Beyond Secrets, The Art of Murder_A Madison Hart Mystery

by DB Jones

  “I think I have something on the case, but I need your input. How soon can you get here?”

  Josh staggered toward the bathroom. “Give me twenty minutes. I need to take a shower and wake up. How long have you been up?”

  “I just got up.”

  He reached in to turn on the shower. “Do you always wake up like this?”

  “When I’m excited about something, I do. Now, hurry up and get your ass over here.”

  Damn, that woman. She drives me nuts sometimes.

  The steaming, hot water felt invigorating as it pulsated against his tired body. Josh had been up for most of the night, going over some notes on the case, hoping to see if there was something he was missing. He finally went to bed, but then Madison’s call tore him from what he thought would be a good night’s sleep, something he hadn’t had in awhile.

  “I sure hope that she has something worth me losing sleep over.” He pulled on his jeans and a tight-fitting T-shirt, grabbed his files and headed out the door. He was about to swing by McDonald’s for some coffee and then remembered Madison was making a fresh pot. Her coffee would be much stronger, and that’s what he needed.

  Madison saw the lights from Josh’s car pulling into the parking lot, so she met him at the door with a mug of coffee and then hurried back to the board.

  “Good morning to you, too,” he said sipping on his coffee and watching Madison walk back to the board, still wearing her shorts and tank top, without a bra. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her tight, well-toned body. He flashed back to the night they had sex, and it excited him all over again. He positioned his files in front of him and followed behind her, trying not to draw attention to himself.

  Madison didn’t bother to return the pleasantries. She was engrossed in her thoughts about the case and the possible discovery that may bring them closer to finding their killer.

  Josh stepped up next to her in front of the board. “Okay, what’s going on that couldn’t wait until a decent hour on a Saturday morning?”

  “You knew I took Aspen to the new exhibit last night at the Art Center, right?”

  “Yeah,” he answered, waiting for more.

  “It was a very interesting evening. This guy, Kincaid has a following that would impress even a rock star. They hovered around him as if he was some god. His paintings sold within the first hour of the exhibit. I didn’t have a good chance to look at them until everyone had gone. However, it didn’t hit me until a dream I had this morning woke me up. There was something very familiar about each painting, but I couldn’t see it, until now.”

  She looked at the pictures of the missing women. “Josh, I may have found a connection, but before I run with this, you and I need to go to the art center as soon as possible. I want to photograph the paintings and bring them back here. If I’m not mistaken, our missing women may have been his models for his paintings. And that, my friend, is our connection.” Madison smiled and reached for her mug of coffee.

  Josh sat down hard in the chair. “I’m going to need more coffee to contemplate all of this. If you’re right, we’re going to have to tread lightly while we gather our information. I don’t want to spook anyone at the center before we have our facts straight. But that would give us a new direction to pursue. If you’re right, we may be getting closer to our suspect.”

  Madison spread her papers and photos out on the table. She had information on each of the missing women, in chronological order from the moment they went missing. Josh was amazed at her focus as he sat watching her work. Much was already on the board, but she was determined to review each one again, looking for something that may connect them to the Art Center. “Now I believe we have a focal point.”

  They were downing the coffee as fast as they could fill their cups. The enthusiasm heightened as Madison added and rearranged clues on the board. Hours seemed to pass, and then, almost in tandem, they both blurted out, “We have our connection.”

  She turned to Josh and grabbed and squeezed him so hard he could hardly breathe. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him. He smiled and knew it was okay. He reached up and drew her mouth to his. There was no hesitation as she returned his kisses.

  Josh leaned up against the table and lifted her, as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He laid her on the bed as she looked up at his strong, masculine body shimmering in the moonlight that was shining in the back window. He knelt down on the bed and kissed her. She pulled him into her.

  Josh cradled her in his arms. “Maddy, why are you such a difficult woman? I can’t figure you out. Sometimes I think you can’t wait to get rid of me and then this. You drive me crazy, woman.”

  Madison looked into his steel blue eyes as a tear trickled down her face. Her voice softened. “I’m not an easy person to be around, Josh. I haven’t had a good track record with relationships, so I try to avoid them. I don’t mean to come across as a hard-ass. I just don’t want to hurt you, or myself, so I have a tendency to put up a protective shield around myself.”

  Josh sat up on the edge of the bed and pulled her up into his arms. “Give me a chance. I won’t hurt you.” He held her against his chest.

  “Be patient with me, Josh. My work and these victims come first in my life.”

  “That’s one of the things I like about you. You’re like a bulldog once you’ve got hold of a bone, you won’t let go. I’m just glad that you’re letting me in on this with you. We are going to get to the bottom of this, Maddy, and we’ll do it together.” He looked at her and grinned. “While we’re waiting for the art center to open, let’s go have some breakfast. I just worked up an appetite.”

  She smiled and started to get up from the bed. He reached for her arm and stood up pulling her against his naked body.

  “We’d better get dressed, or I might totally forget about breakfast,” she said grinning and gently pushing him away.

  Chapter 13

  Saturday mornings were usually days Madison slept in and then leisurely enjoyed the day, but all she could think about was that someone was killing young women. Her desperation was mounting, knowing the unsub could strike again if he hadn’t already.

  During breakfast, she remembered that she promised Winter she would visit that weekend. But with the new clues mounting, Madison was determined to strike while the opportunity was there. She could barely finish her breakfast. Josh was trying to talk to her, but all she could think about was what she had seen in her dreams.

  Josh tapped on the table and leaned closer. “Hey, what’s going on in that brain of yours? Feel like sharing?”

  “Huh?”

  “You seem a thousand miles away. Are you still thinking about your dream?”

  “Yes. How did you know?”

  “You have that look on your face when you can’t get something out of your mind. Let’s get a cup to go and head over to the exhibit. They should be opening soon.”

  He barely got the words out of his mouth, and she was ready to go. She put down money for her breakfast and the tip, and quickly made her way to the door. Lisa hollered out, “Have a good day, Madison.”

  “Oh, yes. You, too, Lisa.”

  Madison walked outside and then over to the car when she noticed Josh was still in the café paying his bill. She just stood there, waiting and sipping her coffee. When Josh opened the café door, he clicked the remote to open the car door for her. She was anxious to get going. When he got into the car, he just sat for a moment and then turned to her. “Maddy, you’re going to run yourself into the ground with this case if you don’t watch it.”

  “I know you mean well Josh, but this is the way I work a case, especially when there’s a murderer still running loose. I can’t; I won’t rest until we get this bastard so please don’t lecture me on how to do my job.”

  Josh started up the car and headed down Maitland Avenue toward the Art Center. The mood in the car turned cold, and he knew he had stepped over the line with Madison, but the damage was done. They parked out in front of the center.
The “closed” sign was still up. He turned off the car and sat for a moment in silence, mulling over what she had said to him.

  He looked at her as she sat staring out the window. “You’re right. I had no business trying to tell you how to do your job. You’re a damn good agent, and I’ve learned a lot from watching you in action. I apologize.”

  She turned and looked at him. “I warned you about this type of thing. I’m not an easy person to have a relationship with. My work has always come first. Maybe it was a bad idea for us to get involved. I don’t want to hurt you, Josh, but this is who I am.”

  “Madison, I wouldn’t have you any other way. I know and respect the passion you have for solving this case. I’m your partner in this, too. All I’m asking is that you keep me in the loop, no matter how difficult it may be for you. We are going to find this killer, and our chances are pretty good doing it together.”

  Madison couldn’t respond. She was happy and shocked at his remarks and began to think he did understand her, and it was okay with him.

  “I know we are.”

  Someone was about to open the door of the center. It was Alice, the woman she had met on her first visit to the center. Alice saw the two of them approaching the door. “Good morning, Madison. Good morning, Josh. I haven’t seen either of you in a long time. I didn’t know you knew each other.” Alice held the door open for them.

  Josh stepped up and hugged Alice. “How are the kids?”

  “Couldn’t be better. How’s your mom doing?”

  Josh chuckled. “Mom’s still driving everyone crazy in the retirement home, but that’s her.”

  “Madison, good to see you again. I heard you’ve rented a little office in one of Jessie’s old buildings?”

  “Where did you hear that?”

  Alice grinned and shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I think someone here told me. Are you planning to stay awhile?”

  “Who knows.” Madison didn’t want to give out too much information. If Alice knew she had an office, then the word had already spread. That is one of the disadvantages of living in a small town. Things don’t stay a secret for too long.

  “How can I help you both today?”

  “We’re here to see the Kincaid exhibit. Madison was telling me about it, and being that it was Saturday, I thought I’d check it out, too.” Josh tried not to draw too much attention to their visit.

  “Well, you know the way. Enjoy.” Alice motioned Josh and Madison to the exhibit.

  As they walked down the hall toward the showroom, Madison turned to Josh. “You didn’t tell me your mother was living nearby.”

  “You didn’t ask me.”

  They stepped into the exhibit hall, and Madison walked directly to the painting at the far end of the exhibit. She opened her file and pulled out a picture of one of the missing women and placed it up against the painting. “Notice anything?”

  Josh leaned in and took the photo. He looked up at the painting and then down at the photo. “Could be. It’s hard to tell since it’s a profile of a woman in the painting.”

  “Look at the bone structure of her face and the hair.”

  Josh squinted at the photo.“Dang! I think this could be Margaret Hill.”

  Then Madison walked in front of another painting of the back of a woman. Josh walked up next to her. “Now, don’t tell me you can see who this is.”

  Madison pointed at one of the paintings. “Do you see anything in this painting that looks familiar?”

  “No, all I can see is the back of a woman’s head.”

  “Look more closely,” Madison insisted with her hands on her hips.

  “I don’t see what you want me to see.”

  Madison opened her files on the table in the middle of the room and asked him to go through them and see if anything rings a bell. He picked up every photo of the women and studied them, but still nothing. Then he saw a photo of a piece of evidence found in the bedroom of one of the missing women. Josh held it up against the painting, squinted and leaned in as close as he could, then looked back at the photo.“How in the hell did you see that?”

  “You won’t believe me, but I saw it in my dream.”

  “Damn, you’re good.”

  They were studying the other photos when Alice walked in. “What do you think of his work?”

  Madison quickly tossed the photos back in her tote and Josh pretended that he was admiring the paintings. “Very interesting.”

  “He has quite the following, you know. All these paintings have already been purchased,” Alice remarked with pride. “That’s a boost to the center.”

  Josh approached the paintings that resembled the two missing women. “Who bought these two?”

  “I’m not sure. Kim handles all that, but she would know. She’s not here today but will be in tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll be happy to give you that information then.”

  “Thank you, Alice.”

  “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

  “No, we’re just going to look around some more before we leave,” Josh responded.

  “Okay, but if you need anything, I’ll be up front.” Alice was about to go back to the reception area but then turned back toward Madison. “I talked to Aspen this morning, and she told me the great news. It was so nice of you to bring her last night.” Then Alice returned to the lobby.

  Josh turned to Madison. “What’s the good news?”

  “Last night, Mr. Kincaid announced that Aspen would be having her own exhibit this spring and that she will be working very closely with him. She’s very excited about it. I’m happy for her, but…”

  “But what?”

  “Something bothers me about it. You know that feeling you have when something doesn’t feel right?”

  “Yeah, I do. You like her, don’t you? I hope she’s going to be okay.”

  “Me, too.”

  She leaned toward Josh and whispered, “I think we’ve found our connection, now we need to know why and who. Let’s go back to the office.”

  They immediately headed to the board. Josh organized each missing woman’s file in order of the dates they were reported missing. Madison started jotting down data under the names of two of the murdered victims. Josh stood with his hands on his hips. “I suspect the women might have been the models for Mr. Kincaid’s paintings. But there weren't enough details in the other paintings to recognize any features that might have belonged to the other women. But I agree with you; I feel this was our missing link.”

  Madison set down the pen. “I have a plan to find out if there is a connection between the victims and Mr. Kincaid, but it won’t be easy. Kincaid is aware of why I’m here in Maitland.”

  The pieces of the puzzle were coming together fast. At least Madison and Josh now believed the answers they were looking for were centered around the Art Center and Tyler Kincaid’s paintings. They would have to be very careful with their questioning until they had a suspect pool. So far, there weren’t any. Before she could update the murderer’s profile, she needed to know why these women disappeared. “I need to interject myself into the fabric of the Art Center.”

  Josh wasn’t real excited about her plan but agreed it would bring them closer to the inner circle.

  Chapter 14

  Josh returned to the Police station to update the chief on their findings, and Madison wanted to check on Aspen. The phone rang several times until Aspen’s voice mail answered. It wasn’t like her not to be up early or answer her phone, so Madison decided to go by and make sure Aspen was okay.

  She pulled up in front of the little bungalow. It didn’t look like anyone was home. Aspen had no plans for the day, so she had to be there. Madison knocked several times on the door, but no answer so she walked around to the back door. The door was slightly ajar. She used her elbow to push the door gently open. “Aspen.” There was no answer, so Madison slowly walked back toward Aspen’s room and then checked every room, before heading toward the kitchen. Aspen’s purse from
the night before was still sitting on the counter.

  A chill ran through Madison. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Aspen’s number. A phone rang in the other room, and she followed the sound to the living room. Aspen’s cell phone was just under the corner of the couch. “She would never go anywhere without her phone.” She pulled out her latex gloves, took a photo of where the phone was found, and then bagged it.

  Madison immediately called Josh.

  “Logan.”

  “Josh, Aspen is gone.”

  “What do you mean, she’s gone?”

  “Her purse and cell phone are here, and the back door was open. I think you’d better get a team over here as soon as possible. I’ll wait for you.”

  “I’m on my way,”

  Josh turned to the chief, “Madison’s friend Aspen is missing. I have a bad feeling about this, Chief.”

  “Keep me posted.”

  Madison cautiously walked through the house but left everything where she found it. She didn’t want to compromise any evidence that might help them locate Aspen. From the moment Kincaid announced that he would be working closely with Aspen, Madison had a bad feeling. It was hard for her to distance her emotions with this one because she was growing close to Aspen. “Sometimes I hate this job. Now is one of those times.” There were no signs of a struggle other than the phone under the couch. “Aspen must have felt comfortable with whoever was in the house.”

  Suddenly, Aspen’s phone rang. She lifted the bag up and saw the caller ID. It was Tyler. She wanted to answer it but didn’t want to let anyone know Aspen was missing; at least not yet. Then Tyler left a message.

  Josh arrived and entered through the back door and met Madison in the living room. “She just got a call from Tyler Kincaid.”

  “Certainly is a coincidence, don’t you think?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Josh looked around the rooms searching for anything that might tell them if she left willingly or not, but there were no signs of a struggle. Josh didn’t want to say it, but he didn’t want to hold anything back from Madison either. “This is eerily similar to the way our missing women disappeared. No struggle, just gone. I hate to say it, but…”