"His pictures are all over the house. How could you not know?"
Lisa frowned. "Andy Gordon?" Her attention shifted back to Yancey. "But you said . . . why would you change your name?
A slow smile came to his lips. "I thought you knew."
"I had no idea. I thought you were . . ."
"That's still got me," he interrupted, frowning. "What did you think my business was?"
She sank to the bed weakly and covered her face with her hands. She had a lot of crow to eat and she wasn't feeling the least bit hungry. Worst of all, she had probably ruined any chance she had with him. She groaned. "I feel like such a fool."
She raised her face to look at him and caught Sarah and Connie making a hasty exit from the room. She had created this problem and now it was hers to face alone.
"Yancey . . .I'm s . . ." What words could she use that would adequately express her feelings after such a display of total lack of faith in the person she loved? Sorry wasn't enough. She swallowed hard and avoided his gaze. "I thought you were involved in drugs or contraband of some sort . . . you were so secretive. And then I found the powder in your pocket." She chanced a look at his face only to discover that he was laughing.
"I can only assume the powder you found in my pocket was powdered sugar. I always bring Diablo a sugar cube. One day we were out, so I put some powdered sugar in a bag."
"But I heard you talking to that man in the black suit when I was in the building. He wanted you to get rid of me."
"Tom? Yeah, he wanted me to get rid of you, all right." His voice became sour. "He could see I was getting serious, and he was afraid you would draw me away from my work. He was getting paid a percentage just to pick up the artwork and deliver it to my broker. If my work slowed down, that was a loss of dollars for him."
"And the conversation I overheard between you and your mother tonight? You told her you weren't going to let me go back to college."
"I said I didn't plan to let you leave. I would never stop you from going to college or doing anything else you wanted to do. I have my time and I want you to have yours."