“Why in the world would Frank have held on to a priceless work of art all this time?” Her gray eyes beseeched him.
“I don’t know.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Can you think of why he might have kept it?”
“No. I have no clue why. None.” She pressed two shudderingfingers against her forehead and rubbed. “Zander.Young Woman at Restis precious to Annette Pascal. I can’t bear to think that Frank’s had it ... that he’s kept it from Annette all this time.”
They were sitting at Carolyn’s kitchen table. Aurora slept on the floor, her chin resting on Carolyn’s foot.
Zander extended a hand to his aunt, just as he’d done many times since Frank’s death. She wrapped her slim fingers around his.
“I know that you’ve already been searching through the contents of the house,” Zander said.
“Yes. I’m almost finished.”
“What about the attic? Could he have stored a painting in your attic?”
“I mean ... I suppose it’s possible.”
“I’ll take a look around up there. This house doesn’t have a basement, does it?”
“No.”
“Do you rent storage space anywhere?”
“No.”
“Do you own any other properties?”
“We don’t.”
“Could he have stored the painting in the garage?”
She chewed the inside of her lip. “The garage holds gardening tools and car equipment.My goodness. Surely Frank wouldn’t have stored a painting by Renoir in our attic or in our garage.”
“It’s unlikely. I’m just trying to think through all the possibilities.”
Releasing his hand, she stood. Aurora startled awake and scrambled to her feet. Carolyn moved to the window and stopped, her attention fastened beyond the pane of glass. “How could Frank have stolen a piece of art? Any piece of art, but especially a piece of art that belongs to the Pascal? I consider Annette to be a friend! Every time I had lunch with Annette or received a card from her, I told Frank about it. He had numerous opportunities to confide in me. Why didn’t he confide in me?”
Zander had no answer.
“It’s too late now to give Frank a piece of my mind about that painting. Just like it’s too late now to tell him I love him.” Her voice broke, and tears piled onto her bottom eyelashes.
“But perhaps it’s not too late to make it right,” Zander said. “With any luck, we can still returnYoung Woman at Restto Annette Pascal.”
Phone call from Detective Kurt Shaw to Zander:
Kurt:
After we got off the phone earlier, I contacted the FBI’s Art Crime Team. They’d like to talk to you about Frank, the Triple Play, and the missing Renoir.
Zander:
