Foxy Roxy by Nancy Martin

Author:Nancy Martin [Martin, Nancy]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery, Humour
ISBN: 9781410427328
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 2010-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

13

Arden’s phone rang several times during the day, but she couldn’t manage to wake herself up in time to answer it. Finally, though, her bladder insisted she get out of bed, and when she dragged herself out of the bathroom, the phone was ringing again, so she picked up.

“Arden?” The silky voice of Hadrian Sloan-Whitaker purred in her ear. “I have some news for you.”

“News?” Arden collapsed on the bed again and racked her fuzzy brain to find some context. A sliver of sunshine glowed at the bottom of her window shades, but she had no clue what time it might be.

“Yes, I put my ear to the ground as you suggested, and there’s definitely a seismic shift going on.”

“An earthquake?”

“Nothing that significant yet. But a buzz.”

What the hell was he talking about?

He said, “Someone contacted me through my Facebook account. Someone asking about antiquities.”

“You have a Facebook account?”

“Leave no stone unturned,” Hadrian said. “I embrace all technologies that put me in touch with people. We texted for a while and I then realized I may have been inadvertently communicating with the party you wanted to reach. She’s asking all the right questions.”

Arden groped a random capsule from her nightstand and swallowed it dry.

Hadrian continued. “She wants to know about Greek statuary, perhaps second century BC. She’s very cagey, but I put two and two together. I wonder if she is someone with knowledge about your grandmother’s collection. It might be best if you were in touch with this prospect yourself.” After a pause, Hadrian sounded pained. “I sense she thinks I might be a sexual predator of some unpleasant kind.”

The information finally began to penetrate her fog. Arden dragged herself to a sitting position. “What did she say about the statue?”

“Nothing specific, but she’s definitely fishing. I suspect she’s in possession of something very valuable. Either that, or she’s looking to acquire. Either way, it’s good. For us.”

Since when were they an “us”? Arden remembered her own plan and didn’t recall Hadrian being a part of it. “What did you tell her?”

“I gave some basic historical information, but it was clear she already knew a thing or two. She mentioned Pittsburgh, and that’s when the penny dropped. Arden, if I put you in touch with this person, you’ll remember me when the time comes, won’t you?”

“When what time—? Oh, of course, Hadrian.” Suddenly she liked the note of fawning in his voice.

“I’d like a shot at placing your item.”

Arden said coolly, “With a museum?”

Hadrian barely held back a here-we-go-again sigh. “If an institution of origin is in a position to pay the going rate, of course we should consider its offers. But we’d certainly do better by—”

“You know how I feel about private collectors, Hadrian. If an important piece falls into the hands of dilettantes who simply warehouse history, the whole world suffers.”

“I know, I know,” he soothed. “Arguing is moot if there’s nothing in our hands yet, don’t you agree?”

“Ye-es,” Arden said slowly.

“So talk to my contact. See what you can learn.

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