House of Ashes by Loretta Marion

Author:Loretta Marion
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books

19

Three weeks following the disappearance

I was putting the last touches on the canvases Lu had selected for the exhibit when her lilting “Yoo-hoo!” filled the air. In her red mega pumps and zebra wrap dress, she looked as out of place in the barn as a ballerina in the midst of an ice hockey game, but effortlessly breezed through an agility course of sawhorses and easels. She was all grace gliding across the uneven planks of the rustic wood floor.

“Hi, hon.” She sent an air kiss, smart enough to avoid a hug and certain smudges of paint on her expensive outfit. “Are we almost finished?”

“Soon.” A perfectionist I was not, but I did have my standards.

“It’s getting down to crunch time, baby.”

“I know.” I set down my brush and wiped my hands on a rag. “When’s the deadline for these last paintings?”

“I’ll need a couple days to figure out the design of the exhibit once we have the final list. Add in the framing time. End of the week?”

“Then I guess you’ll have them by Friday.” What choice did I have? “But I’m done for today. Join me for a glass of wine?”

She checked her watch. “A quick one.”

Back at the house, Whistler slipped out for a run as we entered through the front door. I headed to the kitchen, but Lu hadn’t followed. Retracing my steps to the entrance hall, I found her staring at the recently hung portraits of my great-grandparents.

“Quite the resemblance to Zoe, isn’t it?” I shared with her how Ashley and Vince had found and rescued the paintings and installed them back to their rightful places.

“Amazing story,” she said, now tagging along to the porch as I carried a chilled bottle of Fume Blanc and two glasses.

Not nearly as amazing as my mother’s paintings of Percy and Celeste. I’d keep that disquieting tale to myself, as well as the existence of my own paintings that so eerily mirrored my mother’s.

Lu settled into a wicker rocker with comfy, fluffy pillows and touched her glass to mine.

“To your first show. Excited?”

“More like terrified.” I took a large gulp before asking the question I’d put off long enough. “Has Zoe mentioned her plans to you?”

“Plans?” Lu took a ladylike sip and pretended not to follow.

“Does she intend to come east for the exhibit?” I barely succeeded in keeping the irritation from my voice.

The chair began to rock in rhythm to her nervously bouncing leg. “Look, Cassie—”

“You don’t need to say another word.” I held up a halting hand. “I can tell you already know she’s not coming. But I’d have appreciated it if she’d at least given me the courtesy of telling me herself. When was she going to let me know? The day of?”

“I know how disappointed you must be, but give her a break.”

“Of course I’m disappointed.” I didn’t want to hear a defense of my sister’s selfishness. “She’s my only remaining living relative and she can’t be bothered to make one trip home?”

Whistler returned from his romp and flopped down at my feet.

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