Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [26]
Martin looked surprised. "That doesn't make sense at all."
"No, it doesn't. But right now it's the least of my worries. Where's Grandfather?" she asked abruptly. "Does he know what happened?"
"Yes, of course. He's upstairs with the chief of staff, Dr. Havenhurst. They're making sure the best doctors are on the case. He'll be down shortly."
She tapped her fingers against her legs. "What's taking so long? Damn, I hate this. And where are the police? Why aren't they here telling us what happened?"
"A detective checked in with your mother when we first got here. He'll report back as soon as he has any more information. They're investigating the crime scene now."
"What was my father doing in Chinatown?" She didn't like the way Martin avoided her gaze. "If you know, you have to tell me. My mother said something about a woman?" She lowered her voice, not wanting her mother to hear her, but Victoria and Joanne were engaged in a low conversation of their own. "Do you know who that would be?"
Martin shifted in his seat and tugged at his tie. She'd never seen him appear so uncomfortable. "What matters right now is your father's health." He took her hand in his.
His fingers were colder than Riley's had been. His reassuring squeeze chilled rather than comforted. Maybe because she knew he was keeping something from her, and she didn't like it. That was one of the problems with their relationship; she didn't think Martin respected her, or perhaps it was just that his loyalties always seemed to lie more with her parents or her grandfather than with her.
"I'm sorry, Paige," he said quietly, concern in his eyes. "I wish I could make this go away for you."
Now she was sorry for being so annoyed with him. He was a good man. And he'd come running to the hospital as soon as he'd heard the news. "I'm just on edge." She pulled her hand from his and stood up. "I can't sit here. I'm going to take a little walk, see if I can find someone who knows something. I'll be back in a few minutes. Watch out for my mother, all right?"
"Always," he said reassuringly. "And you, too, if you'll let me."
That was a question she'd save for another day.
* * *
Riley ran into the police detective getting off the elevator. A short, squat, muscular man with thick brown hair and cynical black eyes, Tony Paletti was a third-generation San Francisco Italian and a fifteen-year veteran with the SFPD. Riley knew Tony from some of the events on which they'd coordinated security.
"Hey," Riley said with a nod. "Are you working the Hathaway mugging?"
"You know something about it?" Tony stepped off to one side to avoid an orderly pushing a wheelchair down the hall.
"I was with Paige Hathaway when she found out about her father. Was he robbed?"
"Looks like it. Wallet, money, credit cards are missing. Hathaway was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Was anything else found at the scene?"
"Like what?"
Riley hesitated, debating the wisdom of saying anything, but then again secrecy would help the Hathaways more than his grandmother. "A statue that looked like a dragon?"
Tony's eyes narrowed. "No, but do you want to tell me why you're asking?"
"My grandmother found an antique statue in her attic. Hathaway's was appraising it."
"And you think he had it with him?"
"Possibly."
"Is this thing worth much?"
"Could be worth a lot, but we don't know yet."
Tony took out a small spiral notebook and jotted down some notes. "I'll speak to Mrs. Hathaway. See if she knows what her husband was doing in Chinatown, who he might have gone to see. I need to drum up some witnesses fast. I already got a call from the mayor. The Hathaway family is very important to the city. They want his assailant behind bars ten minutes ago, if you know what I mean."
Riley nodded, knowing the pressure the cops would be under to solve this case as soon as possible. By morning the press would be all over it, too.
Paige came around the corner, startling him with her sudden appearance. She looked just as surprised to see him standing with the police