Murder Can Mess Up Your Masterpiece

by Rose Pressey

  “Have you shared this with the detective?” he asked.

  “I’ve just been trying to handle it on my own. I suppose I’ve been playing detective.”

  “That’s a bit dangerous. Maybe you should leave that to the police,” Caleb said.

  Why was I telling Caleb all this? No way would I tell him that I had my own suspects list. I was being an amateur sleuth. If he was the killer, he would want to get rid of me. Furthermore, why had I walked to the ice cream shop with him?

  “I suppose I should just keep an eye on her,” I said.

  “Well, be careful. I really think you should tell the detective about this.”

  Why was he pressing for me to tell the detective? Unless he wanted the detective off his trail. Our talking seemed so casual and came so easily, I really hoped Caleb wasn’t the murderer.

  “You never told me about your other job,” I said.

  This was for Aunt Patsy. She had made me curious.

  “Did I say I had another job?” he asked. “Maybe you just misunderstood me. Wood sculpting is what I do full time.”

  He seemed a bit uneasy about my question. This was more suspicious behavior.

  We sat in silence. I knew Caleb was thinking about what I’d said.

  After a few more seconds, I said, “Well, I suppose I should get Van to bed. He’s tired.”

  Caleb smiled. “Yes, I see he’s ready for bedtime.”

  Caleb and I walked back to the fairgrounds. It was a pleasant walk and we discussed our art again, plus our plans after this fair was over. There was another fair he was going to in a couple of weeks and I had thought about going as well. Several times, I thought about telling him about the ghost, but I stopped myself. I wanted to tell someone so badly, but I didn’t know of anyone who would believe me. As wacky as my parents were, even they probably wouldn’t believe me if I told them. This was something I would have to keep to myself.

  We’d just turned a corner and my trailer was in sight when I spotted movement up ahead. There was definitely someone outside the trailer. Caleb must’ve noticed it at the exact same time.

  “Who is that?” he asked.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t think they should be around my trailer.”

  Immediately, Shar came to mind, but I wasn’t sure if it was her. It was too dark and the person was still too far away for me to be certain. I was almost sure it was a woman. I figured it was a safe assumption to think it was Shar because I’d seen her at Caleb’s trailer. She had to be the person breaking in and stealing money.

  Caleb ran over toward my trailer. I supposed he wanted to catch her in the act. I hurried as well, but I was holding Van in my arms, so I couldn’t run as fast. I didn’t want to fall. Plus, I wasn’t really prepared to confront anyone. What if she was the killer? Now I was worried about Caleb. And yet I had suspected he was the murderer. I was so confused because the clues were leading me in many different directions.

  Caleb reached my trailer and went out of sight around the side. For all I knew, she could’ve been waiting for him as soon as he turned that corner. My anxiety spiked.

  As soon as I reached the trailer, Caleb popped up in front of me. I jumped and Van barked until he realized who it was.

  “Are you all right?” I asked.

  “Whoever it was, I didn’t catch them. They were gone quickly, but it was a woman.”

  “Do you think it was Shar?” I asked.

  He released a deep breath. “There’s just no way for me to know for sure. I only saw the back of the person and it was dark. She was dressed in black.”

  “Like a cat burglar or a murderer,” I said.

  “We should call the police and report this,” Caleb said.

  I nodded. “Yes, you’re right. Let me put Van inside the trailer and I’ll place the call.”

  Once Van was secure in the Shasta with his food, water, and bed, I joined Caleb outside again. I pulled out my phone and also the detective’s card, so that I could call his number directly. He picked up, and I told him what had happened.

  “Maybe you should’ve just called 911,” Caleb said.

  “I’m not sure this is exactly an emergency right now, and the detective is working the case, so I figured I could just give him a call.”

  “I guess.” Caleb shoved his hands into his pockets.

  I got the feeling Caleb didn’t like the detective much. I supposed he felt being a suspect was reason enough not to call the detective. Being a suspect myself, I understood why he felt that way.

  I was amazed at how many police officers showed up within a matter of minutes. Pierce made eye contact with me right away as he walked over to my trailer.

  “I had no idea so many police would show up,” I said.

  “Well, this is an active crime investigation and there’s a lot going on here,” he said, glancing over at Caleb. “Tell me what happened.”

  An undeniable tension hung in the air between them. I supposed some people just instantly took a dislike for others.

  “Caleb and I went out for ice cream.”

  Pierce’s gaze traveled over to Caleb again. Why did I feel odd telling the detective about this? Pierce had a strange look on his face. I did find him attractive, but he hadn’t asked me out for ice cream. Caleb had. Though Caleb could be a murderer, for heaven’s sake.

  “And what happened?” Pierce asked.

  “We just came back and saw someone around my trailer. But that wasn’t all. Earlier in the evening, when I went to Caleb’s booth, I noticed someone around his trailer as well.”

  “You went to Caleb’s booth?” Pierce cast a skeptical eye my way.

  “Yes,” I said.

  Pierce exchanged a look with Caleb before turning his attention back to me. “Do you think it was the same person?”

  “I don’t know if it’s the same person, but I saw Shar at Caleb’s. You spoke with her before.”

  “I’ll make sure to speak with her again,” he said. “Was your trailer still secure?”

  “Yes, the door was locked,” I said.

  Movement caught my attention. Elizabeth stood by the edge of the trailer. She waved enthusiastically. Detective Meyer noticed I was watching something.

  “Is everything okay, Celeste, um, Ms. Cabot?” he asked.

  Elizabeth waved again. It looked as if she wanted to speak with me. Maybe she’d gotten a look at the woman we’d seen. Even if she had seen the snoop, I couldn’t share that information with the detective. I couldn’t tell Pierce my source was a ghost. That would be the same as if I said Van told me. He’d think I’d lost my marbles. I was curious to hear what Elizabeth had to say, though.

  What if I spoke with Shar? Maybe she’d admit she was snooping around. Whatever Elizabeth told me, I would use that information and investigate on my own. There would be no harm in that. I pulled my attention away from Elizabeth and focused on Pierce again.

  “Did you notice anything else?” Pierce asked.

  “Not that I can recall. Well, other than that Shar has been snooping around other trailers. I saw her watching mine last night.”

  “And you didn’t tell me about that sooner?” Pierce looked to Caleb. “Did you know about this?”

  Caleb didn’t answer.

  “I planned on telling you,” I said, feeling a bit as if I’d been scolded by my parents.

  “Please, if anything else happens, tell me right away. Even if it’s minor,” Pierce said.

  I nodded. “I will.”

  Pierce looked at Caleb. “I’ll be in touch soon.” He walked away from us. It looked as if he was headed in the direction of Shar’s.

  “He seems unhappy,” Caleb said.

  “That’s a bad thing,” I said.

  “Don’t worry about him. He’s just doing his job.” Caleb offered a smile that under less stressful circumstances would make me melt.

  I had a feeling I’d made Pierce a bit angry with me. I hadn’t meant to keep the information from him. It just worked out that wa
y. At least now the activity had settled down. The police hadn’t found any sign of the intruder. For the rest of the evening, I’d worry about the woman coming back.

  * * *

  Later that night, after the police had gone and all was quiet, Van slept and I cozied up with a book. Of course I was on edge, waiting for either the killer or Elizabeth to show up. Of the two, I’d much prefer to see Elizabeth.

  When my phone rang, I nearly jumped out of my chair. My best friend’s picture appeared on the phone’s screen. I was sure she wondered what in the world was going on over here, because I’d left her a bit of a panicked voice mail. There wasn’t much we didn’t know about each other, though Sammie soon might discover something new about me.

  “For heaven’s sake, Celeste, you had me scared nearly to death. What’s happened now?” Sammie asked.

  With a bit of frantic rambling, I explained what had happened.

  “Maybe it’s time you pulled out of that craft fair,” she said.

  “That would be the wise decision, but it’s so close to the end now. Plus, I really want to sell more of my art.”

  “The end could be more than you think if you don’t get out of there.”

  I wanted to tell her about the other thing on my mind. What was I worried about? If anyone would understand it would be Sammie.

  “There was one other thing I wanted to tell you.”

  “I knew there was something else going on. Is it about the detective or Caleb?” Sammie asked.

  “Neither,” I said.

  “Bummer,” she said.

  “Well, here goes . . . I think I’ve seen a ghost.”

  There was a pause. Sammie knew I had never believed in ghosts.

  “Okay,” she said. “Where did you see this ghost?”

  At least she was willing to hear me out. I knew she would try to offer a logical explanation. Sammie was a logical person.

  The story flowed from my lips. It felt great just to get all of it off my mind. To finally release the story that I’d been keeping to myself. Van hadn’t offered feedback, so I needed a human to help me decide what to do.

  “You have been under a lot of stress since the discovery of the body,” Sammie said.

  “Yes, but that doesn’t explain the other woman saying the painting is haunted.”

  “Maybe once she said it, that made you susceptible to experiencing it as well. After all, you do have a vivid imagination. It’s just part of being artistic.”

  I knew she’d try to be logical about this, but I didn’t want to hear that she thought this was all in my head. If only she would see Elizabeth too. Then she’d believe me.

  “Maybe we should go out tomorrow. How about shopping? Lunch or the movies?” Sammie asked.

  “I have to be here tomorrow,” I said.

  She groaned. “You mean you’re staying?”

  “Sammie, you should know I always finish what I start,” I said.

  “You shouldn’t finish what you start when that something is bad for you,” she said.

  “I’ll be fine,” I said.

  “I’m coming over there tomorrow. I should have been there sooner.”

  “You had to pick up that fantastic antique table you found at the estate sale in Knoxville. I understand. I’m always amazed at your ability to find such stunning pieces.”

  “Well, tomorrow is my day off. I’ll see you then. In the meantime, please be careful. And try not to stress out too much.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Travel trailer tip 13: Pack a first aid kit. Life inside a trailer can be hazardous. So can life outside a trailer.

  The sun streamed through the tree branches, casting a prism of colors across the front of my trailer. I surveyed the setup of my paintings.

  “Looks good,” a baritone voice said from over my shoulder.

  I spun around to find Caleb standing right behind me. It was a bit disconcerting that I hadn’t heard him when he slipped up.

  “Oh, thank you,” I said with a smile.

  He studied my work for a bit longer. No matter how many paintings I sold, I always felt self-conscious when people looked at my work. What was he thinking? Did he hate them? The portrait of Elizabeth was there, but I knew I wouldn’t sell her now.

  “I want to buy one of your paintings,” Caleb said.

  I almost asked why, but that would be an odd question to ask of a customer. If he wanted to buy, I certainly couldn’t refuse. Maybe he liked my work after all.

  “Okay,” I said hesitantly. “Which one would you like?”

  He stepped closer, studying the paintings again. I walked along beside him with butterflies in my stomach.

  “Which one do you like best?” he asked.

  “Well, I’m sure you know that’s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child.”

  He chuckled. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

  He stopped in front of the painting of Elizabeth. Oh no. I knew I should have removed it. I’d have to tell him it wasn’t for sale. After that, he’d want to know why. It would turn into a whole big thing. I wasn’t good at lying.

  “What about this one? Do you know this person?” He pointed. “An ancestor?”

  Could Elizabeth be an ancestor? I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe I should show my grandmother the painting to see if she recognized Elizabeth. Movement caught my attention. Elizabeth peeked around the side of my trailer.

  “I’m not exactly sure who she is,” I said.

  “She’s mesmerizing.” Caleb turned his attention to me. “Like you.”

  Heat rushed to my cheeks.

  “Why, thank you,” Elizabeth said.

  I jumped when she spoke. I hadn’t realized she’d moved so close to us. Caleb looked at me strangely.

  “Yes, it is a unique piece,” I said.

  “It’s almost . . . haunting,” Caleb said.

  What made him pick that word?

  “Unfortunately, it’s not for sale.” I rushed the words.

  He frowned. “Why not? Does it have a special meaning for you?”

  “You could say that.” I shifted from one foot to the other. This whole conversation was making me uncomfortable.

  “Now I’m curious. Come on, tell me the whole story.” Caleb wiggled his fingers, urging for details.

  I supposed I could tell him the first part of the story. Leaving out the fact that I’d seen Elizabeth would be the best way to handle this.

  “I sold the painting once. It was returned.”

  “The customer didn’t like it?” he asked.

  “She loved it at first. However, when she got it home, she said something happened.” I studied his face for a reaction.

  He waited to hear the rest.

  “She claimed the painting was haunted.”

  Caleb chuckled. “Was she serious?”

  “She said she saw a ghost. It was the woman from the painting.”

  Caleb shook his head. “She probably just dreamed it. There are crazy people out there.”

  Yes, crazy people, as in murderers.

  “I wish it was that simple,” I said.

  He furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

  I was nervous about saying more. But maybe I could tell Caleb about Elizabeth after all. What did I have to lose?

  “At first, I didn’t believe the woman. I thought she just wanted to return the painting. Which was fine,” I said.

  “Right,” Caleb said. “What happened next?”

  My heart sped up. I hoped he didn’t think I was crazy for telling him this. It would feel better to tell someone else other than Sammie, though. At least that was what I told myself.

  “I saw the ghost too,” I blurted out.

  He chuckled. When I didn’t laugh in return, he stopped. “Are you serious?”

  “Do you believe in ghosts?” I asked.

  He shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “I never put much thought in it. I suppose it’s possible, though.”

  “Oh, it’s definitely possible.
As a matter of fact, the ghost is here now. She liked when you gave her a compliment by saying she was mesmerizing.”

  “The ghost talks to you?” His eyes widened.

  “Yes,” I said.

  Now I was second-guessing whether I should have confided in Caleb.

  “What else does she say?” Caleb asked.

  I couldn’t read whether he truly believed me or not.

  “Her name is Elizabeth and she doesn’t know why she’s here.”

  “Do you know why she’s here?” he asked.

  “I think it has something to do with this.” I reached over and picked up the jar I used to see the hidden images. “Look at the paintings. All of them. I’ve painted images into them that I didn’t know about.”

  He regarded me skeptically but ultimately took the jar and peered into the glass at the painting. “Interesting.” He moved over to another painting and studied it too. After looking at that canvas, he moved on to another and then another. “All of them have a hidden image?”

  I nodded. “All of them.”

  “And you don’t remember painting them?”

  “Nope.”

  “That’s fascinating. I would say it’s matrixing, but the images are so vivid. Plus, they are all similar, with the same theme. It’s like a painting within a painting. You’re talented.”

  “Thanks,” I said with a blush. “But I didn’t know I was doing it.”

  “Why do you think this has something to do with the ghost?”

  “It’s just a feeling. The images have a bit of a paranormal twist to them, don’t you think?” I asked.

  “Yes, I suppose they do,” he said as he handed the jar back to me.

  “I’d love to find out why this happened and what it all means.”

  “Why don’t you let me buy the painting to see if the ghost follows me? Is she still here?” Caleb looked over my shoulder.

  I scanned the area. “I don’t see her now.”

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about his proposal. However, what was the worst that could happen? Maybe Elizabeth would be mad at me for selling her to someone else. She would mess up Caleb’s stuff like the other woman said had happened to her.

  Caleb watched me for an answer.

  “I can do that.”

  “Great. How much do you want for it?” He pulled out his wallet.