Lie after lie, gossip, backstabbing, and now a stolen painting. The second stolen painting.
“Why would someone steal your landscape?” Gilroy asked. He was holding a K-cup and leaning against the counter, poised to make another cup of caffeine.
“Money, I guess. Dalton paid for gossip so he could paint it and sell it. For him, it was kicks. Brodie digs for gossip to publish in the Post, making himself valuable to the owner. Mary guarantees her job by finding and airing dirty laundry. Charlotte snoops to gain Brodie’s attention, and maybe to make money on the side.”
Gilroy was shaking his head. “If the intruder wants money, why didn’t he steal the other paintings from Taylor’s studio? They’re still there. As far as we know, only two paintings are missing—yours and the one that was covered with a drop cloth.”
“And we don’t know what the covered one was. Was it a landscape? Another Hidden Little Town painting?”
Gilroy set the K-cup on the counter and grabbed his coat. “Gotta run. I have an interview with Shasta Karlsen at the station, one-thirty. I need to get Isak in, too. Can you wait for the locksmith?”
“Sure.”
“He’ll be here in ten minutes. David Symons.”
“I know what he looks like.”
He drew me into a hug and I slipped my arms through his open coat and wrapped them around his waist, holding him tightly. I wanted to stand there forever, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. He made me feel cherished and safe, and I told him so. After all, we were still newlyweds.
“Be careful,” he said quietly. “This murderer, man or woman, has nothing to lose. I know you love clues and puzzles, but it’s not a game.”
“I know that, James.”
“Though you are good at puzzles.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t trust anyone.”
“Except David Symons?”
“Except David Symons.”
CHAPTER 16
Charlotte Wynn may have gotten Laura Patchett killed.
Driving downtown, to the offices of Roche and White, the thought crossed my mind and stuck there, unshakeable. Charlotte had discovered that Laura was going blind. Then she, Brodie, or someone else had told Dalton, and Dalton, with that cruel streak of his, had agreed to herald her sightless future in Hidden Little Town Number 8.
But that’s where my speculation met several dead ends. What had prompted Charlotte to inspect the Volunteer Aid Program’s records? Had Charlotte told Dalton about Laura’s blindness or had someone else? Why had Dalton painted the cane on request?
Charlotte had told me she’d be working into the evening and agreed to meet me at three-thirty, requesting only that we talk outside the law firm’s building. I waited by a lamppost as the horizon turned lavender and the snow fell. Ten minutes past our agreed-upon time, she exited the building.
“You wanted to ask me about Laura?” Charlotte said.
“Yes, and it’s important.” Knowing we had a lot to cover, and feeling a little ticked off and more than a little cold, I defaulted to my shock-and-awe method. “Two people have died. I know you found out that Laura was going blind.”
Charlotte’s blue eyes narrowed. “Excuse me?”
“That doesn’t mean you were involved in Laura’s death. I’m not saying that.” Then again, maybe I am. “I’m trying to help Mary Blackwell with a problem.” That’s a lie, but why should I tell you the truth? “You and Mary are friends, so I’m hoping you can help me, and in turn, help her.”
She looked down at her high-heeled shoes, fascinated by the snowflakes gathering on the tips. “Fine. I found out she was going blind. What of it?”
“Who asked you to check the town records?”
She glanced up, reluctance written on her face. “Why?”
I erased that reluctance with an idle threat. “You don’t want to be banned from entering the Records Section, and if this blows up, you will be. Roche and White won’t be happy.”
“Fine. Isak Karlsen.”
I sucked in my breath. “Go on.”
“That’s it. Isak asked me. He said she might have applied for assistance and could I pretty please look.”
“What did he offer you in return?”
“Money. I smiled and giggled, and the creep offered me money, like I knew he would.”
“Did you copy her aid application or take a photo of it?”
“Nope. Didn’t have time.”
“Did the application contain details, like the name of Laura’s medical condition?”
“I didn’t have time to get that. All I knew was she’d applied for assistance and it was due to worsening sight.”
“Why would Isak think Laura applied?”
“He said he’d seen her struggling. They were working together on the brochures for the new art gallery, and I think she made errors. He knew she lived alone and would need help, so . . .”
“So you talked to Isak, and you affirmed Laura’s condition?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you tell Dalton?”
Silence. Then, “I told Mary I was having money problems.”
I grunted my disgust. “Mary.”
“She told me Dalton paid for information on people, and with me working at a law firm, I could get my hands on material no one else could.”
“Wait. Was this before you found out about Laura?”
“Two weeks before. I’d been looking for something on Laura, since I knew Dalton hated her, but I hadn’t found it yet. Law school costs a load of money, and Roche and White are only paying for part of it. Well, most of it, but Colorado’s expensive. So then Isak came along, asking me about Laura. Perfect timing.”
