. “Take a break. Tell the others.”
The two men nodded and headed for the doorway to the front of the building.
“This better be a coincidence,” Mina muttered as they left.
Closing my hand around the earring, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close. “Even if it’s not, I think it’ll be fine. I looked through the debris and only saw the one. It’s probably just a one-off.”
She tucked her face into my shoulder and nodded. “I hope so.”
“Come on.” I leaned away. “Let’s go wait out front for our angry detective friend.”
Chuckling, she took my hand. “Okay.”
A few minutes after we emerged out front, Ozzie pulled up again, parking the same haphazard way as before, storm clouds in his eyes.
“We didn’t even make it an hour.” He slammed the truck door and strode toward the sidewalk.
“I know, but I’m hopeful this is it. There aren’t too many other places for things to hide.” I held out my hand and opened my fist, revealing the earring.
Ozzie’s sharp gaze took it in. “Why are you calling me about an earring? This was an antique store.”
“Look at the back.”
Giving me a skeptical look, he took a disposable black glove from his pocket and put it on, then plucked the piece of jewelry from my leather-clad hand, turning it over.
“Oh, hell.” The storm clouds multiplied when he saw the engraving. Reaching into another pocket of his cargo pants, he produced a small evidence bag.
“Do you think it was Moira’s?” Mina asked.
“Possibly. I’ll have to ask her family. It could be nothing.” He dropped it into the clear bag, then pierced me with a direct look. “Did you look for a match?”
“Yes. I didn’t see one. Do you want to look?” I hooked a thumb toward the store.
He nodded. “Show me where you found it.”
The three of us filed inside, past my crew, who were sitting on the floor, sipping coffee while they waited. Their conversation ceased, and they eyed Ozzie as we walked past.
In the back room, I pointed to the rubble on the floor. “It was in all that after we smashed up the cabinet.”
Ozzie dropped to his haunches and poked at the splintered wood and dust. “Did you carry anything out to the dumpster?”
“No. We didn’t get the chance.”
Nodding absently, he turned back to the debris. Finally, after a minute, he rose.
“Was this the last thing to come off the walls before you knock down the wall?” Ozzie pointed to the remnants of the cabinet on the floor.
“Yes,” I said.
“Okay. Let me get my evidence kit, and I’ll photograph all this, then you can get back to work.”
Mina’s shoulders visibly slumped. “Seriously? You’re not going to shut us down?”
“No.” He spread his arms out and looked around the space. “Where else are things going to hide? All that’s left are the floors and walls. From what we could tell when we processed the building, she wasn’t killed here. There was no evidence of a bloodstain anywhere except in the wall and right in front of it. There’s no reason for me to continue to hold you up. Unless”—he raised a finger—“you find another body or the murder weapon. Then, I’ll shut you down in a heartbeat.”
“Noted.” Mina’s head bobbed an affirmative. “Go get your stuff.” She shooed him toward the door with one hand.
