in a board meeting. It’s likely to last a while, but she
will return your call.’’
There was another pause and Diane could hear the
DA’s voice but not his words. Just as well, she thought. ‘‘No, I’m sorry. I can’t pass a note to her. That
would disturb the meeting and I can’t do that. She
will call. I prom— He hung up on me,’’ she said, holding the receiver out for all to see.
‘‘Andie, ask Kendel to come to my office,’’ said
Diane.
‘‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen this side of you,’’ said
Kingsley. ‘‘I’ll be glad to wait until after your meeting.’’ He grinned at her, rubbing his shoulder. ‘‘But
can you give me a hint about what Clymene wanted?’’ Diane had started into her office, but she turned to he wants me to jerk him. ‘‘Clymene is afraid that one of her guards has married someone like herself.’’ Diane turned to her
office without looking back.
‘‘Okay, now, you can’t drop a bomb like that and
leave,’’ he shouted after her.
Diane was already in her office and closing her
door. She turned off the water fountain on her desk.
Normally she liked the sound of the water running
over the stones, but today it was annoying. She should
have gotten a jump start on this situation when she
read the first article. But she had been knee-deep in
other things and Kendel had assured her there was
nothing to it.
After a moment Kendel opened the rear door to
Diane’s office and quietly slipped in. She was dressed
in a navy pinstriped suit and a pink shirt. Her brown
hair, usually in some kind of twist, was down, just
touching her shoulders. Her eyes were red and she
looked tired. Her usual countenance, the tough-asbrass assistant director, was absent. Kendel was
scared. Diane motioned for her to sit down. ‘‘Diane, I know I told you the other day that this
was nothing—’’
The phone rang and Diane picked it up. ‘‘I’m sorry to disturb you,’’ said Andie. ‘‘It’s the
Journal-Constitution. Do you want to speak with
them?’’
‘‘Thank you, Andie. Put them through.’’
She waited on the phone, frowning. This was just
the beginning. Kendel sat staring at the photograph of
Diane hanging suspended from a rope inside a dark
cavern. Diane wondered if that was how Kendel felt,
like someone dangling at the end of a rope. ‘‘Diane Fallon?’’ said the voice on the other end of the phone. ‘‘I’m Shell Sidney from the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution.’’
Diane wondered if the reporter’s name was really
Sidney Shell and she had reversed it in order to have
more gravitas.
‘‘I’ve been trying to reach you in regard to the stolen antiquities.’’
‘‘Stolen antiquities?’’ said Diane.
The reporter hesitated a beat. ‘‘The stolen antiquities that have been in the news. One of your own
board members stated that Miss Williams, the—ah—
assistant director, has been fired for purchasing antiquities that she knew were looted. What do you have
to say about that?’’
Chapter 7
‘‘Your information is incorrect,’’ said Diane. ‘‘Which part of the story are you saying is incor
rect?’’ The reporter asked.
‘‘All of it. The entire story is no more than a collection of allegations, innuendo, and rumor,’’ said Diane
in what she hoped was a calm voice.
‘‘What about your board member’s statement?’’
asked the reporter.
‘‘The statement as published was
sure what she said was that if any
a misquote. I’m employee were found to have dealt in stolen antiquities we would take
the appropriate action.’’
‘‘Are you saying that Miss Williams has not been
fired?’’
‘‘She has not.’’
‘‘And you’re saying she is still assistant director at
the museum?’’
‘‘Yes, she is. It is not the policy of the museum to
fire or suspend its personnel based on rumors. Surely
your newspaper has the same policy concerning its
employees.’’
‘‘Let me get this straight. You are saying that Miss Williams did not purchase antiquities that were looted
from Egypt?’’
This is tricky, thought Diane. She had to respond.
She had been stung by reporters who printed their
own speculation as if it were truth. She had to be wary
about how she worded any explanation.
‘‘Before we purchase any antiquity for the museum,
we research the provenance,’’ said Diane. ‘‘We adhere
to the highest international standards for authentication and certification. After an item arrives at the museum, we double-check its
entered into our collection.
provenance before it is The double-checking is done by a staff of museum employees not involved in initially acquiring the piece. Right now we have several acquisitions from various locations around the world going through that process. To date we have found nothing amiss with the provenances. I can e-mail you a copy
of our acquisition policy if that will help.’’
‘‘Are you saying that this whole thing is a fabrication by someone?’’ asked the reporter. ‘‘Why would
they do that?’’
‘‘I can’t say anything about the motives or behavior
of some unknown person,’’ said Diane. ‘‘I can only
tell you that the articles were written without any attempt by the reporter to verify the information
through this office.’’
‘‘Have you been contacted by the Egyptian government or the FBI?’’ asked the reporter.
‘‘No,’’ said Diane, ‘‘no one has contacted us.’’ ‘‘So you are saying the whole thing is just a rumor?’’
asked the reporter.
‘‘That is correct. If any stolen or improperly acquired item should come into our possession, our procedure will discover it. That’s what it’s for.’’ The reporter gave Diane her telephone number and