Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [29]
She sat down on a cold bench and let out a long, frustrated, anxious breath—the breath she'd been holding most of the night. But she couldn't relax, not yet. The immediate danger wasn't over. And she had to be ready for everything that would follow, the press, the police, Riley McAllister. She knew he'd be back. And she'd have to deal with the question of the missing dragon.
Maybe it was somewhere in the store. She would have her secretary search every floor. She'd ask Martin, too, and whomever else she could enlist to both help and keep the search confidential. The last thing she wanted was for the public to catch wind of not only her father's attack but also the fact that a piece of art that Hathaway's had not yet acquired had disappeared from their care.
"Paige, there you are." Martin came through the hospital doors, looking as crisp as he had appeared the night before. She couldn't imagine how he did it. "I'm glad you waited," he said. "I'll drive you home."
"I'm not going home yet."
"You've been here all night. You need some sleep."
"I can't sleep now, not until I know for sure my dad is all right."
"Paige, it could be hours."
"My mother should be back shortly," she said, taking a quick look at her watch. "I'll leave when she gets here."
"Do you want me to wait with you?"
She shook her head. "No, but thank you for the offer. You've gone above and beyond the call of duty."
"It's not duty. I care about you."
She looked away, not liking the gleam in his eyes.
"Paige, I know this isn't the time, but—"
"You're right, it's not the time. I have a lot on my mind."
He frowned. "I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do for you before I go?"
She thought about that for a moment. "There's something you can do when you get to the store. You can find out if that dragon statue is anywhere on the premises. I think my father had it with him, but I have to know for sure. I don't want to think there's a connection between the dragon and my father's attack, but it's possible."
"Does your mother know about this?"
"I mentioned it to her last night before Dad got hurt. I don't think it's at the top of her list right now. And I really don't want Grandfather to know, although I suspect he already does. He seems to have an uncanny ability to know every single thing that goes on at the store."
Martin smiled. "The sign of a good executive. Don't worry, Paige. I'll do everything I can to help." He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "Maybe someday you'll realize I'm a good guy to have around."
She was saved from answering by the appearance of her grandfather's car pulling up in front of the hospital. She stiffened at the sight. Wallace Hathaway was the most intimidating individual she had ever known. He demanded perfection, and he made no allowances for family. If anything, he expected more from those who shared his blood. She stood up as her grandfather got out of the backseat of his black BMW, which was driven by his longtime chauffeur.
Eighty-two years of living might have turned his hair a pepper gray and drawn thick lines across his forehead and around his dark eyes, but time had not lessened his stature. At six foot four, her grandfather still seemed like a giant.
"Grandfather," she murmured, walking over to him. "I didn't expect you back so soon."
"What are you doing out here? Why aren't you upstairs with your father?" he demanded.
"I was just—"
"How is David?" he interrupted.
"The same," she said.
Her grandfather's lips tightened with anger, or maybe it was fear. He was a difficult man to read. She wanted to tell him she was scared and worried and have him respond that it would be all right, that her dad would pull