A Wealth of Deception by Trish Esden

Author:Trish Esden
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: CROOKED LANE BOOKS

Chapter Twenty-Two

We went up to the gallery entry and out the front door. Low light illuminated the portico, but total darkness now held sway beyond its shelter. Raindrops steadily pinged the ground.

Jimmy stopped walking and turned to face me. “What’s going on? And don’t give me that bo diddly about dinner reservations.”

I stared at him, my thoughts spinning as I searched for a logical excuse. I suspected I was already in over my head, and I didn’t need Jimmy to get any more involved than he was already. The less he knew, the less dangerous it was for him.

Jimmy’s voice toughened. “Darling, the truth.”

I looked down. “I can’t tell you right now. I just need to get out of here before I say or do something that makes things worse.”

“Not good enough. Do you want me to march back inside and start asking questions to figure out what you’ve been up to?”

It was smarter to not tell him anything more than he already knew. But it also wasn’t fair to act freaked out without any explanation, and I certainly didn’t want him asking questions. There was, however, something I needed from him first. “Who’s the guy that sticks close to Sterling—the bulked up middle-aged man, dressed all in black with the beanie.”

He rested one hand on a hip. “That’s T-Minty.”

“Who?” The name sounded young for the man’s age.

Jimmy flagged his fingers as if to say the name was so well known that anyone should recognize it. “He’s the digital artist responsible for Vespa’s NFTs—and an up-and-coming artist in his own right.”

T-Minty. I committed the name to memory. It would be easy for Kala to find out more about him.

Jimmy squinted. “You do realize, I’m not letting you leave until you tell me what got your panties in a bunch.”

I folded my arms over my chest, unfolded them, took a breath. I still wasn’t sure it was a good idea to say anything, but I trusted Jimmy, and I couldn’t bear to keep the most overwhelming part of what I’d learned to myself a second longer. I met his unwavering gaze. “I think Vespa is a sham.”

He flinched back, shook his head. “What do you mean? An alias?”

“Not exactly. I think Sterling may have created Vespa out of whole cloth—as in she doesn’t exist at all.” I rubbed my hands down the sides of my dress. “I think there’s a strong possibility the outsider artist I’ve discovered up north made all the Vespa pieces. Sterling’s taking—stealing the art from him. He fabricated Vespa as a way to sell the pieces.”

Jimmy grinned. “This is wonderful! Fantastique.”

I scowled. “I’m glad you think so.”

“Don’t you get it? If it’s true and we can prove it, the news will drive the value of Vespa’s artwork through the roof. I already own several and am currently standing in front of a gallery full of others.”

A headache began to pound at the back of my skull. I preferred to assume Jimmy’s love for outsider art came from the feelings the pieces inspired in him rather than their monetary worth.

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