“On the contrary, your perspicacity does you justice. But why would your answer have been different before today?”
He looked around. “Because I had not seen this room yet and your interest in art. It. . .provides a facet I had not known of you before. Like Mehretu’s work, people have many different layers and they do not always easily blend together. And sometimes it might seem that more than one person resides in a single body.”
And don’t I know that?added Nash to himself.
She now looked at him for a long time and he really could not read her expression.
He thought,Did I go too far? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?
“I wish to go to dinner tonight, Mr. Hope. You will accompany me.”
“And not your usual protection detail?”
“You are coming as myguest. Be ready to leave at nine. Thank you.”
She turned and left the room, leaving Nash alone with priceless paintings and his own terribly conflicted thoughts. He glanced at the statuette, his mind now on the box in the basement that held some of his daughter’s belongings.
You’re a coward, Nash. With all your muscles and fighting skills, and desire to avenge your daughter. Just a fucking coward.
CHAPTER
38
LATER THAT AFTERNOON, NASH RODEthe elevator to Hiroko’s apartment. He had arranged for this visit immediately after his meeting with Steers in her personal art gallery. Hiroko greeted him with enthusiasm and made each of them a cup of tea. He had brought with him a box of Lindt chocolates and a bag of Ferrero Rocher delectables that he had picked up for her. She thanked him profusely. They sat in the same chairs as before and had their tea and a chocolate and delectable each.
Nash said, “I’m sorry we were interrupted last time. And I’m sorry it’s been so long since I’ve been back to see you. You were talking about Ms. Steers and the competition with her siblings?”
She looked at him warily. “Dillon-san, you said that Victoriasan showed you her. . .injuries?”
“That’s right, she did.”
“Would you mind telling me where they are on her body?”
“You don’t believe me?” he said, feigning offense.
Her look deepened and in that expression Nash saw not a bubbly, cloistered, honored servant living out her retirement in quiet style. But rather he was observing an astute and cagey individual who had survived all these years in the Steers empire, which was no easy task, he well knew.
“I want to believe you, Dillon-san,” she said slowly. “But that is not the same as whether it is wise to. You see, there are reasons to mistrust people. I do not trust all of the people who are around Victoria-san.”
“Including her mother?”
“Just tell me where her injuries are, Dillon-san, if you can.”
“Both arms and her back,” he replied promptly. “Nowhere else that I could see. Frankly, I don’t know how she withstood the agony.”
“She must think very highly of you, Dillon-san,” she said. “To my knowledge, other than myself, no one has ever seen them.”
“I hope that means you can trust me, Hiroko-san.”
She gathered herself, sat forward, and said, “People believe awful things about Victoria-san, truly awful things.”
“Like what?
“That she killed her siblings.”
He acted surprised by this, “My God, why would they believe that?”
“Because people lie. People place blame on innocent people, like Victoria-san.”