Paintings Can Be Deadly (Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery Book 9)

by Cindy Bell

  “No, but you don’t kiss a man that you just met like that.”

  “You don’t?” His voice softened some.

  “No.”

  “How do you kiss a man you just met?”

  Jo’s cheeks flushed and she looked away from him as best as she could in the tight space. “With a lot less passion.”

  “Oh, I see.” He smiled and blushed slightly. “Shall I take a look and see if they’re done?”

  “Yes please. But don’t get spotted.”

  Walt eased his head up some, then dipped back down so fast that his lips brushed across Jo’s forehead.

  “They’re gone. Bruce just went back inside and Leela is walking away. Sorry about that. Let me get a wipe.”

  Jo sat up slowly. “Don’t worry, Walt, I’m not afraid of your lips.”

  Walt opened his mouth to respond, but she was already out the door. He followed after her until she reached the gallery door.

  “Jo wait.” He caught her hand with his. “Are you sure you’re in the right state for this?”

  “I’m fine.” She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. “You regulate your breathing, I’m just really good at lying.” She winked at him then held the door open for him. Walt stepped through, then Jo followed after. Robert looked up from a desk in the front of the gallery and smiled at them.

  “Welcome. Is there anything in particular that you’re interested in?”

  “Something for over the mantle.” Walt nodded towards Jo. “It needs to suit her taste.”

  “Ah, I see. You must be the one with the eye for detail?”

  “You could say that.” She locked eyes with Robert. “I want something that will represent loyalty in a relationship. Something that says, this is for life.”

  “Oh, I understand your meaning.” He nodded. “I have a few that might fit that request. Let’s take a walk around the gallery.” As he led her through the paintings it took everything inside of Jo to keep her from confronting him about his relationship with Leela. She had assumed the woman was a grieving widow when she helped pack up the house for her. Now she believed differently.

  As they walked Walt skimmed through the pictures on his phone of the list of paintings that were stolen from Bruce’s gallery. He didn’t notice any of the paintings, however one did catch his attention.

  “Can you tell me about this painting?” Walt pointed to it.

  “Oh sure, it’s a Randalph, quite expensive. What is your budget?”

  “This Randalph, is it one of a kind?”

  “Of course.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Yes.” He laughed. “I only sell one of a kind paintings here. It is fully authenticated and ready to hang on your wall. What do you think, miss?” He looked over at Jo. Jo paused in front of the painting. She wasn’t sure why Walt was so interested in it, but whatever the reason she wanted to play along.

  “It’s a bit blue.”

  “Yes, Randalph was known for his blues. Would it clash with the décor of your living room?”

  “I’m afraid it might. What do you think, love?” She tilted her head towards Walt.

  “Let’s take a picture of it, so we can decide how it looks at home.” He pulled out his phone and took a picture of the painting. “I think we should discuss this a bit more before we make a purchase. Thank you for your time. We’ll be in touch.”

  “No problem. Buying a painting of this value is a big decision and it is always best to be certain that it is something you want in your living room. Let me walk you out.” He followed them towards the door.

  Jo shot a glance over at Walt. She could tell that he had something on his mind. As soon as they were in the car she looked at him.

  “Spill. What did you figure out?”

  “He’s a crook. A criminal of the worst kind. A forger.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Look at this.” He pointed to the picture of the painting on his phone. “I took it because it’s the exact same painting that is currently hanging on the wall in Bruce’s gallery.”

  “What? But that’s impossible.” She looked at the painting in the photograph. “Wow, it does look the same from what I can remember.”

  “Look at this.” Walt brought up the picture of the painting in Bruce’s gallery that was featured on the gallery website, and placed the two photographs side by side on his phone. “Do you see anything different?”

  She searched the paintings for any subtle differences then shook her head. “Nothing.”

  “Except for this.” Walt tapped the bottom right corner of each picture. “The signatures are just a little different. When I am trying to spot a forgery I always look at the signature, because it is one of the hardest things to fake. The letter R in this signature is boxy and wide, while in this signature it’s curvy and tight. There is no way that the same person signed these paintings.”

  “But how do we know which one is the fake?”

  “Robert said his painting was fully authenticated. Maybe Bruce was forging paintings. Maybe that’s why he and Robert really met, because Robert figured it out.”

  “Or it could have been the other way around. Maybe Robert was lying about them being authenticated and he was forging paintings and Bruce found out.”

  “That’s possible, it makes more sense. If Bruce accused him of selling forgeries that would give Robert motive to kill Bruce.”

  “Yes, it would. We need to get in there and find out for certain. If Robert gets nervous, he might hide or destroy any evidence.”

  “We should go back to the others first and update them on what we found.”

  “No. I need to do this now, Walt. Robert is going to run if he senses the slightest suspicion. If he’s with Leela and she’s cleaning out her house as fast as she is then they have an escape planned. I’m going in there.”

  “But Robert is in there.”

  “So we’ll draw him out.”

  “Jo. Let’s regroup and make a plan.”

  “All right, all right.” She sighed.

  Chapter 18

  As the four friends gathered around the table in Samantha’s villa yet again, the discussion became heated.

  “I’m sure that Robert had something to do with this. He wanted Leela, and he needed to get rid of Bruce to have her,” Jo said.

  “The only thing we really have is the fact that it looks like he was having an affair and he is possibly forging paintings.” Samantha shook her head. “That doesn’t make him a murderer.”

  “No, we have more than that. He was there around the time of the murder,” Jo said.

  “But the cameras didn’t catch him.” Eddy tapped the table.

  “Because they were disabled,” Samantha added.

  “And only David and Bruce had the password.” Walt sighed. “So how did he do it?”

  “He didn’t need the password, he had Leela. Think about it. Don’t most husbands and wives trust each other enough to share passwords? Maybe Bruce asked Leela to do some work on the computer and gave it to her? So she gave it to Robert. Robert met with Bruce at the gallery, showed his face on camera entering and leaving, then slipped back in with a key Leela gave him, and disabled the cameras so that he could murder Bruce.”

  “Wait, he told me the police cleared him, he was at the restaurant with his girlfriend.”

  “His girlfriend provided him an alibi. Maybe it was even Leela. He met her there before going to the gallery so the staff could see him, then killed Bruce, and returned. Restaurants are too busy to keep track of every patron. The receipt shows he paid, and the waiter said he was there because he saw him. But I’m sure he didn’t pay attention to the exact time. It could easily have been Robert.”

  “She’s right.” Walt shook his head. “It’s not much of an alibi, with the restaurant being so close.”

  “Okay, let’s say he did do it. Why? So, he was seeing Leela, he didn’t have to kill Bruce.” Eddy rested his hands on the table. “What was his motivation?”<
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  “Maybe it wasn’t David stealing the paintings at all. Maybe Bruce discovered that Robert was making forgeries of the missing paintings and other paintings. Robert could have been stealing them, to copy them, then sell the original on the black market and still make a profit from the copy.” Walt nodded. “It would probably take some time before people realized that the painting hanging in his gallery was reported stolen, especially since Bruce was convinced that David was the thief.”

  “Okay, so we think that Robert killed Bruce. But we still don’t have proof.” Eddy glanced around the table at his friends. “How are we going to get it?”

  “I’m going to get it.” Jo straightened up. “I’m going tonight, to get it. I’m not letting him get away with this. Leela is planning to run, and from the way they were kissing I’m betting that she’s planning to take Robert with her. If we wait any longer, the evidence will be gone.”

  “I don’t know, maybe we should think this through a little more.” Eddy sat down at the table. “Let’s plan it for tomorrow night.”

  “No. I’m sorry, Eddy, but I’m not asking for permission. I’m going tonight, and Walt is coming with me.”

  “What?” Walt gulped.

  “I should go instead of you.” Eddy stood up again.

  “Not this time, Eddy. I need to do this. It was my friend that was murdered. I know how to steal paintings, Walt knows how to spot a forgery. We will be fine.”

  Eddy opened his mouth to protest, then closed it. “All right. If that’s what you think is best, then go for it.”

  “Thanks Eddy.” Jo smiled.

  Ten minutes later Jo was in the passenger seat of Walt’s car. She bit her tongue as he crawled along the highway. Cars zoomed past them, the drivers offered colorful gestures. Walt didn’t seem to notice. He rode the speed limit on the dot, and never took his eyes from the road. After what felt like an eternity they parked at Robert’s gallery.

  “His car isn’t here. I think we’re safe.”

  “Safe? Breaking into the gallery of a killer is safe?” Walt stared at her with wide eyes.

  “We’re going to be just fine, Walt. All we have to do is get one of the forged paintings. If we can find one, that should be enough proof to take to Detective Rowan and get the attention off me.”

  “I think we should have brought Eddy along.” Walt frowned.

  “Eddy didn’t want us to do this, and you are the only one with a good enough eye for detail to figure out which paintings are fake.” She gave his hand a slight tug as they approached the gallery. “Don’t you want to see my skills?”

  “Uh, well I uh.” He frowned as she neared the back door. “Don’t you think there’s an alarm.”

  “I’m certain there is one, which is a very good thing. Did you know that alarms actually make it easier to break in?”

  “That’s not possible.” Walt shook his head.

  “It is, because once you know the weakness of every alarm system, they become useless. But even if someone catches a glimpse of a strange figure going inside a building, they won’t pay attention to it because the alarm isn’t going off. It’s the main line of defense, and all it takes is disconnecting it to get inside. It’s as simple as flipping a light switch.”

  “I doubt it’s that simple.”

  “Okay, maybe not that simple, especially these newer systems, but simple enough that it can be done. My point is the alarm systems give people a false sense of security and that’s when they get sloppy. They don’t always lock up correctly, or stow away valuables.”

  Jo popped open a small, metal door not far from the back door. Inside was an assortment of switches.

  “If you disconnect the alarm won’t it send a signal to the alarm company and the police?”

  “If you were to cut the wire, sure. Or if you were to enter the wrong code, absolutely. But not if you cut the phone lines and power to the entire building. By doing that, the alarm system has no ability to transmit a signal anywhere.” She began to toy with the switches until she found the one she wanted. “The key is in which system you shut down first.” She threw the switch, then followed up with several others. The few lights that glowed inside the gallery shut off as did the eerie glow of the alarm panel just inside the door. She then proceeded to the lock and opened it with just a few movements of one of her tools.

  “See? Without an alarm system Robert probably would have installed a lot more locks in order to prevent someone from getting in. Instead he put in a cheap lock that is one of the easiest to pick.”

  “Maybe he thought that he would catch anyone who attempted to break in because the alarm system would announce the entry.”

  “Probably.” Jo shrugged. “But no matter what the reason, we’re in. Shall we?”

  “You really do have skills.” Walt smiled as he studied her for a moment. “I hope you’re as good at escaping as you are at breaking in.”

  “Me too.” She grinned and grabbed his hand. “Let’s go.” She led him through the dark interior of the gallery. Walt fumbled for his flashlight, but she grabbed his arm before he could pull it out of his pocket. “No flashlights.”

  “How are we going to know where to go?”

  “Just stick with me, I memorized the floorplan.” She kept one hand wrapped around his as they weaved deeper into the gallery.

  “No wait, this way.” Walt sniffed the air.

  “Why?” She glanced over her shoulder at him.

  “I can smell it.”

  “Smell what?”

  “Wet paint. Someone’s been painting in here. None of the paintings should have that fresh scent of paint.”

  “Okay, tell me if I’m going in the wrong direction.” Together they moved through the gallery.

  “Here.” Walt tugged at her hand. “This is it.”

  Jo stared at the empty wall where they stopped. She wasn’t sure what to think. The wall didn’t have a single painting hung on it, and its surface was dry. She brushed her gloved fingertips along it to be sure, then the wall itself moved. She shuddered as she realized there was a hidden door. As it swung open she noticed a glowing light and the scuff of shoes.

  “Walt, run!” She started to shove him away, but it was too late. Robert grabbed Walt hard by the shoulder and shoved him inside the room. In the next breath Jo was on her knees beside the spot where Walt collapsed.

  “Couldn’t stay away, could you?” Robert chuckled and kicked the door shut. “Don’t worry, it’s soundproof in here. No one is going to hear you cry for help.” He reached into his pocket, pulled a gun out and pointed it at them.

  “How could you do this, Robert? It’s one thing to steal paintings and forge paintings, it’s another thing to murder someone,” Jo said.

  “It was not my original plan. My original plan was to include Bruce in my activities. I wanted his experience and his expertise. I even tried to turn him against his partner so he’d be more interested in a partnership with me. However, the more time I spent with him the more I understood that he would never be involved in anything criminal again. How anyone can think paying huge amounts of money for a silly little painting isn’t criminal, is beyond me. Once I recognized that I decided to leave him alone.”

  “But not his wife?”

  “Ah, so you noticed that?”

  “It was rather hard not to.” Jo narrowed her eyes. “Does she know that you murdered her husband?”

  “Does she know?” He laughed.

  “No, I didn’t know.” Jo jumped at the sound of the voice. She turned towards it and saw Leela with her hands tied together lying on the floor in the corner. Jo noticed a bruise on her head as she slowly sat up. Her cheeks were streaked with mascara.

  “Oh you’re awake, darling.” Robert laughed, but his eyes were as cold as steel. “She’s the one who gave me the idea, although she never realized it until now. Bruce had discovered that several of my paintings were forgeries and was going to prove this at our meeting at his gallery. He even offered to help me throu
gh the legal system if I would turn myself in. A valiant man to the end. Too bad for him, I have no interest in going to prison. Too bad for you as well.” He kept the gun pointed between the three of them.

  “I never told you to kill him,” Leela said with desperation. “I just wanted to be with you.”

  “Ah please, you didn’t want me, you just wanted more excitement in your life.” Robert laughed.

  “I just wanted to have some fun. I didn’t want you to kill him.”

  “So stealing is okay but murder isn’t?” Robert looked at Leela.

  “We were just meant to get some money from the paintings and have a little fun. Get some money. Not murder!” Leela cried out.

  “Ugh, it was a means to an end.” Robert laughed. “We had some fun, now I need to move on and tie up some loose ends.”

  “Loose ends?” Leela scowled.

  “I’ll be going now. Unfortunately, you’re not going to be able to join me.” As he moved around them towards the door of the hidden room Jo noticed that a key dangled from his pocket. She also detected the strong scent of paint thinners and paints that filled the room. When he pulled the key from his pocket she saw the lighter attached.

  “Walt! He’s going to set the place on fire!”

  “What?” Walt gasped.

  “She’s right. Smart as a whip this one. What a waste.” He flicked the lighter on and stepped through the door.

  “Don’t leave me,” Leela cried. “You can’t do this!”

  “Sorry darling, business is business.”

  “Business?”

  “It will be a tragedy in the newspaper tomorrow. A gallery burned to the foundation, all of that beautiful art gone forever. I’ll get the insurance money and it will make the value of the paintings I’ve stashed away in the fireproof safe skyrocket. Now, I can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. Good timing. Good night friends.” He flicked the lighter on and waved the flame close to a pile of papers on a desk beside the door. Before the flame could ignite anything the flame was extinguished.

  “They are not your friends.” Eddy’s sharp voice carried through the room just before Robert was jerked out through the door. Jo sprang forward and helped Eddy tackle Robert to the ground. Samantha poked her head into the room.