AllFreeNovel
Share Us
For a fleeting moment, Theo thought he caught a flicker of recognition cross Lauren’s features, but it vanished as quickly as it had materialized…if it had even appeared in the first place. She was very good at hiding her emotions.
“No, I can’t say that I did.”
“Two young women, both with promising futures ahead of them,” Theo pondered aloud as he now had her full attention. “They were taken much too early.”
“Terrible things happen every day. It’s part of life.”
“Is that what inspires you?”
“Isn’t it obvious? The world is a cruel, unforgiving place. My art is a reflection of the darkness in humanity.”
“Their pain or the pain that they inflict on others?”
“It’s all subjective, isn’t it?” Lauren said vaguely as she scanned the various works of art that she’d created over the past year. The shade she’d used could even be considered that of wine. “Artists take the ugliness of the world and turn it into something beautiful. Thought-provoking.”
“What is the difference between your last collection and this one?” Theo asked, keeping all judgement out of his tone.
Bella Kadel had bright red lipstick and matching nail polish on her when she’d died, very similar to the color that had been included in Lauren’s previous collection that Bella had refused to exhibit at the gallery. Yet Maxwell had one of the pieces displayed underneath a spotlight. As for Piper Zimmer, the color of lipstick and nail polish closely resembled the shade that was currently on the large canvas in front of him.
“I’m just the artist.” Lauren’s smile was rather vague, and he could sense that she was about to ask him to leave. “As I said, each individual takes away what they want when viewing my work.”
“Interesting perspective,” Theo said as he decided to push the discussion into even more uncomfortable territory. “I would say that your work encompasses a fascination with death.”
“Is that what you see? Death?” Lauren focused on Theo’s eyepatch. He resisted the urge to react in any way. It wasn’t often that he experienced unease during interviews such as this one, but there was a darkness inside Lauren that raised one’s senses. It was as if she reveled in the hidden message within her art. “You are a very interesting man, Mr. Neville.”
“I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me,” Theo said as he stood, bringing an end to this ambiguous discussion. He was going to have get his answers elsewhere. Lauren was very good at evading direct questions. “I do believe that I’ll still be in town on Thursday evening. Perhaps I’ll stop by the gallery and show my support.”
Theo pulled out a business card and placed it on the table.
“If you recall anything in your previous conversations with Bella that could help in our investigation, I would appreciate a phone call.” Theo took time to button his coat, allowing him one more question without seeming too eager for a response. “I realize this may be an odd question, but are you seeing anyone? Someone who may have had dealings with Bella Kadel, Piper Zimmer, or Maxwell Vanderbilt?”
“I keep my art…work, if you will…separate from any personal relationships.” Once again, Lauren had managed to evade a direct question. “I wish you all the best, Mr. Neville.”
Theo took his leave, not too keen on taking the elevator down to the lobby. He took the stairs instead, once again noting the lack of security inside the building. Lauren had mentioned that Maxwell had decided on giving her a solo exhibit due to needing a cash influx, yet she purposefully chose to live in a place that probably wouldn’t be standing in five years.
It wasn’t until he’d reached his Jeep Wrangler in the parking lot that he caught sight of a realtor’s sign. One that just so happened to still have Piper Zimmer’s smiling face plastered on it. Theo had been under the impression that Piper had only dealt with residential listings. It appeared as if she’d been trying to sell a retail space.
Lauren Kim had to see Piper Zimmer’s face every time that she entered and exited the building. Granted, such an advertising sign didn’t mean that the two of them knew each other personally. Theo couldn’t help but feel there was a connection that he just wasn’t seeing, which was why his first call was to Bit.
“Hey, Big T. How did your interview go with the death obsessed finger-painter?”
“You might be onto something with that moniker, Bit,” Theo advised before getting right to the point. “Can you get access to Piper Zimmer’s client list? I think I might have just found the connection between Lauren Kim and our second victim.”
Chapter Twelve
Bobby “Bit” Nowacki
December 2023
Tuesday — 10:34am
ThewindowsoftheAirbnb crackled as an icy gust of wind whipped around the rental house. The force of air off the Chesapeake Bay was quite strong. Thankfully, the gas fireplace provided additional warmth to the living room. The blower to the amenity had recently been turned off, because there was enough heat coming from all the electronic equipment currently being used by the entire team.
Bit jostled his knee up and down repeatedly as he stared at his screen. In the top lefthand corner, there was a message from Zoey Collins. He’d gone out with her twice in between cases. She was nothing like he’d expected a gamer to be, which was how the two of them had met, and it was one of the reasons that had him so hesitant to accept another invitation.
He wasn’t one who stereotyped anyone, but Zoey reminded him a lot of Sylvie. Petite, blonde, and exceptionally smart. At their first meeting over coffee, he’d asked what she did for a living, and she mentioned working from home as a customer service rep for a large retail store. Only he couldn’t see her as the introverted type, regardless that she’d mentioned being one several times.
“…these artists don’t even live in Harbor,” Detective Hartley said from his seat in the overstuffed chair. Sylvie was on the couch drinking her second cup of tea, and the two of them had been going over the list of artists’ names associated with the art gallery. “Linus Galanis does, though.”
