Page 48 of Heartsong
She hoped none of this showed on her face as she followed June to one of the statues. It was the one June had spent time over the first night, the one with the missing horn and arm. Restoration work had clearly already taken place at some point, but June’s expert eye was going to help ensure nothing else happened to the piece.
Or something like that. Anna wasn’t totally clear on what precisely the Gwyneths hoped June would accomplish—a bit of everything she supposed, restoration, research, and acquisition. And having a name like Dr. June Parkhurst associated with the museum certainly lent an air of authenticity and grandeur.
“How’ve you been? Since that night,” Anna asked.
June looked at her carefully, those haunting eyes searching. “No lingering side effects, thankfully. And the shock has worn off. And yourself?”
“Just a headache, but nothing new there.” She stopped herself before she began to babble as June set up a tripod for surveying equipment to begin taking measurements and notes. “I hope they catch the guys soon.”
June made an unhappy noise. “Unfortunately, they seemed well-funded, so I doubt they will be. The best option is to wait and see if anyone puts out discreet inquiries, either looking to acquire or sell the pieces through back channels.”
“But how would you find out about that? Whether people were asking around, I mean.”
June’s gaze didn’t return to Anna, but she felt the art historian’s full attention on her like a spotlight.
“You ask the right people the right questions. And, you know, the dark web.”
“That’s something that can be monitored?”
“Sure, but doing it from your personal computer will get you on a list. And the main problem is whether the thieves stole it to sell it, or were paid to steal it by the person who wanted it. If that’s the case, it won’t come up for sale.”
Anna chewed her lip, not liking that at all. She sort of felt responsible for the stolen statue, like taking on Frey meant taking on his people. That was apersonwho’d been stolen, not just a statue.
“Who’d want a giant monster statue?” Anna asked with fake incredulity.
I definitely see the appeal. At least of a certain granite piece with swooping horns and an arrogant streak.
June snorted delicately, the first bit of real personality Anna had seen from the art historian. “Lots of people. These statues are amazing and so rare.” A pensive frown stole over her fair brows, and she turned that troubled expression on Anna. “I’m not saying the Gwyneths deserved this or had it coming, but a collection like this was bound to be a target for thieves. This collection is…unique.”
Anna recognized the squirrely look June got in her eyes; it’d been the same when they had their terse exchange in the bathroom.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Anna agreed.
June shook her head but resumed preparing her camera for the high-res scans and photos she’d be taking of each piece.
“It’s even more than that. This place isspecial.” Her emphasis on the word sent a skitter down Anna’s spine. She wasn’t bold enough to acknowledge it or the bait June dangled, though.
When Anna said nothing, June went on, “There’s something about this place…these statues. There’s very little provenance for most of them, yet testing has proven over and over that they’re legitimately from the sixth century. They’re an enigma. Add to that that they’re all owned by one couple? Who opens a museum to show them? Most art collectors own only a handful of rare pieces. Those from old families might have more, which they’ll loan out in bits to galleries and museums. But to own all of these and display them? It’s unprecedented.”
“They certainly made a splash in the papers when the museum first opened,” Anna said inanely.
It felt kind of wrong to be giving June nothing when the fishing was so obvious, but the wheels of Anna’s mind were spinning again.
The museum and collection had always felt a bit strange, but Anna hadn’t really questioned it after getting her first paycheck and new health insurance card. Rich people were eccentric. They didn’t operate by the same rules.
What June was saying, though…this was more than just a rich couple flaunting their rare collection and making waves in the art world. Anna did a little due diligence before taking the job; both Carrie and Gavin had a bit of a paper trail back in the UK, as well as a few mentions about a long lineage from Wales. There hadn’t been much information available, but then, if they were from one of those posh rich families that stayed out of the spotlight, it could’ve been easily suppressed or taken down. Still, it wasn’t clear how the Gwyneths had acquired their wealth and therefore the collection.
Anna had to admit that this all added up to something that was at best fishy. She couldn’t ignore it. Especially not since she knew there were living beings behind those frozen stone faces.
June fell quiet, probably realizing that Anna wasn’t giving her anything, and focused fully on her work. As she began taking the photographs and scans, monitoring the rendering process on a laptop she’d brought, Anna slipped away to meander through the gallery with her thoughts.
Without fail, her feet brought her to the pedestal Frey had once stood upon. His replacement was another large male, this time carved from a grayish marble with veins of smoky black swirling across his chest and thighs. His arms and wings were thrown wide, as if he was protecting someone behind him.
His family, maybe? A wounded comrade?
The thoughts sobered her as she looked upon him and the many others of Frey’s kind lining the gallery.
What are you all doing here?
