“Well, I’ve got four sisters who love to teach me what they know.”
“You have only sisters?”
“No, I also have a brother. He’s the youngest. He just got married last year. His wife had a baby last week. What about you?”
“One older brother, no sisters. My parents didn’t believe in large families. They were both born in California, but now they live in Utah near Robert—that’s my brother—who has five kids.”
“So what made you interested in art?”
“I went to England as an exchange student for my last year of high school, and I met a man there who’s one of the foremost authorities on Indian art.”
“Grant Truebekon?”
She nodded. “We met at church actually. I went with the family I stayed with.”
“I didn’t know he was the church-going type.”
“He’s rather private, but he taught me a lot. During the summers while I was in college, I went back and studied with him.”
Jared snapped his fingers. “That’s why you know so much about the Buddha.”
“I’m not as good as Grant, but I know my Indian art.” Cassi’s brows furrowed. “And now that we’re talking about it, that Buddha didn’t seem quite right to me. I’ve studied larger-than-life photos of similar Buddhas from the same era, and there was a mark on the base that didn’t look like I would expect.” She shrugged. “I guess the auction organizers know what they’re doing. I mean, it comes with certified papers.”
Jared nodded. “It seems it came up for sale just before the final deadline. Someone in India had it. When the owner of the gallery I work for found out it was up for auction, she just about went crazy. I guess she has a buyer who’s willing to pay big for it.”
“Then it’s not odd for her to act that way. Money does strange things to people.” Cassi fished into Sandy’s diaper bag and retrieved a small undershirt. She handed it to Jared.
Jared took the shirt and looked down at Sandy. She was still lying peacefully on the floor, but her head was twisted so she could watch television. He pulled her to her feet. “That can’t be comfortable,” he said, tugging the shirt over her head.
“Gumfobull,” Sandy repeated through a mouthful of chips. She climbed onto Jared’s lap and snuggled next to him trustingly.
They watched television in silence for a while, enjoying the expressions on the children’s faces more than the Disney film itself. Jared noticed that Cassi glanced at him occasionally, as if wanting to say something but not knowing if she should.
Finally she took a deep breath. “You know, Linden Johansen, my employer, was pretty adamant about me getting the Buddha, too. He was acting strange.” She bit her lip as if unwilling to say anything further. Then she yawned pointedly. “I’m really tired.”
Her comment was addressed to no one in particular, but Jared sensed that she wanted him to leave. Reluctantly, he glanced down at Sandy, who was asleep in his arms, clutching her unopened candy bar. He didn’t want to leave, but he wanted to respect Cassi’s wishes. Besides, he needed to call Laranda, who had probably tried to call him a dozen times on the phone he’d left back in his room and who would be furious at his delay. At that moment, he found he didn’t care about Laranda’s anger as much as he cared about the sudden mask which seemed to cover Cassi’s face.
“It is getting late for them,” he said, motioning to the children on the floor. All were asleep except for Scotty, who was quickly losing a valiant fight against his heavy eyelids. “Do you want me to help you put them in bed?”
Cassi shook her head. “I don’t think so. One thing I’ve learned from listening to my Cub Scouts is that sleeping on the floor doesn’t damage children the way it does adults.” She chuckled, and for an instant the mask was gone.
“You work with the Cubs?” Jared carefully laid Sandy on the couch and stood up.
“Yes.”
She didn’t offer anything further, and Jared was beginning to feel desperate. He really liked Cassi, despite their differences. She seemed special somehow, unlike any woman he’d ever known.
He turned and walked to the door. “Uh . . . I’m going to be in town until Wednesday for my friend’s funeral. How about you?” Jared was hinting that he would like to see her again, but Cassi seemed oblivious to the implication.
“I’m leaving tomorrow after Renae and Trent come for the children. I have work waiting for me in San Diego.”
“Yeah. Well, it was nice meeting you.” He opened the door.
“Uh, Jared?”
“Yes?”
“Thanks for what you did at the hospital.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
Cassi shut the door and Jared stood in the hall, feeling slightly lost and shut out from the warmth of companionship. Shrugging off the feelings, he walked down the hall to the elevator, thinking of how he would explain his overdue call to Laranda. He knew it was way past even her bedtime, and she wouldn’t be in the best of tempers.
As Jared left the elevator on his floor, a strange fear rippled through his body. Had he heard a noise?
He walked down the hall, his hand going to his waist where he normally kept his Glock. But guns hadn’t been allowed inside the auction, and since he hadn’t needed it before picking up the Buddha anyway, he’d left it in the hotel safe. He’d had one stolen once before from a hotel room, so he never left his weapon in a drawer, even locked inside the case he used to check it in at the airport.
He was nearly to his room, when he hesitated. Something didn’t feel right. Maybe he’d better get his Glock now. He backed slowly down the hall, one eye still on his room.
He was too late.
The door opened and two big men in suits came out. One had a hooked nose beneath his glittering black eyes, but besides that, they had no distinguishing features. Their expressions changed as they saw Jared, and in an instant they were on him.
Jared fought desperately. He was physically fit because of his daily workouts at his gym, though still terribly unprepared to fight two large and experienced men. His head reeled, exploding with pain as they hit him again and again. He fought on. Every now and then, his fist connected with one of his opponents and he felt a satisfying crunch, but those moments were far too rare. After what seemed an eternity, the pummeling stopped.
“The Buddha,” grunted the man with a hooked nose.
“I don’t have it.” Jared slumped down on the carpet, blood from his nose and mouth trickling down his lips and chin. A river of red also flowed over his face from a throbbing cut above his left eye.
The man grabbed Jared, pulling him to his feet and holding him while his companion slowly drew back his fist. Jared closed his eyes, waiting for the burst of pain. Before it came, the elevator bell rang and the door slid open. The men dropped Jared and sprinted to the door leading to the stairs. He moaned with relief.
A young couple left the elevator and ran to him, both speaking at once so that Jared couldn’t tell who said what. “What happened? We saw those men running. Did they do this to you? I’m calling hotel security.”
The wife ran to their room while the man waited nervously with Jared, eyeing the door to the stairs. Jared’s body hurt all over. He sighed deeply.
“Is there anyone you want me to call?” the man asked, handing him a tissue.
Jared shook his head and wiped at his face, but the man’s remark reminded him of Laranda. He lurched to his feet and reached into his pants pocket for his hotel key. “They came from my room,” he said absently. He walked to the door and opened it, the stranger still beside him.
Nothing in the room had been disturbed. Even Jared’s cell phone lay untouched on the nightstand. He picked it up and pressed the pre-programmed number for Laranda’s home, and then sank to the couch, motioning for the man to sit with him.
“I’ll wait near the door for my wife and the security people.”
“Thanks.”
After two rings, the phone picked up. “Hello, Jared, is that you
?”
“Yes, it’s me.”
“What’s wrong? You sound faint. Are you sick? Why aren’t you here? I thought you were leaving tonight. You did get the Buddha, didn’t you?”
“Of course I got it. But a friend of mine went to the hospital. I’ve been there all evening.”
“So you’re coming home tomorrow?”
“Uh, there’s been a little change.” Jared sighed wearily. “Another friend of mine died this morning, and her funeral is Wednesday. I need to be there.”
“So come home tomorrow and fly back again. I’ll pay.”
“Laranda, that’s not all. I was attacked tonight, just a few minutes ago. Someone wants the Buddha. They must have thought I’d picked it up already. I would have if I hadn’t been at the hospital.”
“So where’s the Buddha?” Laranda’s voice rose sharply.
“Relax. I said I didn’t pick it up. The auction security will hold it for me until tomorrow morning, and then I’ll put it in the hotel safe.”
“Are you okay?” Laranda’s question came so belatedly that Jared knew his welfare was only of secondary concern to her.
“Actually I’m not. I’ve been beaten pretty badly, or maybe I would fly home tomorrow just to give you your precious Buddha. As it is, I don’t think I’ll make it.”
“Yes, you should rest,” Laranda said. “Stay until Wednesday. I’m really sorry this happened.” Her voice did sound sorry, and Jared silently forgave her earlier preoccupation with the Buddha. After all, her profit on the statue would bring them both a lot of money. “But hurry home,” she added. “I need that Buddha before any more of your friends drop dead and keep you there even longer. What kind of friends do you have, anyway?”
Jared stifled a sigh. “That reminds me. I met a woman here who knows a lot about Indian art. She thought there was something odd about the Buddha. It could be there’s something fishy about this deal.”
“She must be wrong. We bought it from a reputable firm, and—”
“Even so, while I’m here maybe I should check it out.”
“Don’t. It’s better to wait until our lawyer can be present. Besides, it just so happens that my buyer is an expert on the subject. She’ll soon tell us if there’s a problem.”
Jared shrugged, though Laranda couldn’t see him. “Whatever you want. It’s your Buddha.” He looked up to see two men from hotel security and the night manager hovering by the door. “Well, I’ve got to go. I’ll see you Wednesday afternoon.”
He hung up the phone and began to answer questions. The men appeared shocked as he told his story, including the part about the black sedan following him from the store. The manager wanted to call the police, but Jared shook his head. As he’d been speaking, he’d realized that the men who had attacked him had been professionals. Though nothing in his room was disturbed, he knew it had been methodically searched just as surely as he had been attacked.
Belatedly, he began to worry about Cassi. She’d been with him most of the evening, and it was entirely possible that the hook-nosed man and his companion had been the ones following them in the black sedan. They might suspect that the Buddha was with her, and that meant she and the children were in danger. Jared felt sick at the thought.
“Of course we won’t charge you for your stay here, and we’ll move you to another room,” the hotel manager droned on anxiously.
“That’ll be fine,” Jared said. “But I need something from the hotel safe.”
“Now?”
“Now.” Jared’s voice was determined. His attackers might come back for Cassi or for him, but he would be prepared.
CHAPTER TWELVE
The room seemed strangely empty after Jared left. While Cassi had said good-bye to him at the door, Scotty had finally given himself up to sleep, and she was alone. Switching off the TV, she went to phone Linden, recalling how he had told her to find out who bought the Buddha, but not to contact the person. His tone had implied danger of some sort. She’d remembered this warning when Jared had been sitting on the couch with her. A chill had run up her spine, and she had wanted him out as quickly as possible so she could call Linden for more information.
She wondered if Jared could be part of something sinister, or even dangerous. Seeing him with the sleeping Sandy and remembering his help at the hospital, she didn’t want to believe it, but there was definitely something strange about the Buddha and how people were reacting to it.
“Hello?”
“Hi, Linden. It’s me, Cassi.” Cradling the phone between her shoulder and ear, she pulled the fruit and yogurt from the grocery bag and put them into the refrigerator. She felt a touch of tenderness as she realized that Jared had remembered these items while she’d been in the store’s bathroom with Sandy and Janet.
“Where have you been? I’ve called your cell and left messages at the hotel.”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t had a moment to call you until now. Renae had her baby three weeks early, and there were complications. I’ve been at the hospital with her.” Cassi found her wallet at the bottom of the grocery bag. She opened it and saw that Jared had not used her money to buy the groceries. If he was into something dishonest, why would he have paid himself?
“Is she okay?”
“Yes, both she and the baby are doing fine.”
“That’s a relief.” He paused before adding, “Well, how did the auction go?”
“I didn’t get the Buddha. I had to run out in the middle of the auction because of Renae, but I wouldn’t have gotten it anyway. It sold for four hundred thousand.”
“Did you hear who bought it?”
“Yeah. A buyer for the Garrettson Gallery in New York.”
“Ah, Garrettson’s. That explains a little bit.”
“Explains what? What’s going on? This doesn’t have to do anything with that auction you want me to go to in New York this weekend, does it?”
“Not at all.”
“Then something strange has to be going on with the Buddha. I know it was certified by the auction authorities, but a mark on the base isn’t quite right. You don’t want to know what gallery bought it just to try to get it from them later, do you?”
“Okay, listen. Something is going on, but I want you out of it. Come home now.”
“But Jared seems so nice. He was with me at the hospital. I saw him at church, too. I’m almost sure he wouldn’t be into anything illegal.”
“Jared?”
“The buyer for Garrettson’s.”
“Cassi, stay away from him!” Linden’s voice sounded loud in her ears. “Don’t go anywhere near him. I don’t care if he goes to a hundred churches. Many wrongs have been committed in the name of God. Just come back, and I’ll take care of the mess with the Buddha.”
Fear clutched Cassi’s heart. “But what mess? You still haven’t explained.”
“Will you listen? It’s dangerous. Please, Cassi, I’ll explain later.”
“Okay. I’m leaving tomorrow. But for the record, I do know Jared isn’t leaving until Wednesday. He’s staying for a funeral.”
“Oh? What will he do with the Buddha?”
“I didn’t ask, but everyone has to pick up purchases from the auction by tomorrow morning, so he’ll probably put it in the hotel safe. Oh, that reminds me. I did buy two pieces that will bring a good profit, but I’ve really have fallen in love with one of them.”
Linden chuckled. “A woman after my own heart. You’re going to end up with more art pieces than money.”
“Just like you? That’ll be okay. Well, can I have it at cost?”
“Of course. But remember what I said—stay away from that man!”
Cassi hung up the phone, trying to reconcile Linden’s fear of Jared with the man she had begun to know. Was he involved somehow with the Buddha, or was he an innocent caught in between like herself?
She dressed in a long white nightgown made of silky nylon and turned off the lights. Instead of going to bed, she lay down on the couch next to
little Sandy, who smelled like the soap Cassi had used to wash her small body. She snuggled closer and sighed contentedly. The bed’s comfort held nothing over cuddling with this precious toddler—at least as long as she had a diaper on.
Half an hour passed, yet it seemed only minutes until someone was banging on her door. Cassi jerked awake, her earlier fear returning. She felt her way to the door in the dark as quickly as her sleep-filled mind allowed. “Who is it?” she called. One hand reached out to flood the small entryway with light.
“It’s Jared. Cassi, are you okay?” he said urgently. “I need to talk to you.”
“I’m fine, but I was sleeping. Come back tomorrow.”
“I can’t. I need to make sure you’re okay.”
“Of course I’m okay.”
“Then open the door and let me see.”
Cassi remembered Linden’s warnings, and her heart began to thud heavily. “I’m not dressed.”
“Well, put on some clothes, for heaven’s sake! I’ll wait.” His voice clearly showed frustration and impatience. “But I’m not leaving until you open the door. Even if I have to kick it down or get hotel security here to open it.” He was silent a minute then added, “Please, Cassi. I was attacked when I went to my room—by two men with guns. They said something about the Buddha. I was worried they might come here because we were together this evening. Is that why you’re not opening the door? Are they there now? I swear if you don’t open the door, I’m calling the police.”
His voice sounded so worried that Cassi’s own fear subsided. Throwing on her robe, she unlocked the door, leaving the upper locking bar still in place. She cracked the door and saw Jared outside waiting anxiously, and she gasped when she saw his bruised and battered face. He was dressed in the same outfit he’d worn earlier, except that now a Levi jacket topped his shirt. His eyes were even more startling than before against the dark blue color of the jacket.
Cassi closed the door again and unhooked the top bar, hoping that her impulsiveness wasn’t getting her into trouble. “Come in,” she said.
“Thanks.” His eyes traveled over her robe, and Cassi’s face burned, though the two layers of silk gave her enough coverage. His eyes also roamed over her hair, and she wondered if he noticed how disheveled it was. Jared turned his gaze momentarily to the sleeping children before he began searching the apartment, with Cassi staring after him. He wasn’t satisfied until every possible hiding place had been inspected, including under the beds, the closet, and the bathroom.
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