The Case of the Unseen Lady
When Natalie arrived I smiled at her and said “Nice to see you today.” I meant it, too. Her strawberry blonde hair easily out did the wig. Her green eyes were so striking that it seemed criminal to cover them. And her skin looked so soft and smooth.
She hit me with that captivating smile of hers and said, “Thanks but I can’t wait to try this.” She reached into her purse and removed the jar of cream.
I laughed, “Your first day back to the living and you can’t wait to become a ghost again. You know it’s a crime to hide such a charming face.”
“You think I’m pretty.” There was a hint of surprise in her voice. It was as if she had been wondering and now had the answer.
“Well yes, Miss Fashion Model, you’re pretty.” Why was it so easy to say this and so difficult to tell her that I appreciated her the other way, too?
“You’re not the only one to notice.” She boasted playfully. “When I wore a veil every man on the street looked at my figure. Today a few looked at my face.”
“Good, now let’s get down to business.” I told her the details of my morning encounter with Vince and the cat burglar.
“Johnny, she may have seen me come in today. I hope I didn’t ruin things.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter if she knows. Had I agreed to drop the case she would have either told me about the bottle of bubble bath or tried to get it back.”
“You mean she would have broken into my apartment?”
“I thought of that. And it would be tempting to try to catch her in the act. But we’d have no way of knowing when she would arrive. By setting up the museum job as a challenge – and I believe she enjoys a challenge – the timing is more predictable. She will likely act on the first night after the necklace goes on display.”
“But Johnny, why would she steal the necklace if she thought the police were expecting her.”
“Her mode of operation suggests that she steals for fun not profit. The more challenging the theft, the more fun it would be to her. And she is very confident that she can’t be caught.”
“So how do we catch her?”
I explained my theories on her methods. I theorized that she must enter the building before it closes. Being undetected she could easily wait till everyone had left and every door had been locked. Then she could easily obtain her prize and unlock any door from the inside. Late at night it was unlikely that anyone would notice the object leaving.
“But the best clue,” I explained, “is the lack of fingerprints.”
Natalie frowned. “I thought it was better to have fingerprints for investigation.”
“Yes, but the lack of fingerprints usually means that the subject wore gloves.”
“But,” Natalie mused, “She would run a large risk wearing gloves when she entered. There would be people still present.”
“Unless,” I theorized, “she cased the scene while in her dull, visible state.”
“How does that help?” she asked. “How would you know which person was her?”
I grinned and said, “That, my apprentice is where experience and instincts come into play. It’s easy to spot a person casing a place if you know what to look for.”
Natalie smiled then asked, “And would you detain her then or wait and catch her clear handed?”
“We have seven days to come up with a plan for capture. I’ve got some ideas but I need to think through all the possibilities.”
Natalie then recalled something. “Are we still working the cheater case at the hotel Friday night?”
“Of course. With your help, that should go as smooth as one of Slim’s melodies during a spotlight solo.”
* * *
Later that day I checked with Vince. He confirmed that the mysterious woman was barefooted – there was no sound of shoes.
“After you left, she came out of nowhere.” He said. “She must have been close enough to hear everything. Didn’t you notice a barefooted woman standing nearby? I’ve never known you to miss a trick, Johnny.”
“Vince,” I explained, “This woman has a very unusual talent. She has the final word in camouflage.”
“Johnny, after you left she was fuming. She really thought you’d go for her offer. But the worse thing, Johnny, is that you may have said too much. She thinks she figured out what you meant. She thinks it’s a diamond necklace that was in the paper today. She said, ‘let the cops set a trap, they won’t find me no matter how hard they look.’”
“Good, I said, her confidence is as high as I had hoped.”
All I needed, I thought, was a way to make her very visible.
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