Wilding Nights by Killough Lee

Author:Killough, Lee [Killough, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Books We Love
Published: 2010-09-07T04:30:00+00:00

17.

The painting had changed. Zane stared at it while he unclipped his holster from his belt, pulled off the handcuffs looped over the back, and toed off his jodhpur boots. Before it had been just artwork he liked. Now... He set the gun and handcuffs on the end table and shed his coat, then flopped onto the couch. Leaning back, hands behind his head, he propped his feet on the ottoman. Now the painting had history. He would never look at it again without picturing Honora creating this landscape there in her studio. Did she use her family as a model for those eyes in the foreground darkness? Sitting there together on the patio, the group looked as much like that as an Elvish court.

For the first time he wondered if the painting had monetary value. All those other paintings around the house might mean her art was just a hobby. Now recognizing her style, he realized she had done the murals in the rotunda of Civic Hall that depicted Arenosa in its seaport heyday. That commission could have been arranged by the Parkview Gang because she was one of them, not awarded on the basis of artistic merit. On the other hand, she must be making money somehow to afford to be one of the Parkview Gang.

A couple of years ago Dan Zuck fixed him up with a girl who worked at an art gallery. Kirsten...Kirsten Carakostas, from the Wyner Gallery. If he had time today he would give her a call.

Yawning, Zane heaved himself to his feet and headed around the loft for the bathroom, stretching from the rear of the elevator to the rear wall. What would it have been like to be Honora’s lover? Considering the raw energy and passion in her paintings, and her commanding personal presence, in her youth she must have been stunning...and making love to her, like playing with fire. But he imagined the pain had been exquisite, and irresistible. A dangerous woman.

Just one of many in that family. He scrubbed at his teeth. Look at Allison...a coiled titanium spring without a soft edge anywhere, for all her ethereal appearance. Ditto Councilwoman Lennox Goodnight, from what he had read in the Sentinel...the prow of the Parkview juggernaut. Rikki reminded him of the big cats and canine predators at the zoo, prowling the edge of their habitats checking out the passing meat.

Thinking of her as predatory, he considered how the Blondie composite resembled almost any of them. Allison insisted Peter Makepeace had nothing to do with the murders. She could be speaking from family loyalty...but maybe she was right. The trouble with Makepeace being innocent was, then there had to be two Blondie’s, and Demry had to run into number two after leaving number one.

Unless Peter Makepeace was lying.

Zane stopped brushing and stared into the mirror. Why would Makepeace confess to being Blondie, Allison had asked. Maybe to protect a family member. What better way than by convincing them that Demry split from Blondie and met his killer afterward.

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