Lucia’s bedroom.
Penelope halted at the threshold before stepping inside.What are you even doing, Pen?
“Beats me,” she mumbled, spotting an armchair in the corner and sinking into it.
Chapter 13
A Daring Proposition
“Shoot,” Lucia muttered, shaking her fingers as she turned on the faucet and held them under the cool liquid, entranced by the rivulets of water running down her stinging skin. How fitting she’d burn herself. The universe must be laughing.
She’d meant to hide the portrait, but it had slipped her mind, as so many things did these days. Infuriating.
Everything had started so well—or had it, considering Penelope’s research and her suspicions?
With a sigh, she turned off the water, picked up the two mugs and headed toward the bedroom. Not exactly the situation she’d imagined when puttingPenelopeandbedroomtogether.
“Here you go.” She handed Penelope her cup.
“Thanks. Are you all right? I heard the commotion and your little curse.”
“Yeah, I’m fine. Splashed some boiling water over my fingers. No biggie.” She sat on the bed. “Little curse? What qualifies as a big one?”
“Definitely notshoot.”
“Noted.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the ticking clock on the nightstand—a remnant of Annie Walker, the cottage’s previous owner. She’d left Lucia the house for the groceries and long porch chats, as if that had been a hardship.
“So, you wanted to explain,” Penelope said, sipping her tea.
“Not really.Yousaid I should.”
“Semantics.”
Lucia chuckled. “You’re funny.”
“And you’re stalling.”
“Can you blame me?”
“Look, you don’t have to explain anything. I can also just leave and—”
“No! Please…stay.” Lucia’s gaze dropped to the dark liquid in her cup before looking up again. “You’re not by any chance wearing a wire, are you?”
“What?”
“You know, entrapment and all.”
“How would that be entrapment? I’m not law enforcement.”
“You could be working with them.”
“I’m not. And again, I’m not coercing or tricking you into breaking the law. You did that on your own.”
“I painted pictures.”
“Pictures that end up where? In museums? On black markets?”
