Page 54 of The Aura Answer
“I’ve been asked to start an online auction site for Mr. Walker’s work.” They had dropped this original part of their plan, but if Miss Janus wasscared...He could work with that. “Some of the work will be donated, and the funds will go directly to his family, who have been deprived of much needed income with his death. I wonder if you might be interested in listing your pieces and donating a percentage of your profits?”
Gracie stood up, brushing off her skirt. “I love this color piece. It’s a shame we can’t display it the way Bertie would have wanted. It’s a loving tribute to the town.”
Verity looked startled but also warily relieved. Had she thought the sketch revealed secrets? That’s what Nick had hoped, although he had doubts now.
“We might be interested,” the dealer said tentatively. “I framed these last night for an exhibit. It’s just...” She glanced at the easel. “As you said earlier, I’m concerned about the circumstances of Mr. Walker’s death and this afternoon’s attempted theft. It’s almost as if...”
“There is something in his work that someone wants concealed?” Gracie asked with such honest openness that no one could take it for anything except concern. “Yes, that was our fear as well. His brother was selling these, and he was murdered the other day. Which is why we’re thinking online might be better until the matter is settled.”
Matter.As if murder was just a nuisance to be cleared up. Southern manners were almost as stuffy as aristocratic discretion.
Verity nodded, checked the front room where the dog had started barking, and whispered. “That’s my thought too. I’m thinking an exhibit is not the wisest choice right now. If you have a safe place... Consignment might be the best option.”
Nick did his best to prevent his eyebrows from skyrocketing. Even in his wildest dreams he hadn’t thought she’d make that offer. She really was frightened. How had Evie known?
Pulling his shocked thoughts together, he nodded thoughtfully. “Yes, we’ve told the family we’ll store what we have in a climate-controlled vault. I’ll photograph them there. We’d need to draw up a consignment contract specifying bottom line prices and so forth...”
He lied through his pretty white teeth, but that’s what he did for a living. Marketing and sales were all abracadabra, making people believe what they wanted to believe. Gracie shot him a look he couldn’t interpret, but Verity was already hurrying to thecomputer. They probably kept blank consignment contracts on file.
In front, the retriever was growling dangerously. The raven flapped through the open connecting door to land on Gracie’s head. She didn’t shriek, although Verity did. Both their phones beeped.
Nick glanced at a text message from Evie.
layman just walked in
Only the simmeringscent of garlic and onion in the kitchen, plus Evie’s information about Block’s binder, had kept Jax from fleeing a chaos escalating to asylum proportions. The Victorian was about to burst apart at the seams. But he’d promised Evie to do his guardian gig and look after the household. The sketches in the barn worried them all.
Apparently having been informed—half a century after the fact—that tinsel was dangerous, Mavis and her sisters had descended and were systematically working their way through all the holiday decorations, using him as their pack mule to carry boxes from the attic.
The kids were in seventh heaven, pouncing on rocking teddy bears and wooden nutcracker soldiers and ungodly tinkling ornaments and strings of sleigh bells. It was like every Macy’s Christmas display from the past fifty years.
With all the boxes delivered, he was hunkered down in the library when Turlock Sr. finally returned his call. Evie’s revelation that Block’s lawyer had the binder Toby had been seeking had shot his hopes sky high. Maybe they could resolve a few of their problems.
“Have you called to tell me the payment is in the mail?” the lawyer asked dryly.
“No, I’ve called to ask for my client’s property back. Arthur had a black binder containing his will and deeds. We appreciate that you took care of it while he was incarcerated, but the binder belongs to Tobias now.” Jax’s experience was in business fraud, but sometimes the line between family law and corporate was thin.
“I know nothing about it. I believe we have some boxes that he sent over last spring. I’ll have my secretary locate them, if Toby wants to pick them up. Is that all? I’m pretty certain there are no maps to pirate treasure in there.” Turlock’s scorn was thick.
So, maybe the old guy didn’t know anything. It happened. Or maybe he was just stupid. “I’ll give him a call. When should he stop by?”
They made the arrangements and Jax had just shut off the call when Loretta ran in holding a package.
“For you! Do you think it’s a present? Should we put it under the tree?” Her pansy blue eyes sparkled like the tree lights, and her shoulder-length brown hair bounced with her colt-like stride.
She’d be a teenager in a blink. Jax was not looking forward to that. He took the manila envelope with Larraine’s stamp on it and shook his head. “Hate to break the fantasy, but this is business. Do you have all your presents wrapped?”
She nodded happily. “Evie helped me. This will be the best Christmas I’ve ever had!”
“Me, too, sweetheart. It’s more fun to give than receive, don’t you think? And when there are so many people to give to...”
She grinned. “Well, it helps if you have the money to buy. Evie said I could have more than my allowance. Did she tell you that?”
“She did. She’s spoiling you, but she said it’s for a good cause. How soon to supper?”
Loretta headed for the door. “Not until everyone returns. They’re still in Charleston. Evie says to tell you that Mr. Layman is more rotten than Blockhead.”
She skipped out, leaving Jax in a state of alarm. Evie was with Franklin Layman?Why? Where? How?
