Page 138 of Over Her Dead Body

“That’s enough. We have covered her catastrophic failure to perform unpaid security work.”

He lets out a Texas-sized sigh.

“What did you do after you discovered the painting was missing?”

“We found her.”

“At her hotel.”

“Yes.”

“And brought her back.”

“Yes.”

I look at the report.

Barefoot. Torn dress. Bleeding hands. Pepper spray. Gunshot.

“What did you do to her?”

“We questioned her.”

“How?”

“She would not tell us where Adams was.”

“That was not my question.”

Silence.

“How badly did you hurt her?”

“She was uncooperative.”

I close my eyes.

“Her hotel receptionist says she returned bleeding from both hands.”

“She had injuries when she arrived.”

I let the silence sit long enough to become uncomfortable.

“You tortured an appraiser because your security let a thief into your house.”

“She knew him. She lied about who he was. And you sent her.”

“I sent you an art appraiser. At no point did I suggest she was interrogation-resistant.”

“She shot one of my men.”

“After you tortured her?”

“He was trying to stop her.”

He stops talking.

Progress.