I have all three, we’ll discuss our options.”
Maria nodded at Billy. He extracted the small scale from the case, a digital camera, a leather folder with Maria’s tools, a note pad and pencil.
Christy disappeared through the arched doorway and returned moments later with Tisiphone cradled carefully in her hands. She set the stone on a velvet drape of fabric, stepped back and watched as they worked.
Maria photographed the relief from every angle, made notes and sketches. Billy weighed and recorded information she dictated to him. Like a pro, he kept his mouth shut and his eyes focused, but Maria knew he was scanning the environs.
Maria turned the relief over. Using a small tool, she took a careful scraping from the back of the stone and placed the result in a small vial. After capping it, she labeled the scraping and replaced it in her bag.
She turned toward Christy. “That’s pretty much all we need for now.”
Christy dropped her crossed arms and straightened. “When will you have the results?”
Maria waited while Billy stowed the tools. “I have an old friend at the University of Miami. If I can procure some lab time there, I should have the initial results within a matter of days.”
“Wonderful.” Christy didn’t smile, but her voice quivered just a touch. She pressed a button on the intercom near the archway. Within seconds, the maid reappeared. Christy lifted the relief, wrapped it again in the velvet drape and handed it to the lithe woman. She then turned back to Maria. “Now. About Alecto and Magaera.”
Maria watched the maid step quickly out of the room.
“Ah,” Billy cut in. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Do you happen to have a restroom?”
Christy’s lips thinned in annoyance. She waved a hand behind her. “Fourth door on the right.” Her voice hardened. “Stay to the right, Mr. Ramos.”
Billy nodded and followed the maid.
Swanson refocused when Billy disappeared. “The other two, Dr. Gotsi.”
Maria snapped her briefcase. “I want your word the information I pass on to you is strictly confidential.”
“Of course.”
“And your guarantee you’ll bring the Furies to Athens for my staff to examine. No one else.”
Christy pursed her lips, thinking. “Fine. You have my word. The Institute will handle the authentication. You’ll get the credit and media attention. Now, the other two reliefs. Please.”
Maria studied the woman in front of her a long moment. Sweat beaded Christy’s brow. Her jaw clenched and unclenched as she waited for the information she so obviously sought. Something about the line of her shoulders set Maria on edge. Would Doug have gone all the way to Chicago? Not in his poor health. As far as Maria knew, he hadn’t traveled out of Florida in several years. If Christy Swanson had killed Alan, losing the Furies was a small price to pay for justice.
“Kauffman has them in the second-floor safe at Odyssey.” Maria pulled a slip of paper from the front pouch of her case and dropped it on the table. “Security access code to the building. Safe combination.”
Swanson’s brow shot up. “My, that’s convenient. How, exactly, did you obtain these?”
Maria lifted the case from the table. “Kauffman talks in his sleep.”
A smile slid across Swanson’s thin face. “Men are all the same, aren’t they? Only after one thing in life.”
Not all men.
“If you have this information, Dr. Gotsi, why not take them yourself?”
The thought had crossed Maria’s mind for all of two seconds before she’d dismissed it. “As much as I’d like to have the Furies, stealing them would do me no good. I have a reputation to think about. The Institute would suffer, and I’ve worked too hard to let it be tarnished now. The media coverage from our authentication will be enough for me.”
She stepped away from the table. “Peter and I have dinner plans tomorrow night. Odyssey will be empty after nine o’clock. If you’ll excuse me, Ms. Swanson. I need to collect my assistant and be on my way.”
A feral grin crossed Swanson’s face. “Of course. We’ll be in touch, Dr. Gotsi.”
Lisa stood at the open patio door in Lauren’s kitchen, looking out at the waves gently lapping the sandy shore. Twilight was just settling in. A seagull swooped low over the sand and landed without a sound.
They’d been back in Key Biscayne for about four hours. After Pete’s arrival in the Bahamas, they’d flown Shane to a Nassau hospital where he’d been pumped with antibiotics, given a tetanus shot and patched back together. He hadn’t spent the night in the hospital, much to