The Painting by Alison Booth

Author:Alison Booth
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RedDoor Press
Published: 2021-03-01T10:28:12+00:00

Chapter 20

After showering and dressing for work, Anika took Tabilla a mug of tea in bed. Her bedroom door was wide open and she was sitting propped up on pillows, reading the Hungarian novel that Magda had lent her. In a barely focused way she peered at Anika over the top of her reading glasses and smiled when she saw the Clarice Cliff mug. After putting it on the bedside table, Anika perched on the end of the bed. Through the double doors leading on to the glassed-in back verandah, she could see the brilliant sapphire blue of another lovely day. It didn’t do much to cheer her though. She said, ‘You said you’d phone Julius Singer this morning.’

‘So I did and I haven’t forgotten. I’ll be down shortly. Just let me finish my tea.’

Finish my tea in peace was what she really meant, so Anika returned to the kitchen to eat a slice of toast and honey. Not long after the clock in the lounge room chimed seven-thirty, Tabilla came downstairs wearing her royal blue kimono with the golden dragons embroidered on the front and back. She looked at Anika quizzically before punching into the phone the digits of a number that she had written on a scrap of paper in her hand. When Anika headed towards the lounge room, Tabilla beckoned her back so she was close enough to hear the conversation.

After speaking a few nothing words to Julius, Tabilla said, ‘I was wondering if you know someone called Rubinstein. He’s probably about your age. Do you know anyone by that name?’

‘The only person I know of with the name of Rubinstein is Daniel Rubinstein. He’s a curator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales but he’s much younger than me.’ Julius’s voice was so loud that Anika could hear every word.

‘And does he have an uncle by the name of Jake Rubinstein?’

‘Not that I know of. Daniel’s a good man though, one of the best.’

Abruptly Anika sat down. It was as she’d suspected. Daniel had lied to her when he’d said on that Clifton Gardens walk that Julius and his uncle were old friends. Anika could see his expression as clearly as if he were right in front of her still, fixing her with his lovely black eyes as if willing her to believe him.

‘And you definitely don’t know any Jake Rubinstein?’ Tabilla said.

‘No,’ Julius replied. ‘Why do you want to know?’

For one horrible second, Anika thought Tabilla was about to tell Julius about her request. But she simply said, ‘A friend was asking, that’s all. She couldn’t find his number in the directory.’

‘Sorry I can’t help. We must go to another concert, Tabilla, maybe when my wife is well again. We had so little time at the concert to talk.’

The jab of pain in the palm of Anika’s hand made her realise she’d been pressing her fingernails into the soft skin there. She felt sure now that she was right to be suspicious of Daniel.

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