at all. Suzane thinks somebody is messing around with us.” A troubled expression crossed Galen’s face and his gaze went far away again.
Nick sat forward; his heart beat faster, chasing away the flutters in his stomach from seeing Galen again. It was possible that it could be a hoax, but as often as those statues disappeared, they always showed back up again. And this wouldn’t be the first time they appeared with no explanation.
“That’s interesting. The Dexios Collection was lost at sea during World War II. Many different salvage companies tried to locate them without any success. I’ve been searching myself for years. Was there any water damage?”
“No, they look perfect to me. They’re gorgeous.” Galen glanced away as if he didn’t want to meet Nick’s eyes and shuffled some papers on his desk. “Maybe they’re not the Dexios Collection. It would take magic or a miracle for there not to be some damage, and I don’t believe in miracles.”
What about magic? Nick’s tongue begged to ask. What did Galen believe in? He was acting so oddly. On the phone he’d sounded as excited about the statues as Nick; now he seemed almost hesitant.
Nick’s hand trembled, and he set down his coffee cup hard, almost spilling the contents. This had to be the Collection. He had waited his entire life to get a real glimpse of them in person instead of scrutinizing photographs and drawings. If they were here, he’d have a chance to study them in intimate detail like his Uncle Stavros had. He’d be able to face his dad with pride and get an acknowledgement out of him. Sometimes dreaming wasn’t a waste of time.
“Can I see them?” The look of unease returned to Galen’s face, and a hot, hard knot blossomed in Nick’s chest. He wouldn’t let Galen keep him from what belonged to him. “What is it?”
“The Dexios Collection is four statues that appear to be missing their other half, right?” Galen studied Nick with an intent look.
“Yes. That’s the way it’s always been.” Nick glanced at the door. He couldn’t get over the impression that Galen was stalling. He needed to see those statues now. To his surprise, Galen’s expression fell even more. “What’s going on?”
“You’ll have to see it to believe it.” Galen rose and set his coffee down. “Come on, I’ll show you. There’s no way I can explain it. Something’s changed with one of them.”
Nick followed him down the spiral staircase and held back all the accusations he wanted to say. If his Collection had gotten damaged under Galen’s watch…. He didn’t know what he would do. He’d searched too long to find them. And the sideways glances Galen kept shooting him didn’t help his frame of mind at all.
When they entered the gallery, Nick’s jaw dropped, and he stared at the whole statue, unable to process at first what he saw. “What the hell? Is this some kind of joke?”
A young, light-skinned black woman turned toward them and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I don’t get it, Mr. Kanellis. You’ve been pinballing in and out of here for the last hour. What has got you so worked up?”
“Nothing. Nick here has some information about this Collection. I’m hoping he can solve some of our mysteries. Would you give us a bit, Ella? I’ll let you know when the room is available again.”
“I’m at a good spot for a break.” Ella wiped her hands on a rag and made quick work of taking care of her equipment while shooting them curious glances. “I’ll be in the studio.”
Nick paid little attention to either of them as he moved to study the statues, starting with the last three. They took his breath away. The pictures he had didn’t do them justice at all, and he had no doubt in his mind they were a part of the missing Collection. He felt lightheaded; his heart froze and then pounded. Oh, wait till his dad and brothers saw this.
Nick ran his hand down the statue’s back, and his eyes stung. He’d found them. They were real and
Nick sat forward; his heart beat faster, chasing away the flutters in his stomach from seeing Galen again. It was possible that it could be a hoax, but as often as those statues disappeared, they always showed back up again. And this wouldn’t be the first time they appeared with no explanation.
“That’s interesting. The Dexios Collection was lost at sea during World War II. Many different salvage companies tried to locate them without any success. I’ve been searching myself for years. Was there any water damage?”
“No, they look perfect to me. They’re gorgeous.” Galen glanced away as if he didn’t want to meet Nick’s eyes and shuffled some papers on his desk. “Maybe they’re not the Dexios Collection. It would take magic or a miracle for there not to be some damage, and I don’t believe in miracles.”
What about magic? Nick’s tongue begged to ask. What did Galen believe in? He was acting so oddly. On the phone he’d sounded as excited about the statues as Nick; now he seemed almost hesitant.
Nick’s hand trembled, and he set down his coffee cup hard, almost spilling the contents. This had to be the Collection. He had waited his entire life to get a real glimpse of them in person instead of scrutinizing photographs and drawings. If they were here, he’d have a chance to study them in intimate detail like his Uncle Stavros had. He’d be able to face his dad with pride and get an acknowledgement out of him. Sometimes dreaming wasn’t a waste of time.
“Can I see them?” The look of unease returned to Galen’s face, and a hot, hard knot blossomed in Nick’s chest. He wouldn’t let Galen keep him from what belonged to him. “What is it?”
“The Dexios Collection is four statues that appear to be missing their other half, right?” Galen studied Nick with an intent look.
“Yes. That’s the way it’s always been.” Nick glanced at the door. He couldn’t get over the impression that Galen was stalling. He needed to see those statues now. To his surprise, Galen’s expression fell even more. “What’s going on?”
“You’ll have to see it to believe it.” Galen rose and set his coffee down. “Come on, I’ll show you. There’s no way I can explain it. Something’s changed with one of them.”
Nick followed him down the spiral staircase and held back all the accusations he wanted to say. If his Collection had gotten damaged under Galen’s watch…. He didn’t know what he would do. He’d searched too long to find them. And the sideways glances Galen kept shooting him didn’t help his frame of mind at all.
When they entered the gallery, Nick’s jaw dropped, and he stared at the whole statue, unable to process at first what he saw. “What the hell? Is this some kind of joke?”
A young, light-skinned black woman turned toward them and rolled her eyes. “Okay, I don’t get it, Mr. Kanellis. You’ve been pinballing in and out of here for the last hour. What has got you so worked up?”
“Nothing. Nick here has some information about this Collection. I’m hoping he can solve some of our mysteries. Would you give us a bit, Ella? I’ll let you know when the room is available again.”
“I’m at a good spot for a break.” Ella wiped her hands on a rag and made quick work of taking care of her equipment while shooting them curious glances. “I’ll be in the studio.”
Nick paid little attention to either of them as he moved to study the statues, starting with the last three. They took his breath away. The pictures he had didn’t do them justice at all, and he had no doubt in his mind they were a part of the missing Collection. He felt lightheaded; his heart froze and then pounded. Oh, wait till his dad and brothers saw this.
Nick ran his hand down the statue’s back, and his eyes stung. He’d found them. They were real and
Similar Books
