Three Fates

all.”
    “Then what would I do with my time?” Alma said, with just a hint of petulance.
    “We’ll think of something. I love you.” Even as Alma teared up, Tia heard her father’s footsteps. And saw he looked very harassed, very displeased. Without thinking, she instinctively stepped between him and her flustered mother.
    “You’ve been invaded,” Tia said cheerfully. “I dropped by to see you and got the bonus of running into Mother. She needs the footed Stourbridge vase boxed and wrapped as a wedding gift.”
    “Which?” His gaze narrowed as he followed Tia’s gesture. After a brief study of the selection, he nodded. “I’ll take care of it. Alma, I’ve told you to check with me before you pick out anything.”
    “She didn’t want to bother you.” Determined, Tia kept her voice bright. “But I couldn’t resist. Are you terribly busy?”
    “As a matter of fact, it’s been a distressing morning. Morningside Antiquities was broken into last night.”
    Alma pressed a hand on her heart. “Burglarized? I live in fear of that happening here. I won’t get a wink of sleep tonight worrying about it.”
    “Alma, it didn’t happen here.”
    “It’s only a matter of time,” she predicted. “Crime is running rampant. Why, a person isn’t safe walking out of her own home. She isn’t safe in her home.”
    “Thank goodness Father’s seen you have such excellent security here, and at home,” Tia commented. “Mother, you should sit down, catch your breath. I know with your empathic nature, hearing of someone else’s misfortune upsets you. What you need is a nice calming cup of chamomile,” Tia continued, soothing as she helped her mother to a chair across the showroom.
    She got her settled, asked a clerk to see to the tea, then went back to her father.
    “When did you learn to do that?” he wanted to know. “Handle your mother?”
    “I don’t know. I suppose I realized you could use a little help in that area, and I haven’t been any. I haven’t been a very good daughter, to either of you. I’d like that to change.”
    “It seems to me a lot of things are changing.” He touched her cheek in a rare outward gesture of affection. “I don’t know when I’ve seen you look better, Tia.”
    “Oh, it’s a new sweater and—”
    He kept his hand on her cheek. “It’s not just the sweater.”
    “No.” And she did something she rarely did. She lifted her hand and covered his. “It’s not.”
    “Maybe it’s time we took a break in routine. Why don’t I take you and your mother out to lunch?”
    “I’d love that, but I can’t today. I’m already running behind. Can I take a rain check?”
    “Of course.”
    “Well . . . Ah . . . it’s terrible about Morningside. Was anything stolen?”
    “I’m not sure. Apparently they did get into the building, but only briefly, as the alarms went off. Anita hasn’t completed her inventory check.”
    “Oh, you’ve spoken to her.”
    “I went over this morning, to offer my help and concern. And,” he added with a faint smile, “to see if I could pry out more details. It also seemed like the perfect opportunity to mention I’d heard rumors about one of the Fates, and Athens. She seemed very interested. So much so I embellished and told her I remembered something, vaguely, being passed down through the family about Henry Wyley planning on going on to Athens after his trip to London.”
    “Oh! I didn’t think of that.”
    “I wouldn’t imagine. You’ve never been good at embellishment. Though that, too, might have changed.”
    “I appreciate what you did,” Tia said, evading. “I know it was an odd request. I wonder why you agreed to do it.”
    “You’ve never asked me for anything before,” he said simply.
    “Then I’ll ask for something else. Stay away from Anita Gaye. She’s not what she seems. I have to go. I’m very late.” She brushed her lips over his cheek. “I’ll call you soon.”
    She rushed off in such a hurry, she all but collided with a tall, dark-suited man as he came in. She nearly overbalanced, flushed scarlet, then sidestepped clumsily.
    “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
    “No problem.” Marvin Jasper watched her dash down the sidewalk. He took a detour, backtracking until he was away from the entrance of Wyley’s. Keeping his eye on Tia’s retreating back, he made a call on his cell phone.
    “Jasper. Just ran into the Marsh woman coming out of Wyley’s.”
    “Alma?