Blood Rights by Kelly Clayton

Author:Kelly Clayton [Clayton, Kelly]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780993483073
Publisher: Stanfred Publishing
Published: 2019-12-06T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

When they arrived at the family estate, a large van waited outside. A pale-faced Jessica was dressed more casually than he had seen her before, in jeans and a simple top. She was overseeing the loading of boxes and packing crates into the van. She shielded her eyes with the palm of her hand as if trying to see them better through the hazy sunshine. “Hello, can I help you?”

“Yes, we called to speak to Rudy. I believe he is waiting for us with Richard Grainger.”

She paused for a moment, then flicked her hand at the front entrance. “Go on in. You don’t need my permission. It isn’t my home anymore.”

Dewar indicated the piles of boxes and asked, “Are you moving out?”

“No, not yet. I’m getting some gear put into storage.”

“We won’t keep you.” They headed to the front door. It opened as they approached, and Rudy came out with Richard Grainger.

“Your telephone call took me by surprise,” Rudy said. “This woman is talking nonsense, but you can see whatever papers you need to. I can assure you that the only way my father would ever have sold a fake, would be if he bought it in the first place.”

Grainger was quick to say, “And as my gallery has been responsible for the few purchases made these last years, I can assure you, I did not buy a fake. But that’s a moot point, as you shall see.”

They followed the same route to the bespoke gallery building. Once inside, Grainger headed straight to the centre of the room and pointed at a small painting. “Behold Picasso’s Blue Mood Woman As you can see, we have the original painting right here. Kurt didn’t sell anything. The painting is right here, where it should be. I handled all his purchases, although, admittedly, he hadn’t bought anything for some years. I would also have dealt with any sales. That was part of my curatorship and covered, in part, by the retainer.”

Le Claire didn’t know a great deal about art, and that didn’t bother him in the slightest. The painting looked quite simplistic to him. Geometric shapes slashed with primary colours, which, if he tilted his head to the side and squinted with one eye half-closed, could almost be representative of a female form.

Dewar didn’t look too impressed either. “You are saying this is the original of a painting that Kurt Englebrook sold to another party, but that means he sold a fake, doesn’t it?”

Rudy jumped to his late father’s defence. “That’s a load of rot. I don’t know what’s going on here, but I’ll get to the bottom of it. I won’t have my father’s name maligned in that way. He is barely gone, and the vultures are circling already. I don’t know what this woman is about, but she’ll get nothing from us. Nothing.”

Le Claire soothed, “I appreciate that this is an upsetting allegation, but this is a murder enquiry, and we have to take notice of anything and everything connected to your father.

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