Page 36 of In Her Fears
When Jay had gone, Jenna turned back to the painting of the staked man’s murder scene.
“What are you thinking?”Jake asked quietly.
“The positioning, the stake, the pentagram,” Jenna replied, moving closer to examine the details.“It’s too accurate to be coincidence.The dead man in the painting even resembles Martin Holbrook, at least a little.The resemblance isn’t exact, though.”
Jake nodded slowly.“Could be a confession.Maybe Harrow painted it after committing the murder.”
“But Jay said he picked this up six or seven weeks ago.Holbrook was killed just a month ago.”
“Could he have foreseen it somehow?”Jake asked, voicing the uncomfortable question.“Like...the way you sometimes know things?”
Jenna shook her head, unwilling to pursue that train of thought just yet.“Let’s not jump to conclusions.We need more information.”
She moved along the line of paintings, searching for anything that resembled the scene they’d discovered that morning—Alexis suspended from the rafters of the hunting lodge.
“Jake, do you see anything that looks like the Alexis Downey crime scene?”
Jake methodically examined each canvas, then shook his head.“Nothing.No abandoned buildings, no suspended victims.Nothing that matches what we found today.”
Before Jenna could respond, the door opened and Jay returned, followed by a man in his early fifties.Eric Edwards had the polished appearance of someone who’d spent his life in customer-facing roles—neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper hair, wire-rimmed glasses, a tailored button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled precisely to mid-forearm.His expression was guarded but professionally pleasant.
“Sheriff Graves, Deputy Hawkins,” he greeted them with a nod.“Jay tells me you’re interested in Elias Harrow’s work.”
“Mr.Edwards,” Jenna acknowledged him.“Thank you for speaking with us.We have some questions about this particular painting.”She gestured to the canvas depicting Martin Holbrook’s murder.
Eric approached it slowly, his expression unreadable.“Ah, yes.One of Elias’s more...challenging pieces.”
“When exactly did you acquire it?”Jake asked.
Eric considered the question.“About a month and a half ago, I believe.I’d have to check my records for the precise date.”
“That would have been mid to late July?”Jenna clarified.
“Yes, that sounds right.”
The confirmation sent a chill through Jenna.She exchanged a quick glance with Jake, who gave an almost imperceptible nod.
“Mr.Edwards, could we speak with you privately?”Jenna asked.
"Of course."Eric turned to Jay."Mind the front, would you?I'll be in my office with the Sheriff and deputy."
Jay looked between them, curiosity plain on his face, but he nodded and left without comment.
“Before we go,” Jenna said, pulling out her phone, “I need to document these images.”
Eric shifted uneasily.“I’m not sure if that’s...”he began, his voice trailing off as he glanced between Jenna and Jake.
Jake stepped in smoothly, offering a reassuring smile.“It’s for police records,” he explained in a firm tone.“We’ll clarify everything we can in just a few moments.”
Eric hesitated, clearly torn between his discomfort and the authority of the badge.He nodded reluctantly, though his expression remained troubled as Jenna moved around the room.
She methodically snapped photos of each painting, capturing every sinister brushstroke.The click of her phone’s camera echoed softly in the stillness of the gallery.Once she finished and slipped her phone back into her pocket, she turned to Eric with a nod of gratitude.“Thank you for your patience,” she said sincerely.“Now we can have that private conversation.”
Eric led them through a narrow hallway to a small office at the back of the building.Unlike the spartan storage room, the office was warmly decorated with comfortable furniture and several pastoral landscapes on the wall.He gestured to two chairs across from his desk.“Please, have a seat.”
Jenna settled into the chair, grateful for the momentary respite.Her adrenaline was fading, but she forced herself to focus on the man across the desk.
“Mr.Edwards, we’re here as part of an ongoing investigation,” she began carefully.“I can’t disclose details of that case, but I need you to tell me everything you can about Elias Harrow.”
