<span style="font-weight: bold">"Yes" </span>Carl said as he buried another smoldering butt into the mountain of cigarette remains on his desk. I think we should get you checked out. He took his camel colored suit coat from the coat rack and slipped his arms into the sleeves. He held the door open for Jessica, then locked it behind them. He made it a point to walk the stairs in front of her, in case she was to have a dizzy spell, or slip. It was an old habit, plus she didn't look her strongest just now. He had ignored her question, in hopes it would go away.<br/><br/>It didn't.<br/><br/>When they reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned towards the back of the building. Carl gently persuaded her out the front door. His car was parked on the curb, the police car right in front of it. He opened the passenger door for Jessica. Once she was safely planted in the old Stephens, it occured to Carl that she must have been after her handbag when she wanted to go back inside the bakery. He excused himself, instructing her to sit tight.   He walked back inside, and met up with Tony and the two uniforms.<br/><br/>After a couple moments of shop talk, it was agreed that robbery wasn't a motive here. Tony pointed out that there was no weapon at the scene. The significance went without saying, between the two detectives. Smart criminals usually leave the weapon behind, so they are not caught with it during their get-a-way or later. Carl just nodded.  Tony was not convinced the mob was involved. Carl was betting they were.<br/><br/>A few more words of idle chat and Carl headed back out to the car. With his right foot on the brake pedal, he ensured the hand lever to his left was in the center position. He turned on the magneto with a key, and pressed his left foot down on the starter button. Fiddling with the gas valve and the timing lever (both on the steering wheel column) the little four banger roared to life. His left foot went to the pedal in the center of the three. This was reverse gear. He backed his roadster away from the police car, then switched to the pedal on the far left, forward gear.  More fiddling with the gas valve, and they were on their way.<br/><br/>Carls intention had been to retrieve Jessica's hand bag for her. But He, nor the three policeman, had been able to locate one. As he maneuvered the automobile down the road, he asked "Mrs. Davidson?  Pardon me for asking, but, do you carry a hand bag?  We didn't find one in the bakery."