Troublemaker

by Heather Beck

  “So, they’ve stopped looking for him?” Ava felt anger surge through her body, but she did her best to stay calm.

  “No, the case is still open, but they won’t be putting as much time or manpower into the search.”

  “That’s unbelievable,” Tessa said, shaking her head.

  “Oh, Ava, I’m so sorry,” Isabelle added, an expression of concern washing over her face, “but we’re going to protect you, whatever it takes.”

  “Yes, we are,” Mitchell agreed. “When the police told me they were putting this on the back burner, I was furious, but that’s also when I decided to take matters into my own hands.”

  “Mitch, what did you do?” Isabelle asked, apprehensive.

  “I hired a private investigator who’s making it his number one priority to find Christopher. I’ll be in contact with the investigator even while I’m in Mexico, and he’s assured me that as soon as he knows anything about Christopher and his whereabouts, we’ll know, too.”

  “Oh my gawd, your own private investigator,” Tessa said to Ava, her eyes wide. “It’s like something out of a movie.”

  “It does seem a bit much,” Ava said slowly, “but thank you, Dad. I really hope this works.”

  “It will – it has to. Finding Christopher and putting him behind bars is the only way to keep you girls safe and get you back home where you belong. I’m just sorry I didn’t do it sooner.”

  “It does sound like a good idea, but I wish you had talked to me first,” Isabelle said, the words hardly out of her mouth when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it,” she said, getting up and disappearing into the foyer. A few seconds later, voices drifted into the living room.

  “Rowan, what are you doing here?” Isabelle asked.

  “I wanted to drop by and make sure everything was alright,” he answered.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Well, I thought you were coming into Artista today, but when you didn’t show up or answer your phone, I got worried. It just wasn’t like you.”

  “Oh,” Isabelle said. “It must’ve slipped my mind, and I didn’t hear you calling because my phone is upstairs. I’m sorry.”

  “You have nothing to apologize for,” Rowan reassured her. “I’m the one who’s sorry if I’ve intruded on you.”

  There was a pause in their conversation, or if there wasn’t, they must have started whispering. Either way, Ava, Tessa, and their dad couldn’t hear anything else coming from the foyer.

  “Who’s Rowan?” Mitchell asked, his eyebrows knitted together.

  “Mom’s new boyfriend,” Tessa said with disdain.

  “Tessa,” Ava hissed under her breath.

  “New boyfriend?” A look of shock and hurt passed over Mitchell’s face, and before they could stop him, he jumped up from the couch and marched into the foyer. Ava and Tessa gave each other worried glances and then quickly followed him.

  “Can I help you?” Mitchell asked, his voice louder and deeper than usual as he came to a stop in front of Rowan.

  Rowan looked a little taken aback. “I’m fine, thanks. I just came to see Isabelle.”

  “Oh, sorry.” Mitchell pretended to be surprised. “I thought you were trying to sell us something.”

  “No, you won’t get any of that here. The security is tight and wouldn’t let any solicitors passed the gates.”

  “Oh, yeah?” Mitchell raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like you know what you’re talking about. Do you live in this community, or do you just, what, come over here a lot?”

  “Mitch,” Isabelle said before Rowan could answer, her tone sharp, “this is Rowan, my friend and co-worker at Corazón de Artista.”

  “Rowan? Sorry, I don’t think I’ve heard Isabelle mention you before.” Mitchell reached for Rowan’s hand, giving it a quick, hard shake. “I’m Mitchell – Isabelle’s husband.”

  As impossible as it seemed, the tension thickened, silence falling over the room.

  “It’s, um, nice to meet you,” Rowan finally said, his words forced, his smile tight.

  “Likewise,” Mitchell said.

  Ava cringed, wondering who was being more fake in this moment: her dad or Rowan. Dad, she decided. Definitely Dad.

  “Well, I should probably go,” Rowan said after another awkward pause. “There are still a few things that need to be done by tomorrow night.”

  “Tomorrow night?” Mitchell repeated. “What’s happening tomorrow night?”

  “An art show hosted by Artista,” Rowan explained. “It’s called A Night Under The Stars. Isabelle and I have been working pretty hard on it.”

  “Tess and I helped, too,” Ava said quickly, not wanting Rowan’s comment to start a fight.

  “Yes, they’ve been a great help,” Isabelle added, clearly wanting to keep the peace as much as Ava.

  Still, Mitchell frowned. “I’d like to come to this Night Under The Stars thing,” he said. “To see all the hard work my family has put into it.”

  “It’s open to everyone,” Rowan said. “As long as you have a ticket.”

  “As the marketing director, I have a couple of extra tickets. I can give you one,” Tessa offered her dad.

  “Thanks, honey.” He flashed his daughter an appreciative smile.

  “Well, like I said, I should go,” Rowan said. “Bye, Isabelle, girls. Mitchell.” He’d just turned to the door when Isabelle stopped him.

  “Wait, I’ll come with you. I did say I’d help today.”

  Rowan turned back to her and smiled. “That would be great. I can drive us if you want.”

  “Yes, thank you.” Isabelle faced Ava and Tessa. “I’ll probably be gone for a few hours,” she said, “but there’s some leftover chicken salad in the fridge.” Her eyes then fell onto Mitchell, her tone turning a little cold. “We’ll talk later.”

  Without another word, Isabelle and Rowan left the villa, the sound of the door closing behind them echoing throughout the room. As Ava, Tessa, and Mitchell stood there, silent, Ava couldn’t help but think that this whole situation was so weird and uncomfortable. She cast a worried glance at her dad, and by the angry look on his face, she couldn’t imagine what tomorrow night would bring. But she had a feeling that it would be anything but uneventful.

  * * *

  Chapter Seventeen

  The sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon, casting its last rays of light, as Ava and Tessa drove into a large parking lot the following night. The lot at Encantado en el Agua, the venue for A Night Under The Stars, was already so full that it took Ava a minute to find an available space.

  “Looks like the social media blitz and plastering the town with flyers really worked,” Tessa said with a satisfied smile as they stepped out of the car and headed toward the entrance.

  Ava bit her bottom lip. “Yeah, it’s really busy,” she agreed.

  “Are you still worried about someone recognizing us tonight?”

  “A little, but it’s not just that. I’m worried about Dad.”

  “I know what you mean,” Tessa said.

  After Isabelle had left with Rowan last night, Mitchell had stayed for a little while, trying to catch up with Ava and Tessa, but his heart wasn’t in it. He’d been agitated and distracted, like he couldn’t focus on their conversation no matter how hard he tried. Ava knew it wasn’t because he didn’t care; it was because he was shocked and dismayed that Isabelle had moved on so fast. Things had gotten even more awkward when Mitchell had said he wouldn’t be staying with them at their villa but at a hotel in town. He’d left, giving Ava and Tessa each a kiss on the cheek and a sad smile, saying he would see them tomorrow night since he had to do some remote work during the day.

  “You don’t think Dad will do anything stupid tonight, do you?” Ava asked.

  “Like what?”

  “I don’t know. He was so passive aggressive with Rowan last night. I’ve never seen him act like that before.”

  “Yeah, it’s weird, but so is this whole situation.” Tessa sighed. “L
isten, Ava, there’s nothing we can do about it, so I’m not going to let it ruin my night and neither should you. Like you said, it’s a busy place. I’m sure Dad will be on his best behavior. Besides, we both look way too hot to be all worried and miserable.”

  As they joined the long line at the front door, each of them digging a ticket out of their purse, Ava couldn’t help but think that Tessa was right – there wasn’t anything they could do about their parents’ divorce. She was also right about something else – they both did look hot. Wearing the dresses Tessa had bought yesterday, with lots of on-trend jewelry and perfectly applied make-up, they looked like a million dollars. Still, Ava didn’t feel as great as she looked because, despite her sister’s words, she couldn’t stop worrying.

  “Is it just me or is it ridiculous that we have to wait to get in?” Tessa said, peering to the front of the line, where there seemed to be some sort of holdup.

  “There are worse things,” Ava said with a shrug. “I’m sure it won’t take much longer, anyway.”

  As if on cue, the line started to move again until Ava and Tessa reached the front. “May I see your ticket, please?” the young, handsome ticket collector said, his tone friendly.

  “Certainly.” Tessa handed him her ticket, then flashed him a flirtatious smile, clearly over the fact that they’d waited in line.

  He returned her smile, not taking his eyes off her as he ripped the stub off her ticket. “Thanks,” he said, giving it back to her, “and I’m sorry for the delay.”

  “I don’t mind. Some things are worth the wait.”

  “Sí,” the ticket guy agreed, looking Tessa up and down.

  “Okay, here’s my ticket,” Ava said, wanting to interrupt the moment as she shoved it in the guy’s face. He ripped the stub off her ticket and then gestured toward the entrance, but not before taking one last peek at Tessa.

  “He was cute,” Tessa said, not bothering to wait until they were out of earshot.

  “Do you really have to flirt with every guy you see?” Ava asked.

  “Do you really have to be so protective?”

  “Yes! Goodness knows what kind of trouble you’d get in if you were let loose.” Ava stuck her tongue out at Tessa, so she’d know that she was only kidding.

  Tessa just shrugged.

  As they neared the entrance to the long, square building, the double doors propped open, the sound of people talking and laughing filled Ava’s ears. They stepped inside to see the venue lit with thousands of small white twinkle lights, strung from the ceiling alongside billowing panels of dark blue tool. Paintings covered the walls and modern pedestals were placed around the room, displaying sculptures. Bright lights shone on all the works of art, illuminating them in the slightly darkened room, making them the stars of the show. The place was beautiful – magical even – and with an excited, upbeat atmosphere, it was clear that everyone was having a good time.

  “Mom and Rowan did an amazing job,” Ava said, thinking about all the hard work that had gone into the event. Their mom had left early in the morning, before Ava and Tessa had even woken up, to help Rowan set up at the venue. Since then she’d only had time to check in with them once, saying that everything was going smoothly.

  “Yeah, it’s gorgeous,” Tessa agreed. “You don’t see Mom anywhere, do you?”

  Ava scanned the room, but it was so large and filled with so many people that it was hard to find anyone. “No, I don’t see her,” she said. Her mom wasn’t the only one she was looking for, though. A part of her wondered if Javier was there. The last time they’d talked about it, he hadn’t decided if he would exhibit his work or not, and since she didn’t know if he’d finally found inspiration for his masterpiece, it was impossible to tell if he would show up tonight. She’d just have to wait until she saw his exhibit – or him. The thought of seeing him again made her anxious, but she tried her best to ignore the feeling, telling herself that she was being silly because it was over between them.

  “Ava! Tessa!” someone suddenly called, breaking Ava out of her thoughts. She turned around to see their dad giving them a wave as he made his way through the crowd, finally coming to a stop in front of them.

  “Hey, Dad,” Tessa said, Ava echoing her.

  “Hi, girls.” Mitchell gave them each a kiss on the cheek and then looked around the room. “They chose a nice place to have this thing, didn’t they?” His tone wasn’t completely sincere, but Ava knew it had nothing to do with the building.

  “Um, yeah,” Ava said, playing along since she now had something else on her mind. “So, how are you feeling, Dad?”

  “Fine,” he answered too quickly. “Why do you ask?”

  “I, uh, couldn’t help but notice the smell of alcohol on your breath,” Ava said, not sure if she should bring it up or not. “And I know for a fact that they’re not serving those kinds of drinks here.”

  Mitchell looked like he was taken off guard, while Tessa’s eyes shifted to the floor, a telltale sign that she’d smelled the booze on him, too. After a very awkward silence, Mitchell laughed. “I had a little drink before coming, but you don’t have to worry about your old man yet, Ava. I left the rental car at home and took a collectivo.”

  “A what?” Tessa said.

  “It’s a public minivan,” Mitchell explained, “and it was a really interesting experience riding with the locals. There are a lot of nice people here.”

  Ava and Tessa cast each other a curious look, both thinking the same thing: their dad never let anyone else drive, insisting that he be the one behind the wheel since it made him feel in control. It was a quirk he’d had for as long as Ava could remember, so it made her wonder how much he’d had to drink even if he did seem sober.

  “Have either of you seen your mom?” Mitchell asked, scanning the ever-growing crowd.

  “Not since yesterday when she left with Rowan,” Tessa said.

  As Ava watched her dad’s face fall, she cringed, wishing her sister would choose her words a little more carefully. “Mom will be around here somewhere,” she said. “Why don’t we check out some exhibits? I’m sure we’ll run into her soon.”

  Mitchell forced a smile, probably for Ava’s sake. “Sure,” he said, reaching into his back pocket to get a rolled-up pamphlet. “Which exhibit do you want to see first?”

  “Is that a list of all the artists?” Ava asked curiously.

  Mitchell nodded. “They were handing them out at the front doors, but I think they ran out right after me. Looks like Rowan screwed that one up.”

  “Can I see it?” Ava asked. When her dad handed it to her, she flipped through the pages, scanning the names of the artists, their bios, and how much each work of art was selling for.

  “Looking for ex-lover boy?” Tessa whispered to Ava, so their dad wouldn’t hear.

  “No,” she said, closing the pamphlet and rolling it back up. The truth was she had been looking for Javier, but that didn’t matter because he wasn’t in it. Against her better judgment, she felt sad that she wouldn’t get to see him. But it was more than just that. She felt sad for Javier, too, because he was wasting his talent.

  “It’s probably for the best if he’s not here,” Tessa continued to whisper. “For your sake, I mean.”

  Ava just shrugged. “All the exhibits look great,” she said, handing the pamphlet back to her dad. “It doesn’t matter where we start. You choose.”

  “Hmmm...” Mitchell thumbed through the pages. “How about the mixed media found objects one? It sounds interesting.”

  They made their way toward the exhibit, having to move around the mingling guests before getting to see the art. On the walls were canvases made from planks that looked like they had floated in from the sea, each work of art depicting a beach scene by using different types of found materials. Ava’s favorite was a sea turtle made from blue and green sea glass, the beach in the background made from crushed tan and brown shells.

  “These are awesome,” Tessa said, admiring a seahorse, constructed f
rom braided burlap string, his tail wrapped around dried seaweed.

  Ava nodded in agreement, wishing she could tell the artist how cool and unique his work was, but, ironically, he was nowhere to be found.

  “It’s definitely different.” Mitchell was about to say more when his cell phone beeped. Concern washed over his face as he hurriedly took the phone from his pocket and checked the message.

  “What is it?” Ava asked. She’d never seen him answer his phone that quickly before, not even when he was waiting to hear from a film funding board.

  “Just work,” he said, slipping the phone back into his pocket. “I thought it might’ve been the private investigator.”

  “You haven’t heard anything from him, like, at all?” Ava asked.

  Mitchell shook his head.

  “Maybe that’s a good thing,” Tessa said.

  “Yeah, maybe,” Ava said, a part of her not wanting to think about it. “Why don’t we check out more exhibits?”

  They headed to the next exhibit, which featured a young female potter who’d made more than a dozen Mexican masks. There were a variety of sugar skulls, a monkey with very sharp teeth, colorful cats with pointy ears, a pig that looked straight out of a horror movie, and a jaguar that reminded her of the one outside the tomb at Ek Balam.

  “Excuse me,” a worker in a black uniform said politely as he passed by Ava to place a round red sticker on the wall, where the jaguar mask hung. By the proud expression on the artist’s face, it was clear that the red sticker meant she’d sold the mask.

  “What’s going on over there?” Tessa said suddenly, gesturing toward a crowd that had gathered a little further along from where they stood. The crowd was growing quickly, like everyone was eager to get a look at whatever was there.

  “Maybe it’s the food table,” Mitchell joked.

  “Whatever it is, there’s only one way to find out,” Tessa said, heading for the crowd. Ava and Mitchell followed behind her, but even after they’d reached the crowd, Ava still couldn’t see what was causing the stir. All she heard were people talking about someone’s work, words like stunning, creative, and breathtaking being used.