"I didn't think there could be two of them."

"Mother's more refined, but the sentiment's the same. When I told them I was adopting Ariel, Mother's comment was 'Is that wise?' My sister, Susan, suggested that perhaps it was for the best when I told them she'd died. She couldn't quite understand that I loved Ariel. To Susan, she was like a stray cat I found by the side of the road that was going to be nothing but problems. So no, my family isn't a comfort. They certainly wouldn't go to the lengths your brothers go to for you."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. I think the concept of family is a good one."

Frank managed a laugh, though she could see it hurt him. "Actually, my brothers-they're great guys, but they aren't usually this attentive."

Diane didn't say anything. He'd probably send them home if he knew she'd asked them to stay and keep a lookout. On the other hand, she doubted they could be run off very easily. She envied Frank for his family.

"How are you? I mean really, how are you?" she said.

"I'm lucky. It could have been much worse, but both bullets managed to miss important nerves and organs-if you don't count my lung. The repair work the doctors did will take some time to heal, and I'd be out sooner if it weren't for the infection. But that's under control."

Frank sat with her until a nurse ran him back to his bed.

"I'll visit later," Diane called after Frank.

"Get some rest," he said.

Diane slept for about an hour, until Andie came in with an armload of shopping bags. She'd brought pajamas and a robe, a change of clothes, cosmetics and various other sundries, the ToughLove laptop, a new cell phone and flowers.

"Andie, you're worth every penny I'm paying you, probably more."

Andie went about the room, putting things in drawers, while Diane showered and changed into the pajamas and robe. The peach-colored silk nightgown was s.e.xier than she would have bought for herself, but it was soft and did have a back to it.

"This is much better. Now I don't have to go around with my b.u.t.t hanging out."

"How's Frank?"

"He's doing well. He's across the hall, if you'd like to peek in."

"That's convenient. You can have a midnight rendezvous."

"His brothers keep a pretty close eye on him."

"He has brothers? Do they have his eyes? Are they married?"

"Yes, yes and yes, with children."

"Too bad."

"What's going on at the museum?"

"You're the big topic of conversation. Donald is really upset. It's strange. I've never seen him like this. Do you think he had something to do with this?"

"I don't see how. It was about the skeleton."

Andie looked alarmed. "Oh."

"Any museum business?"

"Korey went to the airport to get some mysterious guest. I called Jonas at the site and told him what happened. He's very concerned."

"I don't think we'll ever get our chess game finished. I don't suppose he mentioned finding the skull?"

"No. Still no sign of it. Do you think the murderer cut it off?"

"No. I think it probably got carried off by some animal. It could be somewhere in the woods."

Andie shivered. "Gruesome."

"Have Korey call me when he knows something."

"What exactly is he supposed to know?"

Diane grinned. "I think it'll be a surprise, a really big surprise. One that'll get the Graysons off our backs."

"OK, you got me hooked."

"Ms. Fallon, I need to talk with you about your attack."

In the doorway stood Janice Warrick. She wore the same pulled back hairstyle, but its severity was softened by the white blouse, blue blazer and skirt. Her face was smooth, free of the angry lines from their last encounter, but she seemed as reluctant to speak with Diane as Diane was to invite her into her room.

Chapter 45

Diane mentally braced herself for another unpleasant conversation.

"I wonder if we might speak privately," Detective Warrick said, looking at Andie.

"This is Andie Layne, my a.s.sistant. You met her earlier in my office. I trust her with very sensitive museum business. I can trust her here."

Andie made no move to leave. Diane knew she wouldn't. Andie could be as stubborn as she, and from the way her chin jutted in the air, she was in full stubborn mode.

"Very well. We're very concerned, of course, about these attacks on you. But your insistence on linking the attacks to the Boone murders is not helping our efforts. It's giving people a false impression and, unfortunately, whatever hoodlums are attacking you are giving your theories a false credibility."

Diane watched Detective Warrick's eyes as she spoke. They were on her, then they shifted to Andie and back to her. Now she glanced down at her expensive Italian leather shoes. She was worried. Her first murder case and it was a biggie, the kind they write books about. She could go down forever as a hero or a bungler.

Diane heard laughing across the hall and glanced over. Jake Houser was visiting Frank. It gave her a sense of well-being to know that Frank was laughing.

"Has Jake Houser made any progress finding out who shot Frank Duncan?"

"I'd prefer not to discuss an ongoing investigation with a civilian."

I'll take that as a no, thought Diane. "Are you saying the attacks on me are random?" thought Diane. "Are you saying the attacks on me are random?"

"Yes, they do appear to be."

"How strange it is, then, that all the attackers wanted was for me to give them the skeleton we excavated from the Abercrombie farm. They abducted me and were taking me to the museum for that purpose."

Gotcha. Diane watched Janice Warrick's face change from that blank expression she was trying to maintain to surprise to unease in just a few seconds. Diane watched Janice Warrick's face change from that blank expression she was trying to maintain to surprise to unease in just a few seconds.

Before Detective Warrick responded, Jake had left Frank's room and walked over to Diane's.

"Dr. Fallon," said Jake. "I'm sorry about this. I feel like if I'd been at the museum, maybe this wouldn't have happened." He pulled up a chair and sat near the bed.

"It's not your fault," she said. "It started here in the hospital parking lot, not at the museum."

"Here? And you ended up at the museum? Are you saying someone grabbed you and moved you to another location?"

"Yes."

Jake frowned. "This is more serious, Janice," he said.

"Yes. I see it is. We can't have people s.n.a.t.c.hed in parking lots. Tell us what happened, and I a.s.sure you we'll look into it," said Warrick. She pulled up a chair beside Jake.

Diane told the story from beginning to end without interruption. As she finished, her phone rang. It was out of reach, and Andie handed it to her. It was a reporter from the Rosewood Herald Rosewood Herald asking about the skeleton and the attack on her. asking about the skeleton and the attack on her.

"I'd prefer not to discuss the attack right now while the police are investigating," Diane said. The two detectives nodded.

An idea occurred to her as she listened to the reporter ask about the skeleton-an idea that might take focus away from her, but she had to word it carefully. Jake would ask her about it, and she couldn't lie to the police.

"The skeleton is in Sheriff Canfield's jurisdiction," she told the reporter. "Yes, I think the break-ins at the museum are related to the skeleton, but whoever it is won't find anything. I've done all I can do with it. I believe it would benefit from having other experts look at it, so it's been boxed up and is being delivered to a nationally known forensic anthropologist for a second opinion." She listened for a few moments. "No, I can't comment on who or where." She ended the conversation and hung up the phone.

The terrible thought had occurred to her that whoever wanted the bones could call her up and threaten Frank, Kevin, Andie or anyone, unless she gave them the bones. The skeleton put everyone at risk. But if the perpetrator thought it was gone, the threat to her and those she cared about would be gone with it. She hoped the perps would read the papers or hear it on the news.

Gregory always said it's only a secret if you are the only one who knows about it. That was the tricky part. Keeping it only to herself. It meant misrepresenting its whereabouts to the detectives here, to Frank, to everyone.

"I suppose that's just the beginning," she said, closing her eyes to avoid looking at Jake and Janice Warrick until she could internalize her lie.

"Reporters are a b.i.t.c.h," said Jake.

"Just because someone is after the remains," said Warrick, "doesn't mean that the remains are related to the Boone murders."

Diane opened her eyes and gave her a long look. This woman was going to hang on to her theories to the bitter end. "That's a true statement," Diane said. "The fact that George Boone had one of the bones in his possession before he died could be just a bizarre coincidence."

"Star Boone and her boyfriend could have something to do with the skeleton and didn't want it to be discovered," Warrick said.

Jake, Andie and Diane stared at her for a moment.

"Yes," conceded Diane. "Star and Dean could have killed the victim and dumped his body on the Abercrombie farm. If I were you, I'd find out if either of them knew how to drive at age eleven."

"Eleven? Are you saying the bones were buried out there, what, five years ago?" Warrick looked uncomfortable. "Sheriff Canfield hasn't shared any information with us. I didn't know. We'll catch whoever did this." Warrick left, and it was a relief to Diane to see her go.

"I'm sorry, Diane," Jake said. "We're all pretty wound up these days. Crime was supposed to go down and suddenly it's shot up, and I'm kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. I may have to resign my night job at the museum."

"I understand."

"Is there anything you can tell me that might lead to whoever nabbed you?"

Diane shook her head. "They were pretty good at making sure I didn't see much."

"You're sure it was more than one?"

"Yes. I'm sure of that. I'm sorry, even the van was just a white van. I didn't really take notice before it happened."

Jake nodded and closed his notebook. "OK. Look, ladies, from now on, if a van or something like it is pulled in beside your parked car, don't go near it. Get someone to walk you to your car. Get in on the pa.s.senger's side if you have no choice. Don't get between the van and your car."

"I know that," said Diane. "I just wasn't thinking."

"It's not that you haven't had things on your mind. I'm going to say good-bye to Frank, then get on this. I'll find out what's going on. Try not to worry."

When Jake left, Diane sent Andie on her way too. The stark hospital room was depressing-so were her thoughts. She could win all the small verbal sparring battles with her adversaries, but winning the war seemed beyond her reach. Right now, unconsciousness was inviting. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

The ringing telephone didn't sound like hers, and for a moment Diane didn't know where she was. She was reluctantly pulled awake, still groggy. She reached for the phone.

"Diane. I'm so sorry to call you at the hospital."

"What's wrong, Andie?"

"Mark Grayson. He's called a board meeting for this afternoon. He says he has all the figures. Donald said they were very persuasive. I've called Mrs. Van Ross, and she's going to come to the meeting. What do you want me to do?"

"When is it set for?"

"Three o'clock."

"I'll be there. But don't tell anyone."

"Are you sure you can? I mean, you didn't look too good."

"Will you ask Mike to come pick me up?"

"Sure."

Diane got out of bed, put on some makeup and packed. She took the laptop into Frank's room.

"I have something for you to try out. Kenneth Meyers gave it to me. It's his new field computer. You can drop it from a height of four feet and it won't break. I think it's one he wanted you to look at and recommend for the police department."

The three Duncan brothers looked at her, dressed, with suitcase in hand. She noticed that their expressions of astonishment made them look almost like triplets. Linc was the first to find his voice.