Arson at the Art Gallery

by Grace York

"Yes. Addison's father and my father were brothers."

  "How is your father?" Mrs Jones asked.

  Addison listened to Layla explain how her father's illness had progressed, and couldn't help but feel sorry for her cousin all over again. As if losing her sister and her home wasn't bad enough, shortly she was going to have to deal with the loss of her father as well. She tried to think of a way to brighten the conversation, but she was overwhelmed with the sadness of it all.

  Layla, however, seemed happy to talk about her father today. From what she was saying Dennis and Mrs Jones had been quite good friends over the years. Mrs Jones promised to visit him in the next couple of days.

  When the brownie slab had cooled enough to remove from the tin, Addison sliced one end off and cut it into four pieces. She handed them out then made a fresh pot of tea.

  "Oh, my dear, this is delicious!" said Mrs Jones, a chocolate crumb hanging precariously from the corner of her mouth. "Who do you bake for?"

  "Just for us at the moment," said Addison. "But I hope to turn this place into a bed and breakfast, and I'll bake for the guests."

  "Not good enough," said Mrs Jones. "These little beauties shouldn't be so restricted. You know Hazel in town is looking for a baker? For her cafe?" Mrs Jones turned to Layla. "Or did she find someone while I was away?"

  "No, her scones are as rock-hard as ever," said Layla.

  "Well that's it then! You absolutely must be Hazel's new baker," said Mrs Jones. The crumbs fell from her mouth. "I insist."

  Addison wasn't sure what authority Mrs Jones had to insist on such a thing, but she was such a lovely lady Addison found it hard to say no to her.

  "I have to admit the thought had crossed my mind," said Addison.

  Olivia shook her head. "Mum! You can't take on another job. You haven't even got this one up and running yet."

  "No, I know, you're right," said Addison. "That's why I didn't give the thought much attention." She turned to Mrs Jones. "Thank you so much for your kind suggestion, but there really wouldn't be any time for me to bake for Hazel. I'm very keen on the bed and breakfast idea."

  "Oh well," said Mrs Jones. "You can't blame a girl for trying." She had a good look around the kitchen then. "You seem to be settling in nicely. I'm so glad you've moved in. I was getting concerned with the place being empty. I saw a man hanging around last weekend, you know."

  Addison's danger radar went up. "A man hanging around? Can you describe him?"

  "Not really. I thought he might be going to break in, but then he went away. I was going to phone the police, but then my taxi arrived to take me to the bus station. I must admit I forgot all about it until now."

  Addison, Layla, and Olivia all stiffened and stared at each other.

  "What?" asked Mrs Jones. "Did he come back?"

  Layla explained that her ex-husband was in town, and without going into too much detail, told Mrs Jones that he wasn't welcome around here.

  "If you happen to see him again, would you call the police?" asked Addison.

  "Of course," said Mrs Jones. "Any chance I could have another one of those brownies?"

  Addison sliced another end from the slab and cut four more brownie pieces. She was handing them out when Mrs Jones's eyes widened. Addison turned to follow the woman's gaze out the window, and came face-to-face with Rick Ramirez.

  21

  Addison was too mad to be scared. She flung the back door open and launched herself at Rick, shoving him in the chest. He just managed to grab the railing and stop himself falling down the stairs.

  "How dare you come around here frightening people!" Addison yelled. "You've caused enough hurt. You've got exactly ten seconds to clear off before I call the police."

  Rick held both hands high to show he wasn't there to do any harm. "Please, Addison. I know what I've done. I'm not here to cause any more trouble."

  "Then what are you doing sneaking around the back of the house?"

  "I didn't think you'd let me in the front door."

  "You got that right," said Olivia over Addison's shoulder. Addison turned to find both Olivia and Mrs Jones standing right behind her, hands on their hips. Layla hovered in the doorway.

  "Call the police, Olivia," said Addison.

  Olivia pulled her mobile phone out of her pocket.

  "No, wait, please," said Rick. "I've still got five seconds. All I want is to talk to Layla. To apologise. She deserves an apology after all I've done."

  Olivia held the phone in the air but didn't make the call.

  Addison turned to Layla. "He wants to apologise," she said. "Is that something you want to hear?"

  "Maybe," said Layla. Addison could see the fear all over her face.

  Addison stepped aside a fraction, just enough so that Layla and Rick could see each other. But she stood firm, ready to intervene if he made the slightest move. So did Olivia and Mrs Jones. Addison felt a tiny kick of power having the two of them back her up, even if one was barely an adult and the other was pushing seventy.

  "Say what you've come to say," Addison told Rick.

  "I was hoping to have a moment alone—"

  Addison shook her head emphatically. "Never going to happen. Say what you need to say, then get out of here."

  Rick took a deep breath and focused on Layla. "Sweetheart, I'm so sorry for all I put you through. I had a lot of time to think about it these last five years. I was an a…" Rick surveyed the audience and chose better words after a stern look from Mrs Jones. "I wasn't a good man. I wasn't a good husband. You deserved better."

  "You're damn right I did," said Layla, and Addison had to suppress a smile. You go, girl.

  "Can you ever forgive me?" Rick asked.

  "Did you kill my sister?" Layla countered.

  "What? No. I didn't touch Jenna. I haven't seen her since… since I went away. I heard what happened, though. I'm sorry."

  Layla stood in the doorway and regarded her ex-husband for a long while. Addison almost broke the silence herself, it was so tense. Eventually Layla spoke.

  "I've moved on, Rick. I've built a home, a successful business. I'll build it again. I don't need you anymore."

  Addison was so proud of her cousin right then. She thought Rick was about to cry.

  "Please, babe. I know you don't need me anymore. I get that. But I need to apologise to you. Properly. Can we meet somewhere tomorrow? Anywhere you want. I just want to talk to you. I promise I'll never hurt you again."

  Addison thought for sure Layla would turn him down, and she was ready to threaten him with the police again. But Layla surprised her.

  "Meet me at Hazel's tomorrow afternoon," Layla said to Rick. "Two o'clock."

  "Thank you," Rick said. He smiled at Addison and then walked away.

  "Are you serious?" asked Olivia when they all went back inside.

  "Olivia," Addison warned. "It's Layla's business."

  "But…"

  "No buts. Why don't you feed Charlie?"

  Addison checked all the windows to make sure Rick had truly gone, then she took Layla and Mrs Jones into the great room.

  "The child is right," said Mrs Jones. "You were no sooner through explaining all about that horrible man to me when he appeared, and now you've agreed to sit down with him. I thought you didn't want any more to do with him?"

  Addison couldn't have said it better herself. She was beginning to like Mrs Jones a lot. She waited for Layla to respond.

  "We'll be at Hazel's, surrounded by people. And Addison will be there too. I won't go alone." Layla raised her eyebrows at Addison, silently asking the question.

  "Of course I'll go with you," said Addison. "But that's not what Rick thinks. He's not going to be happy."

  "I'm not doing it to make him happy. I'm doing it to find out whether he killed my sister."

  Now it was starting to make sense. Addison smiled. Her cousin wasn't as silly as she looked.

  "Well I hope the two of you are very careful," said Mrs Jones. She glanced at the clock on the wal
l opposite the fireplace. "I'd better get home before it goes dark. I don't like being out in the dark, and Bella will be wondering where I am."

  Mrs Jones headed for the front door as Addison mouthed 'Bella' with a questioning look to Layla.

  'Dog,' Layla mouthed back. Addison nodded her understanding.

  "Thanks so much for stopping by, Mrs Jones," Addison said. "It was lovely to meet you. Please come anytime."

  "Yes, it was nice to meet you too, dear. Say goodbye to Olivia for me." Mrs Jones cast a final look at Layla. "Take care."

  "I will," said Layla. "Give Bella a cuddle for me."

  Addison watched as Mrs Jones made her way down the front steps and through a hole in the hedge to her house next door. Addison hadn't even known the hole was there. Which reminded her, she needed to get a lock for the gate at the side of the house. She didn't like the idea of Rick just waltzing in like he owned the place. Or anyone, for that matter.

  Back inside, Addison and Layla stood in the half empty great room. The lounge area was furnished with the couch and armchairs Addison had brought up from Sydney, but there was a big space on the opposite side of the room where she planned to put a dining table suitable for a full complement of house guests. They'd have to go furniture shopping before too long.

  "Are you sure you want to do this?" Addison asked Layla. Olivia and Charlie joined them, Olivia taking one of the armchairs and Charlie, still licking his lips from his dinner, settling by her feet.

  "I'm sure. He's not the type of person who gives up. And like I said, I want to find out whether he killed my sister."

  "Are you just going to ask him?" said Olivia.

  "I might. I don't know. But I won't find out anything if I don't talk to him."

  Addison leaned forward. "It's not your job to find out who killed Jenna," she said, realising the irony as soon as the words left her mouth.

  "Look who's talking," said Olivia with a little snort.

  "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I'm serious. Rick Ramirez is bad news. I really don't want you going anywhere near him, Layla."

  "But you'll go with me anyway, won't you?"

  Addison sighed. She was never going to change Layla's mind.

  "Of course I will. Now, let's think about some dinner. I'm starving."

  22

  Layla came down to breakfast the next morning with her phone to her ear. She sounded like she was just finishing off a call. Addison cracked eggs into a bowl, added a splash of milk, and whisked them with a fork.

  "Who was that?" she asked when Layla put the phone down. "And good morning."

  "Good morning." Layla flicked the kettle on before settling onto a stool at the kitchen bench. "That was some guy from Jenna's work. Said he was working on a special project for her."

  "What special project?"

  "I don't know. He said it was something she'd asked him to do outside of the firm. Looking into a development or something. To be honest, Addison, I didn't pay much attention."

  Addison poured the eggs into the frypan and dropped three pieces of bread into the toaster. "So why was he calling?" she asked as she scrambled the eggs.

  "He'd just heard about Jenna. He wanted to see if he should continue the investigation, seeing as it was a private matter she'd asked him to look into outside of the firm."

  "What did you tell him?"

  Layla shrugged. "I told him not to bother. It doesn't matter now, does it?" The kettle boiled, and Layla made tea for herself and Addison.

  "It might," said Addison. She turned the stove off once the eggs were done and set the pan aside. The toast popped up, and she divided it and the eggs onto three waiting plates. "Olivia!" she called up the stairs. "Breakfast!"

  Charlie came running down the stairs, followed by Olivia in her skimpy sleeping shorts and singlet. "Sorry," she said, rubbing her eyes. "I slept in."

  "Late night?" asked Addison, pushing a plate towards her spot at the bench. They'd taken to eating breakfast here each morning together, Layla and Olivia on stools and Addison propped against the opposite counter.

  "I made a start on some of the reading material for uni," said Olivia as she waited for the coffee machine to heat up. "Fascinating stuff, but there's so much of it. It's going to be an interesting year."

  Addison made a start on her eggs, noticing Layla had almost finished hers. It was good to see her eating again.

  "Do you want another piece of toast?" Addison asked.

  "No, thanks. That's enough. What did you mean when you said it might matter? Jenna's special project?"

  "Well, what if it had something to do with her murder?" said Addison.

  Olivia's head swivelled around from where she was busy frothing milk for her morning latte. "What's got to do with Jenna's murder?"

  "Some guy from her work just called Layla. Said he was working on a secret project for her," Addison explained.

  "He didn't say it was secret. Just personal."

  "Even so…"

  "You could be right," said Layla. "I didn't think of it being related to her murder. I'm so stupid!"

  "You're not stupid," said Addison. "You're tired. You've been through a lot, emotionally. It's okay. Did you get his name?"

  "He did say it. Something interesting, like Flynn, Finn, something like that. I didn't catch his last name. Oh, but it was a mobile number he called from. I guess I could call him back?"

  "Let's both do that after breakfast," said Addison.

  "Good idea."

  "Are we working on the house today?" Olivia asked. "I mean, before your meeting this afternoon?"

  Painting was the last thing Addison felt like doing today. "Let's take a break," she said. "What would you like to do?"

  "It's a beautiful day," said Olivia. "I thought I might spend a little time at the beach."

  "Great idea," said Addison. "Layla? Do you want to go to the beach? Or are you going to visit Uncle Dennis?"

  "I'll go and see Dad. I don't know how much time he has left."

  Addison was torn. She should really go with Layla to the nursing home. Although she'd warned Angie about Rick, she didn't trust the guy one bit. She didn't want to leave Layla alone while he was in town. But she should be spending time with Olivia before she went off to uni, and a morning on the beach sounded great.

  "Go with Layla," said Olivia, reading Addison's mind. "I don't trust that guy either."

  Addison smiled and nodded her agreement.

  After breakfast Olivia got changed and headed off to the beach, promising her mother she'd cover herself in sunscreen. Addison and Layla settled at the kitchen table to call Flynn or Finn back. Addison had her notebook ready. Layla put the phone on speaker and hit the last number on her recent calls list.

  "Finlay Maguire," the voice answered.

  "Hi Finn," said Layla. "This is Jenna's sister, we spoke earlier this morning."

  "Yes, hello again. How can I help you?"

  "I've been speaking with my cousin about what you said this morning. I've got her here with me, you're on speaker phone. Her name is Addison."

  "Hello, Addison."

  "Hi Finn," said Addison, leaning over the top of the phone. She'd always felt a bit weird using a phone on speaker.

  "Would you be able to tell Addison what you told me this morning?" Layla asked.

  "Of course," Finn replied. "Jenna had me looking into the legalities of a development project. It wasn't something to do with any of the cases the firm is currently working on, so I was just wondering whether I should continue or not. In light of your loss, I mean. I was very sorry to hear about what happened to Jenna."

  "Thank you, Finn," said Addison. "What can you tell us about the development project?"

  "Not a great deal, I'm afraid. I wasn't able to find out much, because the project is in Queensland and we're in New South Wales."

  "It wouldn't happen to be an apartment building in Getaway Bay, would it?" asked Addison.

  "Yes, it is." Addison heard the clicking of a keyboard. "It's owned
by a Mr Edward Mathieson."

  "What did Jenna want you to find out?"

  "She was interested in the approval process. She wanted to know if there was anything, shall we say, dodgy about it."

  "And was there?" asked Layla.

  "Not that I could find. It was approved by the local council, five votes to four. There was some debate as to whether it was too close to the beach or not. Apparently it was submitted to council a couple of years ago, and at that stage it was rejected. But this time it was passed, so it went ahead."

  "What had changed?" asked Addison.

  "Well that's the thing," said Finn. "Nothing changed with the submission, from what I could see. The only thing that changed was one of the councillors. One must have retired and was replaced."

  "Jerry," said Layla. "He retired last year."

  More clicking on Finn's keyboard. "That's right. Jerard Nichols."

  "So let me get this straight," said Addison. "When Jerry Nichols was on the council, the development was rejected five votes to four. Then he retired, and it was submitted again unchanged, and this time it passed."

  "That's correct," said Finn.

  "When was the development approved?" Addison asked, her pen now scribbling furiously in her notebook.

  "Ah, hang on a minute. Yes, here it is. October last year. I'm sorry, I've got a meeting to get to. Is there anything else you need to know?"

  Addison shook her head, then realised how silly that was. "No thanks, Finn. You've been very helpful."

  They ended the call, and Addison and Layla sat silent for a moment. Addison's brain was working overtime. Jerry Nichols was Charlie's previous owner. He'd been a road block to Edward's development, until he'd retired from the council. He'd passed away only a few weeks ago.

  "Do you remember Jerry retiring from council?" Addison asked Layla.

  "I do, actually. The whole town was shocked. Jerry loved serving the community. He'd always said he'd do it until he died, or until he was voted off. Whichever came first. No-one expected him to retire."

  "We should have asked Finn who replaced him."

  "That's easy," said Layla. "Lisa Mathieson."

  "Edward's niece?"