Framed Shadows: Shadows Landing #6, Kathleen Brooks [great novels of all time TXT] 📗

“Before I have that drink, I need to make my vault look full,” Tinsley said, looking around at the pile of blank canvases prepped but yet to be painted. “Let’s move them into the back of the vault and then I can put my originals that aren’t on display in there, too. When I send the catalog to Maurice, I’ll tell him that I have everything locked up so he’ll give me advance notice so I can pull the right painting and not keep anyone waiting. That way I can get it from the church and not put the others at risk.”

Ten minutes later Tinsley locked the vault, turned on the alarm, and joined the rest of her family at Harper’s bar. No one seemed to talk. They all stared at their drinks until Darcy spoke. “This is so different from when I discovered the sunken treasure.”

Wade nodded. “It had been sunken for protection from bad people who were long gone. This art was most likely stolen from good people and bad people are still using it for their own gains. It’s just sad. Sad that there’s a chance all this artwork could once again disappear, never to been seen again.”

“I won’t let that happen,” Tinsley said with determination. “Ryker, do you know anyone powerful enough inside the art world who could run these paintings through the database of lost and stolen artworks and keep it off the books?”

Ryker raised an eyebrow as if to look insulted, but it was Georgina the bartender who answered. “I do.”

Tinsley and the whole table of Faulkners turned to look at the young bartender. She’d applied for a bartender’s job and had been incredibly overqualified with her education, but had zero work experience. Harper had seen someone who needed help, and despite her tough-as-nails attitude, Harper was all about helping women in need. So, she hired Georgina Grey, a cute young woman with sophisticated manners, a pronounced New England accent, and so soft-spoken it had taken a week for Tinsley to learn she was from Martha’s Vineyard and was an expert equestrian.

To this day, no one knew what brought the twenty-five-year-old to Shadows Landing, who her parents or family were, or why she was still hanging around after a year. They all thought she’d be gone in a month. Instead, she’d turned her posh New England accent into a butchered Southern one with help from Gator, Skeeter, and Turtle. She’d bought an old pickup truck with three hundred thousand miles on it and was so proud of it she had driven everyone she knew up and down Main Street in it. She even babysat for Lydia. The woman was a saint.

“You know someone who could pull this off without anyone knowing about it?” Tinsley asked skeptically. Ryker just sat back and watched as if he knew something they all didn’t.

“Is it very important?” Georgina asked as she nibbled on her bottom lip.

Kord stood up and walked over to her. He was gentle as he put his hand on her back. “It is. I think you know about art, so you know the names Vermeer, Rembrandt, Renoir, Manet, Degas . . . Now, I’m not as smart about that type of thing as I think you are. We think very bad people stole them and are trading these beautiful paintings, some that have moved me unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before, for drugs and weapons. They’ll disappear again, lost to the dark underworld. We can prevent that if we can prove they’re stolen.”

Georgina was white as a sheet, her lips turning bluish in color as she pressed them tightly together. Her hands were visibly shaking but she nodded her head. “Get me a list and it’ll be done.”

“No, Georgie,” Harper said, stepping in. “Ryker can get it done. This clearly upsets you, and I won’t have that.” Harper turned to Ryker. “You can do it, right?”

“Of course,” Ryker said, his eyes never leaving Georgina. “Lady’s choice.”

Kord pulled Georgina close to him. While she was taller than Tinsley—heck, everyone was—she seemed so small curled into Kord’s side. But then she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “If you can’t do it, call me and I will get it done,” she said to Ryker.

No one had wanted to pry into Georgina’s past. It was clear she hadn’t wanted to speak up, but Tinsley saw the worry on not only Harper’s face, but everyone else’s. She had a feeling tonight everyone would be searching the Internet for Georgina Grey.

Tinsley had other problems to focus on. She pulled out her phone and forwarded the email she’d sent herself with the catalog of paintings to Ryker. A minute later he looked up from his phone and nodded. “It’s done. I’ll let you know when I have answers. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“Miss Georgie?” Gator asked slowly as he, Skeeter, and Turtle came in through the door and caught sight of her still in Kord’s embrace. “Are you okay?”

“Did Anne Bonny’s ghost scare you again?” Skeeter asked. “I told her to stop doing that.”

Georgina took a deep breath and pasted on a smile. “No, Anne and I have come to an understanding. Nothing’s wrong, just sorry Tinsley is in the middle of some wicked nasty business. Now, let’s get you gentlemen some drinks.”

In a split second, Tinsley saw the old Georgina reappear only to realize it had never been the real Georgina at all.

21

Paxton surveyed the wreckage of his apartment and felt his hand flex at the snake spray-painted on the entire back living room wall. The snake’s head was cut off, red spray paint showing the dripping blood. It was a clear message. The Myriad was after him.

“Damn. This isn’t good,” Peter said as he stepped into the apartment. “Did you have any work files here? Anything relating to Tinsley or Shadows Landing?”

Paxton took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, thank goodness. My computer is in