Free Gryphons Quest by Candace Sams Page B

aren't from Cork. McPherson's a liar. In fact, none of these items should have left Ireland. The man has no business with them." He paused, then turned to her. "How many places has this professor been sent to obtain pieces for the museum?"
    Heather was still stunned over hearing what she had been suspecting was the truth Angus McPherson was stealing ancient artifacts. "He goes all over the world. He's been to Peru, Central America, Africa,"
    she listed the countries, then stopped when his meaning became clear. "He may have done this in other countries. Is that what you're implying?"
    "If he's done it once and has the cunning to alter his paperwork to fool the authorities, what do you think?"
    Heather shook her head, not wanting to believe what she was hearing. "The man has been my mentor for five years. I had just graduated from college when I got this job, and considered myself unbelievably fortunate to have been chosen to work here." Now, his reasons in hiring her became crystal clear. "I guess a novice like me didn't pose much of a threat to what he was doing. I've never been allowed on a trip with him and always assumed the inventories and manifests he gave me to work with were accurate.
    God, I may have even helped him get away with it."
    Gryph placed a hand on her shoulder. "It isn't your fault. You trusted him. This is his responsibility, not yours."
    "I'm afraid that doesn't make me feel much better. Despite your earlier opinion of me, I'm not in this line of work for the monetary value of the artifacts. I happen to love Celtic history and what the objects represent. Especially the things from Ireland."
    "I believe that now, lass. I apologize for what I said." He moved the hand he had placed on her shoulder to her face and gently cradled it. The expression in her silver eyes showed the truth of her words. A door opening in the hallway made them suddenly look up.
    "No one but Niall, the Professor or me can come through that door at these hours. It's got a specially coded lock," Heather whispered, alarmed by the disturbance.
    Gryph quickly dragged her to the far side of the room where the crates were stacked on top of one another. There was enough room between the boxes and the wall for him to step out of sight, pulling her with him. Instinctively, he shoved her into the space ahead of him to protect her. They heard someone maneuvering one of the wooden boxes. Silence followed. Gryph felt Heather's heart pounding. He held her close, telling himself he was protecting her. She looked up into his face, and he could see the fear in her lovely eyes. To calm her, he caressed her back and shoulders. She responded and leaned into his chest. He could smell her crisp, clean scent. It was like the cool air outside, inviting and haunting. It seemed an unbelievably long time before whoever was in the room went back down the hall. Gryph didn't move. He waited, holding her a little longer only to be sure no one would come back. Eventually, he ventured far enough to see around the boxes.
    "Whoever it was is gone, but they may come back. We should leave," he murmured.
    Heather swallowed hard and followed him as he walked carefully back to where they had been standing. Gryph stopped by the crate with the false bottom, stooped and placed his hand inside the space. Then he smiled. When he stood, he had one of the stones in his hand.
    "Whoever was here left this. But the Luck o' the Irish is with us, and they didn't know we were here."
    He shoved the stone inside the leather jacket he was wearing.
    "Why would someone put one back in the same place?"
    "It's as good a hiding place as any. And if I were the thief, I wouldn't hide them together. But this means the others are close by." He grinned.
    Heather was still shaking, but not so much she didn't notice what she thought was the most beautiful smile she had ever seen on a man. As they'd hidden, she remembered responding to the warmth of his embrace, and his muscular legs and torso enveloping