Hot Rocks

a change in plans. I hate to tell you, Lainie, but your uncle Willy’s getting old and absentminded.”
    No easy way, she thought as the coffee spilled into the pot. No easy way. “Dad, he’s dead.”
    “I wouldn’t go that far. Just forgetful.”
    “Dad.” She gripped his arms, squeezing while she watched the indulgent smile fade from his face. “There was an accident. He was hit by a car. And he . . . he died. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
    “That can’t be. That’s a mistake.”
    “He came into my shop a few days ago. I didn’t recognize him.” She ran her hands along his arms now because they’d begun to tremble. “It’s been so long, I didn’t recognize him. He gave me a number, asked me to call him. I thought he had something to sell, and I was busy so I didn’t pay much attention. Then he left, and just after, just seconds after, it seemed, there were these horrible sounds.”
    Jack’s eyes were filling, and hers did the same. “Oh, Dad. It was raining, and he ran into the street. I don’t know why, but he ran out, and the car couldn’t stop. I ran out, and I . . . I realized who he was but it was too late.”
    “Oh God. God. God.” He did sit now, lowering into a chair, dropping his head into his hands. “He can’t be gone. Not Willy.”
    He rocked himself for comfort while Laine wrapped her arms around him, pressed her cheek to his. “I sent him here. I told him to come because I thought it was . . . Ran out into the street?”
    His head came up now. Tears tracked down his cheeks, and she knew he’d never been ashamed of them, or any big emotion. “He wasn’t a child who goes running into the street.”
    “But he did. There were witnesses. The woman who hit him was devastated. There was nothing she could do.”
    “He ran. If he ran, there was a reason.” He’d gone pale under the tears. “You need to get what he gave you. Get it and give it to me. Don’t tell anyone. You never saw him before in your life, that’s what you say.”
    “He didn’t give me anything. Dad, I know about the stones. I know about the New York job.”
    His hands were on her shoulders now with a grip strong enough she knew there’d be bruises. “How do you know if he didn’t give you anything?”
    “The man who’s upstairs. He works for Reliance. They insured the gems. He’s an investigator.”
    “An insurance cop.” He came straight out of the chair. “You’ve got a cop in your shower, for the sake of Jesus!”
    “He tracked Willy here, and he connected him to me. To you and me. He only wants to recover the stones. He’s not interested in turning you in. Just give me what you have, and I’ll take care of this.”
    “You’re sleeping with a cop? My own daughter?”
    “I don’t think this is the time to go into that. Dad, someone broke into my house, into my shop because they’re looking for the stones. I don’t have them.”
    “It’s that bastard Crew. That murdering bastard.” His eyes were still wet and swimming, but there was fire behind them. “You don’t know anything, do you hear me? You don’t know anything, you haven’t seen me. You haven’t spoken to me. I’ll take care of this, Laine.”
    “You can’t take care of it. Dad, you’re in terrible trouble. The stones aren’t worth it.”
    “Half of twenty-eight million’s worth quite a bit, and that’s what I’ll have to bargain with once I find out what Willy did with his. He didn’t give you anything? Say anything?”
    “He told me to hide the pouch, but he didn’t give me one.”
    “Pouch? He took them out?”
    “I just said he didn’t give me a pouch. He was . . . fading, and it was hard to understand him. At first I thought he said ‘pooch.’ ”
    “That’s it.” Some of the animation came back into his face. “His share is in the dog.”
    “The dog ?” Genuine shock had her voice squeaking. “You fed diamonds to a dog?”
    “Not a real dog. God almighty, Lainie, what do you take us for?”
    She simply covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know anymore. I just don’t know.”
    “It’s in a statue of a dog, little black-and-white dog. Cops probably have his things. Cops probably have it and don’t know what they’ve got. I can work with that.”
    “Dad—”
    “I don’t want you to worry. No one’s going to bother you again. No one’s going to touch my little girl. Just stay quiet about it, and I’ll handle the rest.” He gave her a hug, a kiss. “I’ll just get