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

  “Come on out, Walt, it’s safe.”

  Walt made his way slowly through the door and into the hallway. “Just in time, Eddy.”

  “Actually we were here for a few minutes, but we had to get the confession of course.”

  “I do hope you’re joking.” Walt stared at him. “He was waving a lighter around in there.”

  “I know, I blew it out.” Eddy laughed. “Don’t worry, Walt, I wasn’t going to let him start the fire. I just wanted to have a little bit of fun.”

  “Your version of fun is very twisted.”

  “Maybe so, but it’s all I have, one of life’s small pleasures. Everyone is okay, right? Well, other than Robert.” He looked down at the man beneath his shoe. “Detective Rowan will be along shortly to take care of him.”

  “I don’t understand why you and Samantha even came here. I’m glad you did, don’t get me wrong, but why?” Jo shifted her gaze between them.

  “Actually, you have David to thank for that,” Samantha said.

  “David?” Jo’s eyes widened. “Why?”

  “He stopped by your villa. When we spotted him we thought he was there to harm you, so we confronted him. Instead he said he was there to warn you. Remember all of the transactions he made at expensive restaurants and women’s clothing stores?” Samantha asked.

  “Yes.” Jo frowned. “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “Apparently he’d been tracking Leela. He was out on a date one night and noticed Leela and Robert at the same restaurant,” Samantha explained. “He grew suspicious and began to follow her. He suspected that Leela and Robert were having an affair. When Bruce turned up dead, he suspected that Robert and Leela were involved, but he didn’t have proof, and didn’t want to put himself in the middle of things. But he started to worry that things might get out of control if he didn’t say something. He came to your villa to warn you about Robert, because he knew how much Bruce cared about you.”

  “Which reminded me, just how much I care about you.” Eddy shrugged. “So I decided to stop being a modern man and get over here to make sure that you were safe.”

  “And for once, I agreed with him.” Samantha smiled. “When we heard Robert talking I started recording his confession.” Samantha held up her phone. “He won’t be charming his way out of this one.”

  “I’m sorry, Jo,” Leela said shakily as she still sat on the floor.

  “Did you steal the paintings?” Jo scowled at Leela.

  “No, not myself.”

  “But you helped him?” Jo asked.

  “I gave Robert the alarm details and passwords to steal the paintings.”

  “Bruce was killed because you were greedy, you wanted money.” Jo stared at her.

  “It wasn’t that. I was just so bored and he brought some excitement to my life.”

  “But Bruce was murdered.”

  “I know, I would have said something, but I didn’t think Robert could do this,” Leela said. “I thought Robert cared about me.”

  “You gave him an alibi?” Eddy asked.

  “No, I didn’t, he met with someone else, an ex-girlfriend. at the restaurant and she gave him an alibi."

  “But you knew he went to the gallery on the day that Bruce was murdered,” Eddy said.

  “I did,” Leela said. “But he said that when he got to the gallery to steal the paintings the police were already there. Bruce was already dead.”

  “And you believed me,” Robert said from beneath Eddy’s shoe. “It was all your fault, you are so gullible. I didn’t want you. I just wanted the money.”

  Jo stared down at the man on the floor. The man who planned to leave her and Walt in a burning room.

  “Bruce was an honorable man,” Jo said. “He gave you one last chance to come clean and instead you took his life from him. Whatever the courts do to you will be far less than you deserve.”

  “He was a thief, just like you are. Once a criminal, always a criminal.” He glared up at her from the floor.

  Eddy applied a little more pressure to his back with his heavy boot. “The criminal is the one I’m standing on.” He looked up at Jo. “If you want to leave before the police arrive, I’ll understand.”

  “No.” She folded her arms across her chest and smiled. “I’m staying right here. I want to see Detective Rowan’s face when I hand him his murderer.”

  Chapter 19

  The next day at sunrise, Jo walked to the edge of the lake again. As happy as she was that Bruce’s killer was found, she still felt like she needed to say good-bye to an old friend, a man who had saved her life. She slipped out of her shoes and stuck her toes into the water. In her hands she clasped a bouquet of flowers. As the sky transformed with the first rays of dawn, her heart swelled with memories of Bruce. She felt that by finding his murderer she had finally repaid him for saving her life. For the first time she could look back at the person she was, without a sense of loathing or regret. She was a good person then, too, just as Bruce was.

  “Goodbye Bruce. Thank you, for your kindness, and your bravery.”

  “Thank you, Bruce.” Samantha slipped her arm through Jo’s. “For taking care of Jo.”

  Jo looked over at her with surprise and noticed Eddy and Walt behind her. “You’re all here.”

  “We are.” Walt stepped up on the other side of her and Eddy stood next to him.

  Jo released the flowers into the water. “Because of him I had a chance at a new life. I thought what mattered most was my freedom, which of course is important. But now I know, what mattered more than that was having someone who offered his loyalty. I valued it then, and thanks to all of you, now I value it even more.”

  “You’re stuck with us, kid.” Eddy smiled.

  “Absolutely.” Samantha nudged her side.

  “As long as you’ll have us.” Walt met her eyes and held them for a long moment.

  “Thank you.” Jo smiled at them. She no longer felt as if she had two lives, but one long winding one, a journey that traversed the most difficult times, and led her to the sweetest reward. Maybe there were still sunsets to come, but she was certain that the memory of that day’s sunrise would be all she needed to make it through the rest of her journey.

  The End

  Sign up for Cindy’s newsletter to be notified of her latest releases so you don’t miss out on the special new release price: http://www.cindybellbooks.com

  Also by Cindy Bell

  Sage Gardens Cozy Mysteries

  Birthdays Can Be Deadly

  Money Can Be Deadly

  Trust Can Be Deadly

  Ties Can Be Deadly

  Rocks Can Be Deadly

  Jewelry Can Be Deadly

  Numbers Can Be Deadly

  Memories Can Be Deadly

  Nuts About Nuts Cozy Mysteries

  A Tough Case to Crack

  Heavenly Highland Inn Cozy Mysteries

  Murdering the Roses

  Dead in the Daisies

  Killing the Carnations

  Drowning the Daffodils

  Suffocating the Sunflowers

  Books, Bullets and Blooms

  A Deadly Serious Gardening Contest

  A Bridal Bouquet and a Body

  Dune House Cozy Mysteries

  Seaside Secrets

  Boats and Bad Guys

  Treasured History

  Hidden Hideaways

  Dodgy Dealings

  Suspects and Surprises

  Ruffled Feathers

  A Fishy Discovery

  Chocolate Centered Cozy Mysteries

  The Sweet Smell of Murder

  A Deadly Delicious Delivery

  A Bitter Sweet Murder

  A Treacherous Tasty Trail

  Luscious Pastry at a Lethal Party

  Trouble and Treats

  Wendy the Wedding Planner Cozy Mysteries

  Matrimony, Money and Murder

  Chefs, Ceremonies and Crimes

  Knives and Nuptials

  Mice, Marria
ge and Murder

  Bekki the Beautician Cozy Mysteries

  Hairspray and Homicide

  A Dyed Blonde and a Dead Body

  Mascara and Murder

  Pageant and Poison

  Conditioner and a Corpse

  Mistletoe, Makeup and Murder

  Hairpin, Hair Dryer and Homicide

  Blush, a Bride and a Body

  Shampoo and a Stiff

  Cosmetics, a Cruise and a Killer

  Lipstick, a Long Iron and Lifeless

  Camping, Concealer and Criminals

  Treated and Dyed

  About the Author

  Cindy Bell is the author of the cozy mystery series Dune House, Sage Gardens, Chocolate Centered, Nuts about Nuts, Bekki the Beautician, Heavenly Highland Inn and Wendy the Wedding Planner.

  Cindy has always loved reading, but it is only recently that she has discovered her passion for writing romantic cozy mysteries. She loves walking along the beach thinking of the next adventure her characters can embark on.

  You can sign up for her newsletter so you are notified of her latest releases at http://www.cindybellbooks.com.