Page 32 of The Artist

Her car was still at her cabin.

He braced himself for her anger, walked to the door and knocked.

She pulled open the door and frowned.“I still don’t need a babysitter.”

Peter held up his hands.“I’m not here because of that.May I come in?”

“I suppose.”She stepped back so he could enter.“What do you want?”

He stepped inside as she shut the door behind him.“I want to know why you’re so angry.I didn’t do anything that I know of, so I’m at a loss here.I thought we were getting along well.”

Her shoulders sagged.“We were.I’m angry at the situation and took it out on you.I’m sorry.Would you like some tea?”

“Sure.”He was relieved and closed his eyes for a moment, then he took off his parka and hung it on a hook by the door.He sat at her small, square dining table.

Alexis prepared the tea and brought two steaming mugs to the table.She sat and then sighed as she sagged in the chair.“I don’t know what to do.I feel the need to avenge Heather, but I don’t know how without going to jail myself.”

Peter blew on his tea and then took a sip, tasting the black tea and orange peel of her special brew.Finally he answered.“We need to make sure that the sheriff’s department can solve this.They don’t have many murders here and I’m not sure they are up to it.But, I don’t know the sheriff or what his background is.To that end, I’ve brought in a private investigator.I’ve used him before, and he’s capable of getting to the bottom of this.He’ll find out exactly what happened to Heather and who was responsible.You and I both have our suspicions, and they’re probably the same.I believe Horace arranged for the fire.I think Heather was in the building and his men killed her before the fire started so she couldn’t identify them if she escaped.What are your thoughts?”

She took a deep breath and then released it through her mouth.“I agree with you on everything, but how do we prove that?”

“The first thing we need to find out is what the coroner finds.If he’s competent I believe he’ll find the fire didn’t kill her.She won’t have any smoke in her lungs.”Peter cupped his mug with his hands reveling in the warmth.“There is not much we can do until the coroner issues his report.My guess is gasoline was used as the accelerant because that would be the easiest to get ahold of.”

Alexis nodded.“My friend, Miranda, said they had already determined that it was gasoline and that the fire started in the office where Heather was found.They even postulated that she was the one who started the fire and then died because she couldn’t escape.”

“But she could have left if she wasn’t already dead.From what we saw, most of the fire was in the front of the gallery.Very little smoke was coming out the back.”Peter stretched his legs and leaned back in the chair.“I’m almost certain that it was Horace’s men and that Horace used me as an alibi because he knew what was happening.It’s the only thing that makes sense.”

“The deputies haven’t found Avery and Shaw yet.At least they haven’t announced it that they’ve been detained for questioning.Of course, they could think I did it for the insurance money.As if that would cover everything that I lost.Heck, it won’t even cover the cost of your painting alone.At least I still have my online business and I have some of the prints I sell in another, secure, location.That will help, but it still won’t cover everything.And that business will dry up without the gallery to display the originals.”

“I’m not worried about my painting.That’s the least of our worries.I’m sure the other artists will feel the same way.Paintings can be replaced…as long as they aren’t done by the old masters.But you didn’t have any paintings like that here…at least, that I saw.”

She shook her head.“No, I didn’t.The art in my gallery was by local artists, almost exclusively.Yours was the only one that wasn’t done by an artist in this area.”

“Yes, and Horace wasn’t happy when he found out I was exhibiting a new painting in your gallery.That might have been his breaking point and he decided to take out the competition…you.I think you need to be very careful.I don’t want anything to happen to you.And he’s gone this far, he might decide to take you out altogether.”

Her eyebrows came together in the middle as she shook her head.“I can’t believe he would murder me.He just doesn’t have it in him.”

“Perhaps not himself, but we know he’s not above hiring whoever he needs to do his bidding.”

She moved to pick up her tea.

He noticed her hand was shaking and placed his hand over hers.He gazed at her, willed her to take the strength he offered.

They stayed like that, silent, for he didn’t know how long.She let him hold her hand and didn’t pull away.

Finally, Peter broke the silence.“You’re afraid.You know Horace is more than capable of hiring someone to kill you, don’t you?”

She nodded.I’m almost afraid to speak of it, that it would suddenly be even more real.Peter, what am I going to do?Everyone will think I did it for the insurance money and that I killed Heather.Neither of those things is true.I don’t know what to do.”Alexis buried her face in her hands as tears threatened, not only for her future but for Heather, the loss of her best friend hurting most of all.

“I’ll tell you what you’ll do.You’re coming with me to Denver.We’re going to forget about Aspen and what’s happening here.My man will uncover the truth, of this I have no doubt.And you will let me take care of you.”

Alexis sucked her bottom lip between her teeth.“I don’t know.What if the sheriff won’t let us go?And we said we’d stay.”

“That was before we thought Horace might come after you next.We’ll talk to him.We’re only a couple of hours away, including travel to the airport.He’ll let us go.”

They arrivedat the sheriff’s office twenty minutes later.The man at the front desk wouldn’t let them in.“You’ll have to take a seat.The sheriff will see you shortly.”

Alexis nodded, turned, and walked over to the line of black plastic chairs against the back wall.