Beverly Connor - One Grave Too Many

“That’d be a lot of money, but as soon as the Bickford called. .”

“Exactly. The person who did the ordering didn’t understand the process. He didn’t know they would have to call about details of the order.”

“This campaign doesn’t seem well thought-out on their part,” said Korey.

“I believe that’s because it was carried out by several people. The extra orders, I think, were done at the instigation of someone who worked with Grayson. I believe Grayson and his cronies were doing other things that might very well have had an impact.”

“Like what?”

Diane went back to the bench and sat down. She was silent for a long while. Now that she had shared Ariel with Frank and Andie, perhaps it was time to share her with other people. She told Korey a shortened version of her daughter and what happened to her-and the music.

“That was cruel and sadistic.”

“Yes, it was. And it had an effect. This past year I was a mess. I couldn’t even work. I think they wanted to send me back to that black place I just climbed out of.”

There was something else that had been bothering Diane. Something Melissa said: “I wish we’d just let whatever was going on happen to you.” She mentioned it to Korey, explaining only that Melissa was angry with her when she said it.

“That’s an odd thing to say. I wonder what she meant.”

“I don’t know.”

“How’s Frank?”

“He picked up an infection. They’re treating it. You haven’t been visited again by the police, have you?”

“No.”

Diane looked around at the murals. “I wonder how much money we’re talking about.”

“A lot. The last painting sold a year ago for 7.4 million in Paris.”

“So if Grayson could buy the museum, he could take the paintings out, do a little remodeling and resell the building to cover his cost and still come out with almost-what? — ninety million dollars? Not counting the property that goes with the building, which he could sell to the Japanese.”

“That’s a lot of money,” said Korey. “I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to kill you.”

Diane stared at Korey.

“Maybe he has tried to kill me,” she said. “I thought it had something to do with the skeleton, but it doesn’t have to, does it?” She shook her head. “The person who tried to break into the faunal lab was dressed just like the person who attacked me. That suggests that my attack had something to do with the skeleton.”

“The faunal lab? I hadn’t heard.”

“Last night. Bernie scared him away.”

“Bernie?” Korey laughed. “Good for him.”

“By the way, Chanell Napier is the new head of security, so if you have any questions or suggestions, you have someone to address them to. I should have hired a head a long time ago.”

“Don’t let all this get you down, Dr. Fallon. It’s just stuff. This is a great museum, and I can only see it getting better.”

Diane stood up. “Now I have to figure out what I’m going to do about all this.”

“Do you reckon he told all his cronies about the paintings, or was that just between him and the flashy Mrs. G.?” asked Korey.

“Interesting question. Probably just between the two of them, I’d think. I imagine they just tossed the others enough of a bone to get them on their side.” Diane looked at the paintings again. “Korey, you’ve certainly made my day.”

Korey’s gleaming smile lit up his face. “This is something, isn’t it?”

“Keep this quiet,” said Diane.

“Sure. I hope it was all right to have the expert come down.”

“Of course. You did absolutely right.”

Diane decided to forgo a visit with the herpetologist. Instead, she went back to her office and called Vanessa Van Ross.

Diane told her about the paintings and their probable value. The other end of the phone was silent for a long while.

“Doesn’t that explain a lot? That little worm. Well, Diane, you have some decisions to make.”

“Yes. I was thinking about how much we could do in the museum for that amount of money. On the other hand, what a treasure they are for people to visit. That’s why we’re here. We suddenly have something unique and unbelievably valuable. Should bring in a much larger audience.”

“You have plenty of time to make decisions. It’s good to have choices. And it’s good to find out what that weasel and his floozie wife are up to. Korey sounds like a bright young man.”

“He is. I’m pleased with the entire staff of the museum.”

Diane hung up the phone and sat staring at her Escher prints, in particular at the tessellation of angels and devils. Her mind went back to her attack. What if that was Mark Grayson? But why was Frank shot? Of the things going on lately, it was hard to separate which of the acts went with which motivations.

That amount of money was indeed great enough to kill for; if they couldn’t make her leave, then they could make her gone for good. But his attempts to discredit her were poor at best. The fake orders were a joke, the music was cruel, but surely they didn’t think it was sufficient to make her quit.

Her mind went to the skeleton and the faunal lab break-in. Someone close knew she was trying to identify the skeleton. Close. How close? Could they have a job in the museum?

She called up on her computer a list of people hired in the last week. There were several: one custodian, the exhibit designer hired a carpenter, Donald hired an assistant, she’d hired Melissa and Alix, and two of the curators brought in graduate assistants. That was it. But anyone could come in and not be noticed. Because of all the work there was a lot of temporary help coming and going, not to mention the people working on the restaurant. Diane closed her eyes and tried to think. She didn’t really know where to begin, nor did she want to investigate her employees-sneaking around in Donald’s office had left a bitter taste in her mouth. On the other hand, checking out her employees had turned up Leonard’s connection to Grayson.

She turned off her computer and told Andie she was going home to get a good night’s rest.

“Good. I’ve been concerned about you.”

“I’ll get plenty of sleep tonight. Provided my neighbor doesn’t try to search my apartment again.”

“What?”

“Didn’t I tell you about that?” Diane related the story and had Andie in stitches.

“What strange people. So it’s the landlady who has the cat?”

“Yes.”

“Nice of you not to squeal on her.”

“I think she’s going to give it away.”

“If she can’t find a home, I’ll take it.”

“Are you serious?”

“I love cats.”

“I’ll let her know.”

Before she went home, Diane went to the hospital. They had put Frank in a private room. Linc was there reading a newspaper when she entered. Frank was asleep. Diane tiptoed in.

“How is he?”

“Better,” said Linc.

Frank opened his eyes. “Hey. I was wondering when you were going to come see me.”

Diane kissed him on the cheek.

“You can do better than that. You want to give my brother the wrong impression about us, after all I’ve been telling him?”

Diane kissed his lips. “I just didn’t want to get you too excited.”

“I could use a little excitement. The hospital’s a drag. What’s new?”

“Quite a lot. My head conservator’s solved the Mark Grayson mystery.” She told him about the paintings.

Linc whistled. “Damn, brother, we could go over with a chain saw tonight and make out with a bundle.”

“I’m surprised Mark hasn’t resorted to that. What are you going to do about it?”

“I don’t know yet.”