Forty-eight minutes later Annie announced that they had arrived at their destination. “I say we go around the back and through the door that leads to those first four floors that Charles told us about. The one where the architect has his offices. If we make it that far, we can then take the elevator to the twelfth floor and pick the lock on Bell’s door. I’m an expert now, Myra.”

Myra sighed. All she wanted was to get warm, and if it was in Baron Bell’s office, picking his door lock and breaking into the man’s safe, so be it. “Let’s do it, partner!”

“I love you, Myra.”

Myra wasn’t sure if she loved Annie at the moment or not. She was too cold and tired to care much about anything. “Aren’t you just a little worried about the guard downstairs, Annie?”

“Not one little bit. He probably worked a double shift, and his replacement didn’t make it in. There doesn’t appear to be anyone in any of the offices. Relax, Myra. If he shows up, we’ll just…uh…take him down and truss him up like a turkey. After we turn up the heat in Bell’s office. Look, Myra, we’re in. Now all we have to do is make our way to the twelfth floor. Pay attention, dear. I’m locking the door behind me. That means we’re safe. Check your cell phone and see if you can get a signal.”

Myra did as instructed. She shook her head. “Maybe Mr. Bell’s landline is working. We can call Charles from here. What do you think, Annie?”

“Sounds like a plan to me. Let’s see if we can make it work for us.”

Within minutes they were on the twelfth floor. The elevator swished open, and they stepped out into the dimly lit hallway.

Myra reached for Annie’s arm and pulled her backward. “Look!” she hissed as she pointed downward with her finger. “Water. And it’s leading to…Baron Bell’s door.”

Both women tiptoed forward to the suite of offices that was down one suite from the elevator.

“There aren’t any lights on inside. You can see through the opaque glass,” Annie said thoughtfully. “There are several possibilities, Myra. One is the guard was outside, then came in, but that sounds pretty lame even to me. The other is either Bell or Newsom was here and left. Or maybe the secretary made it in and left early. I say we give the door a try.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. First, though, why don’t you try the knob to see if it’s open before you start destroying property?”

Annie thought about Myra’s comment and tried the knob. The door opened without making a sound.

Myra rolled her eyes.