The Henry Clay Frick House was opulent from the outset. The entrance hall was lined in marble including its ceiling, which was exquisitely carved by the Piccirilli Brothers. A marble staircase with an intricately wrought metal balustrade led to the second floor of the mansion, the one-time private quarters of the Frick family - not open to the public.

At the foot of the stairs, a stern-looking woman in a blue, wool-weight rayon suit, waited to greet the two visitors who had called ahead to announce their arrival. She cocked an eyebrow as they approached. 

"Why do I get the impression she's not exactly welcoming?" Jim whispered.

Zee smirked but kept her eyes straight ahead. "She intimidates you?"

Jim cleared his throat. "No. Well, yes, maybe just a smidgen."

"I'm sure it's just her manner. Now, let me do the talking."

"As always," Jim commented with a grunt. Zee grinned again.

They continued quietly across the foyer before they halted in front of the woman.

"The Museum Administrator, Mrs Wainright, I assume?" Zee asked.

Ruth Wainright looked closely at both of the visitors. "Yes, and you must be Miss Zanzibar..." She replied formally before turning to the Irishman, "...and Mr O'Donnell." 

Jim smiled and offered a brief nod. "Ma'am."

Mrs Wainright focused on Zee once more. "I believe you wish to discuss a former employee - Miss Natsumi?"

"Yes," Zee replied.

"I have already told the police about her; there is nothing new to report."

"I appreciate that Mrs Wainright, but we are simply tying up some loose ends and wondered if you would indulge us once more."

Mrs Wainright's eyes narrowed a fraction. "You are with the police?" she asked, her voice loaded with scepticism. 

"I have been assisting NYPD with their investigation into the stolen kimono, yes. You may call Captain Johnson to confirm before we proceed."

The Administrator considered for a moment, then she conceded,  "I doubt there is anything more to reveal. However, I will give you five minutes for I have other important matters which require my attention. The museum does not run itself, you know? Follow me." She turned and moved up the stairs.

Jim raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Chancin' yer arm, were ye not, mentionin' the captain?"

"Not at all, I knew she would not pursue it," Zee replied quietly.

"How?"

"Call it..."

Jim sighed. "Magician's intuition?"

"Something like that," Zee replied with a smile.

They followed Mrs Wainright to her office, situated on the third floor. Once inside, the Administrator closed the door and gestured for the two investigators to be seated. 

"So, what else do you need to know?" she asked, cutting straight to the point.

"Did Miss Natsumi give any indication that she intended to leave her post so soon?"

"No, she did not. Although, I suspected she would not remain with us for long."

"And why was that?"

"Her record of employment for a start - she never seemed to stay put for long in any of her posts. She had good references, although how considering her brief stays in each job bewilders me."

A knowing look passed between Jim and Zee. The magician responded to Mrs Wainright's statement. "Quite, I noted that about Miss Natsumi, too. So, knowing this, why did you employ her?"

"I - " Mrs Wainright paused. Her brow furrowed, and her eyes seemed to look inward. "I don't know!" she finally said, suddenly perplexed. "Now, I think of it, it was all so - coincidental. Mr Harris, our former Curator, announced out of the blue he was retiring. That same day, Miss Natsumi came by with her resume and asked if we had any vacancies."

"And did Mr Harris retain his post for long after his announcement?"

"No. Just a week - which was so unlike Frank, he never liked leaving anything unfinished. He was fastidious in his work. But - well, he left the following week, and some projects he was working on were unfulfilled."

"And that's when Miss Natsumi stepped in," Zee commented, matter-of-factly.

Mrs Wainright seemed increasingly disconcerted. She nodded briefly. "You know...I can't even remember going through the process of hiring her." Once more, the Administrator appeared lost in thought.

Jim leaned over and whispered to Zee. "I'm thinkin' she's been coerced."

"I agree, and perhaps Mr Harris was too. But he is not important."

Mrs Wainright shook her head and returned her attention to the individuals across from her. 

"I wonder if I may have access to what was Miss Natsumi's office?" Zee ventured.

"The police have already done that; their reports will tell you what you need to know."

"Similarly to some of your experts in the field, Mrs Wainright, reports only tell me what others see, which is not necessarily the same as that which I might discover."

Mrs Wainright looked at the two investigators, a mixture of bewilderment and concern knitting her brow. After a few moments, she sighed heavily and opened a drawer in her desk. She produced a key. "We are appointing another Curator in two days, so I must insist you finish your investigation in time for our new employee to take office." She slid the key across the desk.

Zee picked it up and smiled her gratitude. "I assure you we will conclude our investigation today."

Mrs Wainright nodded, stood and crossed to the door. "Her office is the third door along on your left. I trust you will return the key when you are done?"

Zee tipped her fedora, an act which made the Administrator's nostrils flare in response. "Of course we shall. Thank you, Mrs Wainwright. We will work as quickly as we can."

Sliding the key into the Curator's office lock, Zee instantly felt a surge of power throttle its way up her arm. She flinched and stood back, key still in hand.

"What's wrong?" Jim asked.

"I'm not sure, but I am guessing there is something in this room which has been overlooked by our intrepid police friends."

Jim took hold of the key. "They're maybe your friends, not mine," he muttered, unlocking the door with no adverse effect.

Zee made a mental note about Jim's comment - something else to pursue - but at a later and more convenient time.

The wood-panelled office would have been dark if it wasn't for the two large windows with their drapes pulled back in heavy cord tiebacks. The room was a veritable treasure trove of historical reference, and the air was heavy with the smell of beeswax, leather and old books. 

Zee and Jim scanned the interior. "So, what do you expect to find?" the Irishman asked.

After a moment, Zee found what she was looking for - or rather, it found her. On the floor next to a cabinet of curios, lay a large open volume, face down. An aura shimmered around it, effervescent streams of colour wafting from its cover.

"This!" Zee answered, crossing boldly to the cabinet. She knelt beside the book. "Do you see anything -  odd, Jim?"

The Irishman moved beside Zee and stared at the displaced tome. "Other than a book left carelessly on the floor in this otherwise meticulous mini library, no."

"Hmm." Zee tentatively reached out. Azure-coloured tendrils left her fingertips and melded with the strange aura emanating from the book. The sensation was not unpleasant, but there was an underlying current of peccancy in the bonding.

"I see that!" Jim said, pointing to the magic spilling from Zee's fingers.

"But nothing before I tried to touch the book?"

"No. What does it mean?"

Zee boldly grabbed the book. "Let's see if we can answer that very question, Jim." 

She took the book over to the desk and laid it down, open, on the leather surface. Jim huddled up against her but quickly stepped back a little when she shot him a warning look. He glanced over her shoulder at the open pages. "Can't read that, it's in..."

"Japanese," Zee finished with a nod. 

"Can you read it?" Jim asked.

"A little," Zee replied, already scanning the pages with newfound eagerness. The rise and fall of Japanese Military power mixed with myths and legend from as far back as 660 BC,  unfolded before her eyes.

A few silent moments passed. "Well?" Jim persisted.  "Is it helpful? Does it tell us anything new?" 

Zee smiled and looked at the Irishman. "I believe so, Jim. And I think it may also reveal a little more about the ambiguous Miss Chiyo Natsumi."

*****

Trivia:

The Piccirilli Brothers were an Italian family of renowned marble carvers and sculptors who carved many of the most significant marble sculptures in the US, including Daniel Chester French's colossal Abraham Lincoln (1920) in the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C. Besides their work as carvers, the Piccirilli Brothers also created architectural detailing and embellishments for many public and private buildings. - Source - Wikipedia.