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“Do what?”
“Startle me like that.”
I looked at her, confused. “All I did was say your name.”
“I know!”
“Lira, what is going on with you? You’re starting to scare me.”
“I don’t know!” she cried, hands flinging up in the air.
“Ever since you came back last night from the gallery, you’ve been acting weird. You didn’t say anything at all the whole drive home.”
“It’s just . . .”
I waited for her to continue, but after a minute passed of her staring at the fireplace, I prompted her with, “Did something happen at the gallery?”
“Yes! I mean no! Nothing happened.”
“Yes and no?” I repeated slowly.
Lira winced. “I . . .”
“Who was it that came in?” I demanded, knowing this was about more than my sister.
She turned to look me in the eyes, and I could see confusion whirling in hers. “He said he was interested in buying some paintings. I said that was great. We did the paperwork, and he took the paintings and left.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
My forehead wrinkled. “Well, did something happen after that?”
“No!” Lira slammed her head back into her hands and shook her head.
I stared at her helplessly. “I’m so confused, Lira. It’s not like you to not ask for help. You’re keeping something from me, I know it.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. Not right now,” she said, her voice muffled from between her hands. “Right now, we need to figure out how to get that painting back for you.”
“Just talk to the owner or let me do it.”
“That’s not an option!” she cried, suddenly springing to her feet and pacing around the living room.
My place wasn’t that big. The kitchen was just behind us, located in an alcove that was big enough to fit a tiny round table and two chairs, and my bedroom with an ensuite was just beyond that. Lira’s pacing basically took up my whole living area, and I watched her long enough to grow irritated.
Grabbing Lira by the arm, I pulled her back down next to me on the sofa. As always, I would be the one to fix the problem.
“Look, Lira, we’ll have Lillian ask him. Will that work?”
“Yes! That would be perfect.”
The relief melting off of her made me want to roll my eyes. Why couldn’t she just come out and say whatever it was she was keeping from me? I knew she never wanted to look bad in front of anyone, but this was ridiculous—I was her sister!
Lira continued, “And she already has his contact info.”
“What do you mean?”
“Lillian did all the paperwork with him.”
