“What the fuck is going on?” Joe snarled. “Murder, bank robbery, and now this?”
“I don’t know,” he managed to get out around the tightness in his chest.
“She’s okay, bud. Chief Blake said she wasn’t there.”
“Yeah, right, I know that.”
“Take a couple of breaths for me, Fin. Your knuckles are white on the wheel.”
He did as his friend told him and felt calmer as he pulled up at the gallery, but only marginally.
Parking, he leapt out and ran inside Artsy Fartsy. He saw her right off. She’d clearly showered recently, as her hair was a mass of wild wet curls, and her face was tight with worry. His heart literally sighed just looking at her, and right then he gave up the fight.
Her eyes found his, and he saw the anger and devastation.
“You okay?” He moved to her side, slipping an arm around her shoulders.
“Some bastard broke in here and ransacked my place. I’m definitely not okay!”
“Gotcha.”
She wasn’t crying, but Fin thought it was close. He ran a hand down her back; it was rigid.
“I don’t understand why.” The words were tight. “I sent Joan home, she was so upset. No point in her being here, as we won’t open today.”
“Did she touch anything, Maggs?” Chief Blake asked her.
“No, I told her to just stay outside.”
“Good. I need to speak with her. I’ll head there after.”
“The worst is in the store room.”
Fin heard Chief Blake and Joe discussing what had happened while he went into the back room to take a look. The gallery itself looked undamaged. Entering, he saw the carnage. The back door hung open. Things seem to have been thrown everywhere. Paper, packing stuff, all in a mess on the floor.
“Clearly they were looking for something.” Chief Blake joined him. “Joss Holden’s car was broken into not far from here and ransacked. I wonder if it’s the same people. My guess is they were after money.”
“What morons would break into an art gallery and think they’d find cash?” Fin said.
“Morons high on something,” Chief Blake said. “My hope is the fingerprints they left behind will help ID them. We’ve had a spate of thefts lately, and only money has been taken.”
“And you think it’s people looking for drug money?” Joe asked.
“It fits. We’ve already arrested Ned Sotheby’s boy. Found him high as a kite walking over the roofs of parked cars on the main street.”
“Okay, so they tried for money in my safe, then got angry and just went on a destructive rampage?”
“That’s my take, Maggie,” Chief Blake said. “Nothing here seems damaged, just thrown about the place, which adds weight to my theory that they were looking for money.”
“Great, that makes me feel better.”
“Just stating facts, Maggs.” Chief Blake rubbed her arm. “This type of thing is never easy on the recipient.”
“I feel violated.”
Fin pulled her to his side.
“This kind of shit just makes me really mad,” Joe said.
