Big Lies in a Small Town - Diane Chamberlain Page 0,45
paint?”
“I found something much more interesting than flaking paint.”
I moved the ladder aside to give him a clear view of the lumberjack’s ax blade, and I watched Oliver’s smile fade.
“Is that…?” He set down his briefcase and moved closer to the mural, studying the drops of blood. He turned to look at me. “What the hell?” he asked.
“I know. I thought it was tree sap or something when I first saw it, but once I cleaned it off, I realized what it was.”
“This makes no sense at all,” he said, hands on his hips as he stared at the painting. He was close enough that I was suddenly aware of his scent. Leather? Although the only leather in the entire foyer was in his briefcase yards away from us. It was a good scent—a delicious, heady scent, actually—and for a moment I had trouble remembering what we were talking about as I breathed him in. “Blood and a motorcycle,” he said, bringing my attention back to the mural.
“This must have to do with why Jesse told Lisa the artist went crazy,” I said.
Oliver nodded. “Well, it explains why they never installed it in the post office, that’s for sure.” He pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and checked the time. “I just stopped in to see how you’re doing before I head home with a night full of work.” He nodded toward the briefcase behind us. “You ready to call it quits for the day?”
“Not yet,” I said.
Heading toward the front door, he bent over to pick up his briefcase before looking back at me. “You’ll lock up when you leave?”
“I will.” Lisa had given me a key to the gallery that morning.
“See you tomorrow, then,” he said.
He left the gallery and I popped my earbuds back in, surprised by the sudden feeling of loneliness that slipped over me as I climbed the ladder again. Everyone was getting on with their lives this evening and I had no life to get on with. It would be worse if I went back to Lisa’s, though. I’d get on Instagram. I’d check out what Trey and my old friends were doing right now. I’d search for Emily Maxwell and stew in my guilt. Better to lose myself in the mural. I was curious to see if Anna Dale had left any other surprises for me to find.
I’d cleaned three more squares when I heard someone call my name from behind me. I turned to see Rebecca Sanders standing there, arms folded across her chest, an actual smile on her face. I guessed this was one of those surprise visits she’d warned me about. Thank God I hadn’t gone to the bar with the guys! I climbed down the ladder.
“So this is where you work,” Rebecca said. She pointed to the mural. “Are you cleaning that painting?” she asked. “That’s quite a difference.”
“Yes.” I set the dowel on one of the steps of the ladder and wiped my damp hands on my jeans. I motioned to the cleaned portion of the mural. “It’s taken me all day to do this much.” I didn’t think Rebecca was into art. She noticed clean and she noticed dirty, but she seemed disinterested in the images on the mural.
“I went to the address where you’re staying but the woman there—Lisa Williams?—told me you were probably still at work, so I’m glad to find you here.”
I nodded, glad she had found me there as well. “Everyone went out drinking, but I thought I should stay here.” I winced. I sounded as though I expected a medal for not going with the guys.
“Have you made it to a meeting yet?”
“Last night. I have the signed paper but it’s at Lisa’s.”
“Mail it to me,” Rebecca said. “You have the address on my card.”
“Okay.”
We were both quiet for a moment. “It must have been hard, saying no to going out for drinks with your coworkers,” Rebecca said finally.
I shrugged. “Not really.” I didn’t want to get sucked into counselor talk. I didn’t want to give Rebecca any more power over me than she already had.
“You’re doing well so far, Morgan,” Rebecca said.
I nodded. “I’m okay.”
“What’s been hardest for you?”
I remembered my visit to Instagram. Seeing everyone moving on with their lives. Feeling alone. “Nothing,” I lied.
“Come on,” Rebecca said. “I’m here to help. I’m on your side.”
“Nothing. Really. I’m happy to be out and I have plenty of work to keep me busy and everything’s cool.”