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

  Paintings Can Be Deadly

  A Sage Gardens Cozy Mystery

  Cindy Bell

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Also by Cindy Bell

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2016 Cindy Bell

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and locations portrayed in this book and the names herein are fictitious. Any similarity to or identification with the locations, names, characters or history of any person, product or entity is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

  All trademarks and brands referred to in this book are for illustrative purposes only, are the property of their respective owners and not affiliated with this publication in any way. Any trademarks are being used without permission, and the publication of the trademark is not authorized by, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owner.

  Created with Vellum

  Chapter 1

  Jo walked out of the yoga studio and breathed in the fresh air. She felt rejuvenated just like she did after every yoga session. She started walking briskly towards her car.

  “Joanne,” the deep male voice startled her slightly. She turned to see a familiar face and immediately her mind flashed back as if it hadn’t been several years since he held his hand out to her to help her, when he could have left her to die, or be caught by the police. He’d lost his chance at a high value painting just to make sure that she was safe.

  “Bruce.” He was thinner than she remembered and his shoulders hunched some. He had once been quite an intimidating man. Now he looked old. Did she look that old, too? Her cheeks flushed at the thought. Sometimes she forgot that she was in her sixties.

  “What a surprise.” He smiled. A few years before Bruce sent her a letter while she was in jail detailing the way he’d changed his life. He’d turned over a new leaf and wanted to thank her for being an inspiration to him. He was referring to the fact that she now led a completely different life. She used to be a cat burglar and after turning herself in she had spent time in jail. She had replied that she was happy for him, but never pursued more contact than that. She hoped that he would remain a part of her past. But there he was standing before her. “You look just like I remember.”

  “Oh sure.” She brushed her long, black hair back over her shoulders. She smiled at him and noticed that he was standing by the door to a gallery. Was he about to rob the place? He noticed her puzzled expression.

  “Oh, this is my business.”

  “You own a gallery?”

  “I do. Why don’t you come inside and have a look?”

  Jo wanted to think of an excuse not to enter the building, but she was curious. “Okay.”

  Bruce unlocked the door and she followed him inside. She was immediately bathed in a myriad of colors and shapes. The walls, and the floors were painted with asymmetrical circles, triangles, and squares. Paintings not only hung on the walls, but from the ceiling on long silver chains. She felt a familiar itch along the back of her neck that spread down her arms to her fingertips. There were so many valuable paintings, just there for her taking. Even though that life was behind her, the desire still bubbled up now and then. Bruce looked all around the gallery then nodded.

  “Let me just get a bottle of water.” He stepped through a door and disappeared. Jo took the time to admire the paintings on the wall. She’d never lost her appreciation for such beautiful pieces. It didn’t matter to her if they were dark, bright, or totally abstract. The beauty she found was in the act. Someone, somewhere, decided to open up their soul and pour it onto the canvas. “Here you go.”

  Jo jumped as Bruce handed her a bottle of water. “Oh, thank you.”

  “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “It’s okay. I was just a little lost inside the paintings.”

  “I go there sometimes, too.” He swept his gaze over the paintings. “It’s funny, once all I saw was dollar signs, but now, I get it. I know why people pay such large amounts for something that is one of a kind.”

  “I thought that you were out of the burglary and fencing business.” Her defenses went up at the first mention of how much the paintings might go for.

  “I am, this gallery is totally legit. Trust me, it’s been a struggle to keep the doors open.” She nodded as she walked behind a hanging portrait.

  “So business isn’t good?” She asked.

  “It has been better.” He cleared his throat. “Actually, there is something you might be able to help me with.” Jo stood there hesitantly in anticipation of what he might say. She’d put a big part of her life behind her, and it seemed to her that helping someone that was part of it, was a big risk. But he’d helped her out a few times when they were both highly sought-after thieves. One time in particular he literally saved her life. She owed him at least the respect of listening to his problem.

  As her mind spun through some of the possibilities it occurred to her that he could be suckering her into a job. She was determined to remain vigilant of his intentions.

  “What is it?” she asked. There was no harm in listening.

  “A few of the paintings here have gone missing.”

  “A break-in?” She glanced around for vulnerable entry points.

  “No, not exactly. That’s the strange thing. It took me a while to notice that one was gone, then another. It didn’t happen all at once. It’s as if one or two walk out the door each week. I only do inventory once a month, or when we sell a painting, so usually it’s once a month.”

  “Business is that bad?”

  “The economy is that bad. Nobody has the extra money to buy artwork, and those that do go to galleries with a long and well-established reputation.”

  “How did you get involved in selling paintings?”

  “Are you asking me if I stole them first?” He grinned.

  “Not exactly. But it does seem like a big step to take.”

  “It really wasn’t. I had a lot of contacts who still wanted paintings, I just took my business legit. Unfortunately, it’s a lot harder to sell paintings in the traditional way.”

  “I imagine so.” She smiled and glanced around the ceiling at the security cameras. “What about the cameras? Didn’t they pick up anything?”

  “I thought they would, but the thefts are happening afterhours. The cameras haven’t caught anything.”

  “You don’t leave them on overnight?”

  “I do, but there are big gaps in the security footage from late at night. I don’t know if perhaps the thief knows how to turn them off. But they are always on when I open up in the morning.”

  “What about an alarm? It hasn’t been triggered?”

  “No, not once. I would have been notified.”

  “And the police, have you gone to them?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Why not?” She raised an eyebrow. “If your paintings are being
stolen I would assume that the police would be the first call you would make.”

  “Right, and give them a reason to look into my past? You and I both know that paintings can easily be stolen without being caught on camera and without triggering any kind of alarm. All the police are going to do is take pictures and alert the person who I think is responsible for this.”

  “Oh.” She paused and turned back to face him. “You already know who the thief is?”

  “I don’t know for sure. But I do suspect someone. If the police get involved, he’ll know that I noticed the missing paintings. Maybe you could help me look into it a bit? I’ll pay you.”

  “I don’t know,” Jo said hesitantly. She wanted to help him and she could use the extra cash. “I don’t want to get involved in anything illegal.”

  “It’s nothing illegal.”

  “I just want to know where the money is coming from.” She cleared her throat.

  “Ah, I see. You’re worried about helping me out. I can understand that.” His jaw rippled. “Somewhat. You don’t trust me. Even after what I did for you?”

  Jo lowered her eyes. “I know what you did for me and that’s why I would want to help you. But I don’t want to get involved in anything illegal, or shady. Bruce, my life is totally different now, and I like it this way. The last thing I want is to end up in prison again.”

  He winced at the word. “I know that. It’s a terrible thing to consider. But you don’t have to worry about that with me. We must have run into each other after all these years for a reason. You know how this business works, how thieves work. It would be win-win.”

  “Okay,” Jo said hesitantly. She could look into things a bit for him. After all he wasn’t asking for her help on a job, he was asking for her help in his new life.

  “Thank you. I would never have told you any of this if I didn’t trust you. I know that you’re on the straight and narrow, which is where I want to stay.”

  “Tell me more about who you suspect.” She opened her bottle and took a sip.

  “As I said, it’s been a struggle to keep the doors open lately. I think perhaps my business partner, David Right, is getting fed up with it and decided to steal some of the paintings, claim them on our insurance, and sell them on the black market.”

  “That’s quite a scam.” Her eyes narrowed “David Right?” Jo knew of a thief named David Right. In fact, she had met him once just after he entered the scene and just before she had left it.

  “Yes, that David Right.”

  “Do you know David well?”

  “I know him very well. At least I thought I did. I wouldn’t have gone into business with him otherwise. But it’s the only explanation that I can come up with. He has access. He knows which paintings are valuable enough to sell, but not so valuable to be noticed as missing right away. He knows how to turn the cameras on and off, how to bypass the alarm. His personal financial situation is iffy at best. I just think he’s slid back into the old lifestyle. We did a few jobs together in the old days, once you were off the scene. But I thought, like me, he was on the straight and narrow now.”

  “Have you thought about confronting him?”

  “I can’t.” He grimaced. “Not unless I know for sure. If I confront him and it turns out not to be true I’ll have ruined a friendship, and a partnership. I’m not willing to risk that, not without some kind of proof.”

  “I’ll see what I can find out for you. But I don’t want to have any surprises, Bruce. I want to know that you’re telling me the truth and not hiding anything from me.”

  “I’m not that person anymore, Jo. You can trust me on that.” He looked into her eyes. “I need your help.”

  “Send me through what information you have and I’ll see what I can find out. In the meantime, just try to keep your suspicions to yourself. The moment he senses that you’re looking at him for this, he will shut down to the point that we won’t be able to find anything.”

  “I can do that.” He nodded and extended his hand. “I really appreciate you helping me out here, Jo.”

  “No problem, Bruce. It’s hard to get out of the life, and into something on the up and up. It’s even harder if you can’t trust your partner. We’ll figure this out.” She gave his hand a firm shake, then turned to leave. With every step she took she wondered if she was making the right choice. If Bruce was telling the truth then it was no big deal, but if he wasn’t, then he could be trying to pull her back into a way of life that she wanted nothing to do with.

  Chapter 2

  Later that day Jo walked from her villa towards the lake. She wanted to clear her mind and be sure that she’d made the right decision. As she walked along the water her mind drifted from the present to the past and back again. She didn’t know if she wanted to bring her past into the present. She had left that life behind. There were so many differences now. The biggest difference was that she didn’t have to look over her shoulder all the time. She didn’t have to wonder if there was a rival, or an officer of the law sneaking up behind her. That was a luxury that she didn’t ever want to lose.

  “Hey Jo!” Eddy panted a little as he caught up to her. “Didn’t you hear me calling you? I’ve been chasing you for almost ten minutes.”

  She turned to face him and smiled. “Sorry Eddy, I didn’t. What’s up?”

  “Nothing much, I just want to catch up and see how everything is. I haven’t seen you for a couple of days.”

  “Oh, I’ve been busy and I just ran into an old friend. I’m helping him out with something.” She shrugged.

  “Anything I can help you with?” Eddy gave her a light pat on the shoulder.

  “Not at the moment, but it’s nice of you to offer. I’m just doing him a favor, Eddy, thank you.”

  “I won’t keep you. Just let me know if you need anything.”

  “Will do, Eddy.” She smiled at him then walked away. What would he think if he knew she was doing a favor for someone from her old life? He likely wouldn’t approve. As she continued on her walk she found herself naturally taking the path that led to Samantha’s villa. She visited her so often that it seemed strange to walk by it. She decided to drop in. When she knocked on the back door of her villa Samantha opened it.

  “Jo!”

  “Hi Sam.”

  “Do you want to come in?”

  “Sure. Actually, there’s something you might be able to help me with.”

  “Anything.” Samantha held the door open for her.

  “I need you to look into someone for a friend of mine. But I need to make sure that he can’t figure out we’ve been checking up on him.”

  “Did you have Eddy get someone to run a background check on him?”

  “No. I don’t want Eddy to know much about this.”

  “Ah, I see.” Samantha nodded and sat down at the computer. “Eddy wouldn’t cause you any problems though.”

  “I just prefer to keep some things to myself. Is that okay? I’m not putting you in an awkward position am I?”

  “No, it’s fine. Trust me, I keep plenty of things from Eddy, too. He still sees things a little too black and white, though he’s calmed down quite a bit I think. He’s adjusting to civilian life.”

  “Hmm, sometimes he still thinks he has his badge and his gun.”

  “Well, he does have Chris.” Samantha laughed as she thought about the lab tech that Eddy was friendly with at the police department. “I suppose that’s like having his own badge and gun.”

  “It sure can be.” Jo gave Samantha David’s details then sprawled out on her couch. Samantha made a call to someone in police records. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she waited for the information from her contact. A few minutes later, she hung up and spun around in her chair.

  “Okay, he has a criminal history, but I’m sure you already knew that.”

  “I do.”

  “He was arrested for a minor job years ago, but there’s been no arrests or anything to indicate that he has been involved in the
business for about twenty years.”

  “Maybe he just hasn’t been caught.”

  “Maybe.”

  “He’s a little hard to track. His social media is full of information about a gallery, but not much personal stuff.”

  “Anything interesting about the gallery.”

  “No, nothing that I can see.” Samantha shook her head. “It doesn’t look like I am going to find anything else for now, but I’ll keep looking and let you know if I come across anything.” Jo knew that with Samantha’s background as an investigative journalist she would be the most likely to be able to dig up any dirt on David.

  “Thanks, Sam.”

  “Anytime.” Samantha smiled. “Will you meet us for lunch tomorrow? We’re having a picnic.”

  “Sure, I think I can manage that. Thanks for your help.”

  “No problem. Just stay on your toes, Jo.”

  “I will.” Jo nodded. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” As she left Samantha’s villa she felt more prepared for working out what was going on. David had his secrets, she was sure of it. Bruce mentioned that David was having financial trouble. She knew one person who could dig into his records and see if that was true. She walked straight towards Walt’s villa. Since his car was in the driveway she assumed that he was home. She carefully wiped her feet on the mat outside his front door, then knocked twice. Walt opened the door and smiled.

  “Jo, what a wonderful surprise.”

  “Hi Walt. I hope that you don’t mind the drop-in.”

  “No, it’s fine. You’re always welcome.” He held her eyes for a moment. “But this isn’t a friendly visit is it?”

  “Not exactly. I was hoping to get your help on something.”

  “Sure, Jo.” He gestured for her to step inside. Jo wiped her feet once more then followed him in. “What can I help you with?”

  “I’m trying to help an acquaintance who’s had something stolen and I need to see if you can get some financial information on someone for me.”