Rarities Unlimited 04 - The Color of Death

her expression, was unhappy.
    “Can you make up a list of collectors who would have wanted those gems?”
    “Everyone.”
    “Not everyone would kill for them,” Sam pointed out. I hope .
    Kate fiddled with the dop on the table. “You have more faith in human nature than I do.” She released the rod. It rolled against another dop with a metallic sound. “The point is, who knew Lee had the stones and would kill for the Seven Sins?”
    “When the FBI interviewed McCloud, he said he hadn’t told anyone about the stones.”
    “What would you expect him to say, that he called every collector he could think of and crowed over his incoming goodies?”
    “Is that what you think he did?”
    “I don’t know, but I’m damn sure I didn’t tell anyone except Lee about the sapphires.”
    “Who would Lee have told that he was carrying the Seven Sins?”
    She started to say no one, then stopped. “He might have told his lover. I don’t know. Norm didn’t say anything about it when he called to tell me that Lee hadn’t come back to L.A. and hadn’t phoned to say where he was, or why.”
    “Are you still in touch with Norm? Does he have a last name?”
    “Norman Gallagher. He was so hurt when Lee just disappeared without a word. We both agreed to call the other if we heard anything.”
    “Did Norm call again?”
    “Just to talk. Not with news.”
    “Where does Norm live?” Sam asked.
    “Los Angeles. I’ll give you his address and phone, but it’s a waste of time. Norm knows less than I do about why Lee vanished.”
    Sam wished he thought she was lying, but he didn’t. “Is it possible that Lee found another lover and just blew off the rest of his life?”
    “Anything is possible. But probable? No. That would be against everything that Lee is.” Her eyes filled. “Was. If he’s dead, and I’m so afraid he is. Damn it.” She swiped at her tears with the back of her hand. “How long does it take before it stops hurting?”
    “It never stops. You just get used to it.”
    “God, you’re a fountain of human cheer.”
    “You’ll get used to that too.”

Chapter 22
    Scottsdale
    Wednesday evening
    “You don’t know?” Ted Sizemore stalked around his daughter’s hotel room, which was on the same floor as her lover’s—and that really pissed him off. “What the hell does that mean, ‘You don’t know’?”
    Covertly, Sharon examined her nail polish. The right index finger was still chipped. She really had to do some touchup before she went out tonight. Like Sizemore, Peyton noticed every flaw in her appearance, no matter how small. It was like being in the frigging FBI again.
    “Well?” Sizemore demanded.
    “It means I don’t know.” She met her father’s furious temper. Or maybe it was alcohol rather than anger that had brought the flush to his cheeks. Either way, she was tired of being the target of his scream-and-stomp-around management style. “The courier was supposed to check in with us two hours ago. She hasn’t called. I don’t know why. I do know that she isn’t answering her cell.”
    “Well, by God, find her!”
    “The patrol put out a statewide alert for her car. Phoenix PD is checking parking lots at the stadium and airport and other large public areas where a car could be dumped and not noticed for a fewhours or days. Arizona Department of Public Safety has run all the traffic accidents since the courier last checked in. Her car wasn’t in any of those accidents. I’ve called hospitals and urgent care centers between here and Quartzite, where she last called in. Short of opening the window and yelling ‘Yoo hoo, where are you?’ I’ve done everything you suggested.” And I did it before you suggested it, but you won’t mention that and I know better than to bring it up. “No one with her name or ID has been admitted for treatment. No one with her name or ID has been involved in a traffic accident anywhere in the state. No one—”
    “Don’t tell me your problems. Give me solutions!”
    “As soon as I have one, sir, you’ll be the first to know.”
    “Well, don’t sit on your ass waiting for something to drop out of the sky. Go make it happen!”
    Before Sharon could tell her father what a useless boss he was, her cell phone rang. She answered it, listened, and disconnected.
    “They found the courier in a motel parking lot in Quartzite,” Sharon said. “An ER doctor is picking pieces of skull out of her brain right now. Even if she wakes up, she