Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [120]
"The possibilities are not that endless, Paige, not when we now know that the three of them were in China together during the war, the same time these art pieces were being shipped around the country." He paused. "Let's go over it again. When they came back to the States, Wallace returned to work in the family business. My grandfather was hired as a security guard, and Lee Chen went to work in some capacity in the storeroom."
"Then there was a fire," Paige continued.
"Discovered by Lee Chen."
"After the fire, neither your grandfather nor Lee Chen returned to the store."
"There was speculation that the fire was arson, but no conclusions. The Hathaways didn't press for an investigation."
"How do you know that?" she asked.
"Simple. If they had pressed for an investigation, it would have happened. They had too much clout to be ignored. Which leads me to believe that Wallace, for whatever reason, didn't want to pursue the arsonist. Hell, maybe it was him."
"He wouldn't have burned down his own store."
"Maybe for the insurance money? Things couldn't have been that good after the war."
"They weren't that bad, either," she replied. "It's just as likely that Lee Chen or your grandfather was responsible. And if you're going to accuse my grandfather, then you can take some heat yourself. Because everything you're implying, including getting national treasures out of China, involves all three of them."
Riley thought about that for a moment, and she could see he wasn't too pleased by the idea. Which was tough. Because she didn't want to believe her grandfather would have done any of the things they were talking about, either.
"Is there anything else in the album?" Riley asked. She checked the next page, but it was empty.
"Nothing," she said, closing the book.
"What's in the envelope?" he asked.
She pulled a stack of letters from the manila envelope. "They're all addressed to my grandfather." She opened the first one and began to read aloud.
"Dear Wallace, I miss you so much already. I hate this war. I hate that we can't be together. And most of all I hate that we didn't get married before you left. I think about you every day. You have my heart, Wallace. Keep it safe until you return. Love always, Dolores."
Paige felt a wave of emotion as she folded the paper and returned it to the envelope. "A love letter from my grandmother. Who would have thought anyone could love that cranky old man?"
"He probably wasn't always so cranky."
She opened the next one and read softly, "Dear Wallace, I'm so afraid. We haven't heard from you in a long time. You've been declared missing in action. I was with your parents when they were told. Your mother fainted. Your father said it wasn't true, that you couldn't be gone. I don't believe you're gone, either. In my heart I know that you're alive and that you're coming home to me. We're going to have a future together, children, grandchildren. We'll grow old together. I miss you so much, Wallace. I'd do anything to get you back, and I know you'd do anything to get back to me. You're so strong, determined, stubborn. You'll get through this. We both will ..." Paige's voice trailed away as she glanced at Riley. "She must have been so scared."
"She didn't give up on him."
"No, she didn't. And he came back to her just like she said he would."
"He did whatever he had to do to get back."
"Maybe," she said, wondering what bargains her grandfather had made to get himself out of China. "Anyway, I'm sure these letters are more of the same. I don't feel right reading them. They're so personal." She placed the envelope and the photo albums into the box and stood up. Riley put the box back in its place on the top shelf. "I think we're done in here."