Page 25 of Caper Crush
She only arrived with her purse.
My mouth drops open in shock. Why would Annabelle steal the paintings? I can’t believe that of her. Granted, we are no longer close, but she’s fond of Uncle Tony.
She’s not stupid. She’d know there were cameras.
And she doesn’t need money. She’s a corporate lawyer; she just made partner. Her husband is wealthy.
The waitstaff also leave with a cart. Everyone else leaves without any packages. Our suspect list just narrowed down to these five people. One of them took the paintings out of the apartment.
The doorbell rings. The video camera at the entrance shows it’s Annabelle and her shadow, our childhood friend Edmund. I’m not ready to talk to her yet. But it’s better to hear her side immediately rather than wallow in any doubts. Takashi lets her in. Cleo rests her snout on my knee as if to console me. William sits next to me on the couch.
As Annabelle enters, trailed by Edmund, she says, “I didn’t steal the paintings. Officer Johnson just interviewed me and asked me if I stole the paintings. I didn’t.”
She looks at Edmund. “Edmund gave me that package to carry out. It was two large, framed photos he gave me.”
Edmund jerks his head back, and his mouth falls open, but he quickly covers it, saying, “Yes, exactly. I just picked them up from the custom framing store. And I thought it was easiest to give them to her at the party.”
Edmund didn’t arrive with any packages, per the footage replay.
He’s covering for her.
Annabelle runs her hand through her brown, pageboy-cut hair and sits on the chaise closest to me. Her perfectly manicured, red toenails pop out against the tatamiand especially next to my bare toenails—except for the one dab of paint I missed removing. She’s wearing a silk blouse and pencil pants. Even after a police interview in which she was suspected of theft, she looks immaculate.
Edmund perches carefully next to her. He is her match in his blue Oxford and dark-blue pants, his brown hair gelled into place. He’s attractive in an Aidan Gallagher kind of way.
But Ican’tbelieve it of her. Because we were like sisters when we were kids. We even insisted on sharing a room together until we got to high school. And she wouldn’t risk her legal career to steal a painting.
“You’ve got no motive,” I say. “You definitely don’t need the money.”
So much for any “I’m keeping my cards close to my chest and will reveal all at the end” approach. William shakes his head.
“I wouldn’t steal Tony and Takashi’s painting for the money,” Annabelle says. Her hands grip her knees. “But at the moment, I am not flush with wealth. I had to buy into the partnership. I don’t want to mislead you. I actually do need money because I need the best divorce lawyer possible. I’m leaving David.”
I gasp.
Edmund shifts closer to Annabelle and pats her hand on her knee.
“I’ve asked Dad for money,” Annabelle says.
“Why are you divorcing David?” I ask.
Annabelle looks at Edmund. Edmund nods.So Edmund knows, and she’s asking Edmund whether she should tell me? Please.
“He’s cheating on me.”
“He’s a fool,” Edmund says.
I’m gobsmacked. Annabelle and David seem well suited. He’s not the type to cheat.
Maybe I shouldn’t have deterred her from dating Edmund. I find Edmund creepy, but he is absolutely devoted to her. He’s been such a good sport, remaining friends even after she broke up with him and married David. I stay friends with my exes, but I’m not hanging around the happy couple like their puppy dog.
But his strategy may work yet.
“I’m sorry, Annabelle. That’s awful. He’s a fool to cheat on you.” I get up to hug her. We hug awkwardly. Other than me, the members of my family are not given to expressive displays of affection.
The gray rain outside casts a dark pall over the room, the corners shrouded in shadows. We’re all just there, curved shoulders, heads down. Not Takashi, though. He’s sits straight in his chair, head up, taking it in. Not William either. He’s leaning back against the couch.
“I’m sorry too. But I definitely didn’t steal the Kimimoto, Takashi,” Annabelle says.
