by Rosie Sams
Melody stepped closer. “What did you see?”
Sam’s jaws clenched. “I saw a woman screaming at Byron.”
“A woman?”
“Yeah. Really pretty.” Sam shrugged. “Tall and slender with the longest pair of legs I’ve ever…”
“Focus, Sam,” Melody snapped.
He blinked. “Anyway, she seemed furious. It was hard to hear some of what she said on account of I was outside straining to hear. But, I clearly heard her saying that she deserved to be Byron’s only model.”
Claudia. She had to be the woman Sam had seen. So, Claudia and Byron had another argument before he wound up dead. Melody was no detective, but that screamed motive, and suspect number two had arrived.
The more she thought about it she realized that she had never seen Sam drunk, and the man could certainly sample his own wares. Things were getting more curious by the minute. “Tell me one thing, Sam. What exactly did you hope to accomplish by confronting Byron? Did you have the intention of harming him? Tell me the truth.”
“Frankly, I’m offended that you would ask me that, Melody. Yes, I did fly into a rage last night, and I completely embarrassed myself, but, I’m passionate about my work. When someone like Byron just steals them and passes them off as his own... anyone would be angry. I admit I did leave home a while after Alvin dropped me off. I wanted to speak with Byron. I was only going to demand he tell me why he did what he did and to get my paintings back. That’s all. You don’t think I’m capable of such a heinous crime, do you…?... and I swear I wouldn’t lay a finger on any woman, especially not Vanessa. You believe me… please, Melody?”
She stared at him for a long time before sighing. “Yes… I know you wouldn’t do that… not the Sam Barnett I know.”
“Then help me, Melody. I know you’re like the Sherlock Holmes of Port Warren.” He smiled slightly when she rolled her eyes. “Connect the dots and get me out of here,” he pleaded.
“Gosh, Sam. I can only promise to try.”
“Thank you, that is all I ask.”
She left a forlorn Sam in his cell and returned to Alvin’s office. A few minutes ticked by before he returned.
“Well, Smudge and I didn’t take much of a walk. I was anxious to get back and check on you. How did it go with Sam?”
“I think I got something, and don’t worry; none of the deputies caught me questioning the prisoner.”
He grinned slyly. “Of course, not. That’s because I sent some back to the crime scene and set the others on minor tasks around the town.”
Melody pursed her lips to hold back her smile. “You sly devil.”
“Being sheriff has its perks. What did you get?” He perched on his desk and waited.
“First, I have to ask, do you have any other suspects?”
Rubbing his chin, Alvin shrugged. “Honestly, this seems like a pretty open and shut case. Sam more than implicated himself.”
“Okay…” Al wasn’t wrong there. All of the evidence so far made Sam look as guilty as sin. “Did you happen to interview Claudia Conway?”
“One of the officers did. He said she appeared distraught, and she said she didn’t know when Byron left their hotel room that morning. When she woke up, and he was gone, she assumed he was visiting with Eli Kritchner before they left.”
“Maybe she should be questioned again.”
“I don’t think there’s any need. Besides, she should be packing up to return to New York.”
That was a cause for alarm. “Don’t you find it suspicious that she’s packing up to leave already?”
“Not particularly. She and Byron did only come to town for the art show. Surely, she has a job to return to in New York.”
Putting her hands on her hips, Melody harrumphed. “Well, Sam just told me that he saw Byron and Claudia arguing at the gallery, and she seemed furious. It looks like she lied about not seeing him this morning.”
Alvin’s head snapped up. He blinked a few times and nodded. “Well, that is something, isn’t it?” He shook his head. “My deputy failed to get that piece of information, yet you did. I don’t know how you do it, Mel.”
She shrugged, her cheeks turning a pretty pink. “Luck?”
Alvin lifted a brow and stood up. “I need to interrogate Sam for myself, then, I’ll go to Claudia and question her again. I’ll call the Port Warren Inn and ensure she doesn’t leave just yet.”
“Okay, you go ahead.” Melody didn’t mention that she intended to pay Claudia a visit too. “Let’s go, Smudge.”
Chapter Nine
Claudia pulled in a breath and jumped back after she opened her door. “Melody, what are you doing here?”
Eyeing the two suitcases at Claudia’s feet, Melody asked, “Leaving so soon?”
The woman shifted uneasily from one foot to the other. “I had only planned to stay here for a few days. How did you know which room to find me in?”
“Well, the receptionist was forthcoming with the information because she’s under the impression that I was sent by the sheriff.” Melody felt a twinge of guilt for the little fib. “The sheriff called to ensure that you didn’t check out.”
Dark eyes widening, Claudia gasped. “What?” Peering anxiously into the hall, she practically dragged Melody inside. “What are you talking about, Melody? The sheriff?”
Smudge waddled inside, and Melody closed the door. “Calm down, Claudia. The police just want to question you again.”
“I don’t see what for,” the woman huffed. “I told them everything I know, and I’m going to miss my flight.”
“Why not stay until Byron’s murderer is found?”
She threw her hands up. “I thought the crazy guy who attacked Byron last night did it, and I have to get home to start making plans for his funeral.”
“I wondered if you were in such a hurry… because you have something to hide.”
Claudia went silent and completely still. Both women stared at each other, Claudia’s eyes blazed with fury and Melody’s with challenge. Finally, the silence broke.
“Whatever you’re implying is completely false,” Claudia asserted. “I had nothing to do with Byron’s murder. I admit, contrary to what I told the police, I... I did see him this morning. But, I sought him out at the gallery to talk to him. We exchanged heated words, and I stormed off to get back here to pack. He was very much alive when I left him, I assure you.”
Though Melody was unconvinced, she sighed. “Do you remember what I told you last night, Claudia? About being able to talk to me? I meant every word. If there’s something you want to get off your chest…”
“How dare you?!” Claudia’s defenses were back up. “Did you come here to get a confession so your crazy friend will be let off the hook? I told you, I didn’t do it.” Jaws clenched and fists balled, she growled, “Get out of my way, Melody. I’m leaving.”
“You won’t be able to check out until the sheriff gets here.”
“Yeah? Watch me.” When Claudia charged forward, Smudge blocked her path and let out a warning growl.
Clutching her chest, Claudia stopped in her tracks in front of the tiny dog who was trying hard to look tough, but only managed to look really cute. “Goodness, she isn’t going to attack, is she? Call her off!”
“If this is what it takes to keep you here until the sheriff gets here, no can do,” Melody huffed.
In a move that shocked Melody, Claudia stomped one foot and then sank to her knees. Melody watched wide-eyed as the woman burst into tears. Seeing that the tears were genuine, Melody groaned. “Oh, no. Okay, Smudge, down girl.” Smudge’s posture relaxed, and she sat on her haunches and watched curiously as Melody went over to comfort the woman.
“Claudia, please don’t cry. I…”
“I’m innocent, Melody,” Claudia blurted. “I would never hurt someone I care about. Sure, I was furious with Byron, and we did argue. I was just tired of him making empty promises, and I confronted him about that.” She hung her head and muttered, “I do
have a confession, though.”
Melody inched closer, waiting for Claudia to confess to murder, but what came out managed to surprise her yet again.
“I knew Byron was dead.”
“Y… you did?” It wasn’t exactly a confession, but it was pretty close.
Claudia nodded. “I feel so horrible, Melody. After Byron and I argued, I did storm off as I said, to come back here and pack. What I didn’t tell anyone is that halfway back to the Inn, I cooled down a bit and turned around. With a much clearer head, I wanted to speak with him like a civilized person… wanted to clear things up about our relationship. I needed to know once and for all where we stood, and if he gave the slightest inclination that he was going to continue stringing me along like some airhead, I was prepared to end things.
“I returned to the gallery, and I found him lying on the floor. I then began lecturing him about his drinking habits. He often drank too much and fell asleep at the oddest places. But I realized that he wasn’t looking so good. His skin was so pale. When I checked he... wasn’t breathing, and there was blood… gore… pooling around his head.”
Eyes brimming with fresh tears, Claudia let out another sob. “He was dead, and I panicked and ran. I’m a horrible person!”
Melody’s mouth snapped shut. Needless to say, she was surprised by Claudia’s confession. So, maybe the woman was innocent after all.
“You should have called the police right then and there, Claudia.”
“I know,” she wailed. “But I just wanted to go home.”
Settling on the floor beside her, Melody rested a hand on her trembling shoulder. “You made a mistake, it’s all right. Tell me what Byron was really like. Was he really as talented as everyone says? Or was he really an art thief?” If the man really was that vindictive and he did indeed steal Sam’s work, perhaps Sam really was guilty. The thought made Melody’s heart drop to her stomach.
Dashing away tears, Claudia sniffed. “Without a doubt, Byron was a gifted artist... once. I don’t know what happened.” She shrugged. “But, he lost his mojo along the way and started stealing work from lesser-known artists. He would take their paintings and just brush over them, so they were slightly different. Just adding a touch of his style. I thought it was despicable, but I already loved him, and I decided to stand in his corner to see if I could bring him back to the man he used to be. So, I kept his secret.”
“Oh, my word,” Melody murmured. “So, he did steal from Sam.”
“He most certainly did. I was present when Sam handed Byron his work, and I heard Byron promise to critique them, but I knew better. I watched Byron touch up those paintings with my own two eyes. He would always throw in a different stroke or technique here and there to say it was his own.” Claudia rolled her eyes. “It was still straight up stealing, but I foolishly kept my mouth shut.”
“Poor Sam,” Melody said, shaking her head. “No one believed him.”
“The difference with Sam and the other artists Byron stole from is that they knew well enough to keep their mouths shut because eventually, Byron did make good on his promise to help move their careers forward. Sam would have gotten that same benefit if he hadn’t flown off the handle. Byron was a no-good thief and a liar, but I think his guilt always propelled him to help out those he stole from… you know, to give them more exposure, to mention their names, that sort of thing. They would receive greater opportunities after that.”
Melody nodded. That explained why Byron had tried to calm Sam down and cart him off to a private room. He most likely intended to strike some kind of deal. “Oh, Claudia, I’m so sorry for showing up here and hurling accusations.”
Claudia lifted a slim shoulder. “I can see why you would think I was guilty.”
“I’m going to get out of your hair, but I think it’s best if you stay in town until Byron’s murder is solved. Speak with the sheriff and tell him everything this time. Set yourself and your conscience free.”
The woman ran her fingers through a silky curtain of hair and let out a long sigh. “I think that’s good advice. I’ll stay. I have nothing to hide anymore. I hope your friend, Sam, is proven innocent. He’s the real artist, and he deserves his chance to shine.”
Melody was in complete agreement. She was more determined than ever to help Sam. That meant she was going to pay someone, who everyone seemed to have overlooked, a visit… Eli Kritchner. Just because he reported the crime didn’t mean he was innocent.
Chapter Ten
Melody found Eli in the process of removing Byron’s paintings. He wore a scowl and muttered to himself as he worked.
Melody alerted him to her presence. “Mr. Kritchner.”
When he spun around, his scowl deepened. “Melody Marshall. Now isn’t a good time. I’m busy.”
“This won’t take long,” she promised, stepping further inside with Smudge on her heels. “You’re taking down Byron’s work already?” She had no idea the artist’s death would warrant removing his work. If anything, she thought Eli would profit from the extra attention.
“Of course.” Eli spared her a look over his shoulder. “Byron’s manner of death is the worst kind of publicity. As if it wasn’t enough that he nearly got into a fight with one of the locals last night, he had to get murdered here too.”
Melody winced, hating how insensitive the gallery owner sounded. “Well, it’s hardly his fault that he got killed.”
She was sent another annoyed look. “It isn’t just that. The mere whisper of him being a fraud has cast a negative shadow over my gallery. Now, I’ll be known for displaying stolen work, and work that was stolen from my fellow townsfolk at that. I need to get rid of these paintings now and start doing damage control.” He dumped the last painting in a box and dusted off his hands.
As if just realizing that Melody still stood there staring at him, he gave her his attention. “So, what is it that I can do for you?”
“I just wanted to ask you a few questions about Byron. I understand that you discovered the body. How did you happen upon it? I mean, you don’t usually open the gallery before nine.”
Eli placed his hands on his hips and frowned. “Like I said, my credibility took a blow because of Byron’s scam. I decided to come in early to remove all traces of his work, and I just stumbled upon his body. I suppose I forgot to lock the back door, and that’s how he got in.” Eli stared at the spot where Melody stood and pointed. “He was just lying there.”
Looking down at the spot, with alarm, Melody hopped away. “Good grief,” she muttered, shivering slightly before quickly composing herself. Of course, she would unwittingly stand in the spot where the dead body had been.
“I thought he was passed out drunk at first. Boy, was I wrong! I immediately went to the police.”
Studying Eli in silence for a moment, Melody wondered about the best way to ask him if he killed Byron. She couldn’t come right out and ask, by the way, are you a murderer?
Nope, that won’t do.
“You said Byron’s scam may have ruined your reputation. I bet that made you mad.”
“That’s an understatement,” Eli snorted. “I was livid.”
“Livid enough to confront Byron and... harm him?” she asked tentatively.
The silence that fell over the gallery like a thick blanket was almost stifling. Eli peered at Melody with piercing eyes. He then let out a humorless laugh.
“You are a piece of work, Melody Marshall. Why, you just accused me of killing Byron. That’s just ludicrous,” he scoffed and then glared. “Perhaps you should stick to your day job… baking desserts. Just because you helped to solve a few crimes before, doesn’t make you an expert detective. Everyone knows you get to stick your nose into police business only because you’re dating the sheriff.”
Squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin, she gave Eli a withering glare of her own. You mean little man. Somehow, she managed to keep that thought to herself.
“For your information, Mr. Kritchner, my relationship with th
e sheriff has nothing to do with me trying to help my friends. No, I don’t have a badge, but I’d say I have a knack for solving crimes, which I’ve proven time after time.”
With a haughty sniff, she turned to leave but paused. Turning to Eli, she said, “Another thing, you might want to get a hold of some of Sam’s original paintings and display them under the real artist’s name. I got it from a good source that Byron did indeed steal Sam’s work.”
Eli gave a rude snort and opened his mouth to protest, but then he seemed to reconsider.
“You know, you might be on to something,” he murmured. He lifted his hands to paint an imaginary picture. “Eli Kritchner brings justice to a wronged artist. That headline sounds great for the front page.” He rubbed his hands with glee. “Perhaps I can salvage the reputation of my gallery after all.”
Melody simply stared at the man, amused, but glad that she’d probably done something good for Sam.
“Let’s get out of here, Smudge,” she whispered.
Again, she stopped when she heard Eli, still planning aloud, say, “And I can sell those sketches that Byron left in my office for a hefty price. Cha-ching!” he cackled.
Melody swung back around. “Sketches? What sketches?”
It seemed the thought of money, and good publicity had changed Eli’s mood because he grinned. “Byron was working on a few sketches when he first arrived, you know, brainstorming, trying out ideas. They didn’t make it to his canvas, but I bet they’re worth something.”
It wouldn’t help with the case, but her curiosity was piqued. “May I take a look at them?”
“I don’t see why not. Just a sec.”
He returned seconds later with a large sketch pad. Melody flipped through the pages. Okay, Byron had skills, but she could see why he’d stolen Sam’s work. The ideas that Byron sketched were... flat. They lacked the passion and beauty captured in Sam’s paintings.
“What do you think?” Eli asked excitedly. “Do you think they’ll sell?”