Inspect the clock.

Inga took the clock with both of her hands. It was heavier than she expected, with pretend antique ornaments painted over a thick plastic surface, which was, in turn, a shell for some tougher material beneath. The arrows were immobile, the clock was not functioning, both hands standing at 12.

The battery lid opened easily to reveal no batteries inside. Case solved. Nothing more to it. She just wasted some time for something that failed at its only job, which was to tell the time.