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

  “David?” Her eyes widened. “You want to ask for David’s help?”

  “Why not? He’s the only person that we know for sure didn’t kill Bruce.”

  “It’s still possible that he hired someone to do it.” Jo tapped her finger on the table.

  “If he hired someone then he must have pulled the money from some hidden account, very well hidden.” Walt shook his head. “As far as I could tell, David is broke.”

  “But I’ve already talked to David and he didn’t have anything to tell me about the murder,” Jo said.

  “About the murder. But what about the stolen paintings?” Eddy looked between the three of them. “We’ve been so focused on the murder that we’ve forgotten about the reason for Jo helping out Bruce in the first place. Someone was getting in and out of the gallery without setting off the alarm or being recorded on the cameras. Bruce’s murderer was able to do the same thing. So, we should be paying attention to the stolen paintings, too.”

  “That’s a good point.” Jo nodded. “It’s not likely that two people managed to skirt such good security.”

  “And David is going to be the best one to advise us on how that skirting might be done, and whether anyone who seemed suspicious had been around the gallery,” Eddy said.

  “You’re right.” Samantha nodded.

  “There’s also Leela to consider. I think we need to find out more about her,” Eddy said.

  “We know she’s got financial motive.” Walt nodded.

  “But she was in love with Bruce. I find it hard to believe that she would have killed him. I know, I know, people have killed for less.” Jo sighed. “I guess maybe I want to believe that they were in love until the end.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that, but we need some cold hard facts to move us forward. Let’s start with David and see where it leads us. Is that okay with you, Jo?” Eddy looked over at her.

  “Yes, I think that’s the best place to start,” Jo said. “But I am coming with you.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Eddy said.

  “He will be much more forthcoming with information if I’m there,” Jo said. “It’s our best shot.”

  “Okay, but I don’t like it.” Eddy shook his head.

  After they had finished breakfast they piled into Eddy’s car and headed off to Bruce’s gallery. When they drove up to it, Jo had to hold back a flutter of emotions. The last time she was there, she found Bruce dead. Strengthened by the presence of her friends, she walked into the gallery. David looked up from a desk positioned not far from the hanging paintings.

  “Jo? It’s a bit daring of you to come here.” He stood up as they walked towards him. “Who is this, the cavalry?” He stared at the group of people before him.

  “My friends. I guess you could call them that. We’re here to ask for your help.”

  “My help?” He laughed. “I doubt that.”

  “It’s true. We realized that you might be able to help us out with something.”

  “With what?” He stared hard at Jo. “Are you trying to get me to confess to a crime that I didn’t commit, again?”

  “No. I want to know how someone got into the gallery, without setting off the alarm or being recorded, to kill Bruce. The alarms and cameras were avoided when the paintings were stolen, too. I saw how sensitive that alarm was when a couple of kids just touched the glass. So, that alarm had to be turned off in order for someone to get inside.”

  “You’re right, it probably was.”

  “Then how did the thief, or the murderer get access to the alarm?”

  David shook his head. “I’ve been trying to figure that out myself. I called the alarm company and they said that the alarm was working normally during those times. It had been disarmed using the codes. Only Bruce and I have the code.”

  “So, if Bruce went into the gallery he might have been the one to turn off the alarm.”

  “Yes, it’s very likely that he did.” David shrugged. “But why weren’t the cameras rolling? That’s something I can’t tell you. I checked the DVD and there was nothing there. For some reason the footage stopped about fifteen minutes before Bruce was killed. After you told me about the missing paintings I went back through some of the old footage and found similar gaps in the recordings.”

  “Was there ever anyone that visited the gallery on the day that the footage was interrupted who stood out to you?” Eddy asked.

  “No, I don’t think so. It’s hard to say, though, I can only tell who entered the gallery from the footage I saw.”

  Eddy rested his hands on the table and studied the man before him. “Why do you think your partner suspected you?”

  “Are we really going to hash this out again? He probably suspected me because I’ve been short on cash lately. We also hadn’t been getting along. I told him something about his wife that he took offense to.”

  “What did you tell him about Leela?” Samantha asked.

  “She was at the gallery one night and her cell phone rang. Before she answered the call, she went outside. I thought this was a little strange so I followed her. Once she was outside she answered the phone and kept her voice down. I thought it was odd, but I let it go. Then it started happening just about every night she was here, and one time I overheard her call the person on the phone sweetie. Bruce was my friend, I didn’t want him to be played by a woman. So I mentioned to him that he needed to keep an eye on her, that she might have a boyfriend. But he got angry at me and told me I was just trying to drive a wedge between them. I wouldn’t do that. I like Leela. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything to him. Maybe I misunderstood the situation. After that he gave me the cold shoulder.”

  “Do you have any idea who Leela might be seeing?” Jo searched his eyes. “Someone from the past?”

  “No, I don’t know. Like I said, it was only those brief conversations that I knew about. I never saw her with anyone in particular.”

  “No one was hanging around? Making an extra effort to see her?”

  “No, after Bruce got mad about it, I stopped paying attention. It wasn’t my business.”

  “Interesting. What about Dodge?” Jo watched his facial expression as she delivered the question. He froze, and stared hard at the papers on the desk.

  “What about him?”

  “Do you know him?”

  “Yeah, I know of him.”

  “Has he been around?”

  He walked around to the front of the desk and paused beside Jo.

  “Maybe this is something to discuss in private.”

  “No. Anything you want to tell me, you can tell my friends, too.”

  “Fine. Yes, Dodge has been around. I didn’t think he’d be much of a problem once I told him that we weren’t interested in any jobs.”

  “Wait a minute, Dodge came here to ask you about working a job?”

  “It was more like he came here to ask if we knew of any for him. I guess he was pretty desperate for money after getting out of prison.” He shook his head. “I didn’t really think much of it.”

  “Even though Bruce was the reason that Dodge went to prison?” Jo shoved her hands into her pockets. “You didn’t think that was something to be concerned about?”

  “From what Bruce told me. No. He’d been writing back and forth to Dodge in prison in an attempt to work things out. I think maybe he even offered Dodge a job, and maybe Dodge didn’t realize it was an actual regular job.”

  “So they mended their friendship?” Samantha glanced over at Eddy then back at David. “Even after all of those years?”

  “I wouldn’t say mended. But Bruce was attempting to settle things with him. Help him out if he could.”

  “Was he afraid that when Dodge got out he would come after him?” Eddy nodded to Jo. “Or others?”

  “Bruce didn’t seem to be afraid. But then he didn’t speak to Bruce. He spoke to me. When I told him that we weren’t interested in any jobs, he got a little annoyed and took off, like I’d wasted h
is time.”

  “You should be careful,” Eddy suggested. “Just because he walked away the first time, doesn’t mean he won’t come back for revenge.”

  “I know. I’m taking precautions.”

  “What about the cameras?” Walt glanced around the gallery at them. “Is there a way to disable them without disabling the alarm?”

  “Yes, they’re totally separate from each other. However, the only way to disable them is through the computer which you have to have a password for. Only Bruce and I knew the password. No one else could have tampered with it.”

  “I wouldn’t say that. There are some people who are able to crack into any computer, even from their own computers. Maybe the system was hacked into from the outside.” Samantha typed something on her phone. “I’ll check with one of my contacts and see if there are any known hacks recently and whether there is some kind of program that will give someone else remote control access of the system.”

  “Good idea.” Jo nodded. “David, thanks for your time.”

  “Sure. Anything I can do.” He shook his head. “I’m still having a hard time believing that he’s gone.”

  Jo’s gaze lingered on him. Was he genuine? It was hard for her to tell. When they got back to the car, Eddy sat behind the wheel for some time.

  “So, now we suspect that Leela was seeing someone else? That ups her as a suspect.”

  “Yes, it does.” Jo squinted through the windshield at the gallery. “But we also know that Dodge was hanging around here.”

  “Good point.”

  As they left the parking lot, Jo’s cell phone began to ring. She stared down at her phone. The last person she expected to call her was Leela, and yet there was her number staring back up at her.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi Jo. I’m sorry to bother you. I was wondering if you might help me with something.” Jo flashed back to her conversation with Bruce for a moment, then cleared her throat.

  “Yes sure, what do you need?”

  “I have to clean out the house. I want to get it on the market as soon as possible and I need to get the stuff ready for the movers. Is there any chance that you might want to help me with that? I know you are looking for some extra cash and I’m happy to pay you. You know, Bruce and I never had children and I don’t have anyone to help me.”

  “Oh.” Jo smiled a little. It would be a great way to look through Bruce’s possessions while also gauging the potential of Leela’s involvement. “Of course I’ll help, but there is no need to pay me. Do you want me to come right now?”

  “Is that too much trouble?”

  “No, I’m just out with some friends, I’ll have them drop me off.”

  “Great, I’ll be here, in the middle of a huge pile of mess.”

  “See you soon.” She hung up the phone and looked into Eddy’s inquisitive eyes. “I need you to drop me off at Bruce’s house.”

  “Why?”

  “Leela invited me, and I think it will be a great way to get some information about her while you follow up on the cameras, and the alarm company.”

  “Okay.” Eddy nodded and turned the car in the right direction.

  “Okay? That’s it?”

  “That’s it. If you think it’s the best course of action, then it is.”

  “Thanks Eddy.”

  Chapter 16

  After some time Eddy pulled the car up to a small house. The green paint on the outside had begun to peel. The porch itself was scattered with junk that should have been tossed out or placed in storage. A snow shovel still rested by the door despite the warm weather. It seemed to Jo that Bruce didn’t do much to take care of the house.

  “So, do you want Walt or Samantha to stay with you?”

  “No, I think it’s best that I do this by myself. She’s not going to be as open around anyone else. I might just be able to get more information or even a confession out of her if I gain her trust.”

  “Keep in touch with us, okay?”

  “I will.” She glanced in the back seat at Samantha and Walt. “Text me if you find out anything about the security system, okay?”

  “You’ve got it.” Samantha reached forward to pat her shoulder. “Be careful.”

  “I will be.” She walked up to the door with heavy steps. Her entire body was weighed down by the notion of being inside Bruce’s house. Would she be able to see past his loss and get some actual evidence of a crime? When she stepped onto the creaky porch, the front door swung open.

  “Jo!” Leela smiled “I’m so glad that you could take the time to help me with this.”

  Jo offered her a warm smile. “I’d hate to think of you dealing with this alone.” Leela led her inside the home. The piles of belongings scattered all over the living room startled her. Leela had been hard at work in the short time since Bruce’s death.

  “I know it’s a wreck, I’m sorry. I’m trying to get this done as fast as possible. I want to leave all of this behind me.”

  “Just tell me what I can do to help, I’m here. I know this must be such a difficult task for you.”

  “It’s not really. I’ve been dying to do this for years. Now, at least I get a fresh start.” She sighed and looked around the living room. “Can you help me with this?” She picked up a stack of papers and pointed to a box in the corner. “I want to make sure everything is boxed up before the movers come.”

  “It seems rather fast for you to leave so soon. Are you sure you’re giving yourself enough time to recover?”

  “It seems fast, but it’s not really. Bruce and I had always hoped to move, he just happened to die before we could do it. I’m not going to let another day of my life go by without getting to do what I hoped to. It all goes so very fast.”

  “Yes it does.” Jo put the stack of papers into the box. As she did a receipt fluttered to the floor. She reached down to pick it up and recognized the name of the restaurant on the top of the receipt right away. It was for LaRuse. “Bruce, the romantic.” She smiled as she looked over at Leela. “Did he take you to LaRuse often?”

  “Bruce? Ha! That man wouldn’t be caught dead in a fancy restaurant.” She gulped and covered her mouth. “I probably shouldn’t talk like that.”

  “I know what you meant, it’s okay. But you two were getting along well, right?”

  “As well as an old married couple can. We had our ups and downs over the years, of course. I certainly never expected to spend the later years of my life living in this shoe box in a nowhere town, but that’s what he wanted, so.” She shrugged.

  “You didn’t agree with him leaving the life?”

  “It wasn’t so much that. I mean we were both getting a bit old for it. But instead of investing all of our money in some beautiful place where no one would ever find us, he bought that gallery and opened it. He told me it was his chance to be a real businessman. I thought it was ridiculous, but my opinion didn’t hold much weight.” She wrapped a plate in newspaper. “I thought it was a phase that he would get bored with, but he really took to it. He was right, too, most of the people we met had no idea about our past. It was rather nice to be treated as if we were just regular people.”

  “I’m sure it was.” Jo smiled. “I’ve enjoyed that myself.”

  “It’s odd though, isn’t it? Sometimes that old life, it just calls to you. The thrill, the money, the adventure, the money.” She laughed. “I never knew what it was like to have to balance a checkbook before. All of that has changed now. I’m going to have to figure out the finances all on my own.”

  “Did Bruce take care of you?” Jo frowned. “Did he make sure you’d live well?”

  “Oh yes, he had quite a life insurance policy, but that won’t be paid out until the investigation is complete of course.” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know why it matters who killed him, he’s dead either way, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, yes he is.” Jo paused in front of a photograph of herself with Bruce and Leela. “I can’t believe you’ve still got this.”

&
nbsp; “I can. Bruce always had a heart for you, Jo.”

  “I never forgot what he did for me, Leela. That’s why I agreed to help him.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t have.” She sighed and shook her head. “Maybe he was killed because he was looking into the wrong thing.”

  “I was very careful, Leela.”

  “I’m sure that you were, but we don’t know who killed him, do we?” She sighed. “I guess we may never know. I can’t wait to get as far from this house as I can possibly go. A new chapter awaits me.”

  “I’m sure it does.” Jo turned back towards her. “Although, you’ll need time to grieve as well.”

  “Yes, that’s true. It’ll be easier to do away from here though.” She turned away to add another plate to her box. As she did Jo casually tucked the receipt for LaRuse that was still in her hand into her pocket. She wasn’t sure why she was keeping it, but she knew she wanted to look at it more when Leela wasn’t there to see her. Jo began to wrap the other plates so that she could help her along. Could Leela be right? Had she unwittingly alerted the wrong person to Bruce’s knowledge that the paintings were stolen?

  After a few hours, Jo sent a text out to her friends to see who might be willing to pick her up. As she waited outside for someone to show, she thought about the receipt in her pocket. It only took a few minutes for her to realize why she had put it in her pocket. Walt’s car pulled up at the end of the driveway. She walked towards it, dazed by the connection she’d made.

  “Ready?” Walt smiled at her as she climbed into the car. Jo couldn’t smile back. Her heart still ached as she watched Bruce’s house disappear. Maybe they would have been friends again, had they the chance. “Jo, you can talk to me about anything, you know that right?”

  “Yes.” She sighed. “I keep waiting for some kind of closure. But, I don’t think solving the murder is going to give it to me.”

  “It’s not that kind of closure.” He nodded a little. “You need closure for your friendship.”

  “Was it even a friendship? Can you call someone that you live a criminal life with a friend?”