Bass cleared his throat. She looked up at him.
“About time you got here. I called fifteen minutes ago.”
“Sounds quick enough to me,” Bass said. The mess did not bother him. He had seen burgled offices before. He could easily guess what had happened. He remained detached. “Anyone hurt?”
“No. It happened when we were at lunch. Martha was so upset I sent her home. She doesn’t have the fortitude for a job like this.” The woman straightened herself up, set the handful of pens on the desk, and went over to the counter. “I should have sent her home when she gave that woman her money back. I would have given her a fist instead.”
Her hair was in a mess. The fabric of her blouse, close to her arms, was wrinkled and stained with sweat underneath. The woman tugged at the bottom of her skirt hem, p
