by DB Jones
Josh raced back to the front of the building to wait for the ambulance. Madison could hear the sirens getting closer, but wouldn’t leave Aspen alone. “Hold on, Aspen,” she whispered. “Hold on.”
The EMTs lifted her onto the stretcher and rushed her to the hospital. Madison and Josh followed right behind them with sirens blaring.
The hospital was waiting and immediately upon their arrival, and wheeled Aspen into the ER. Madison paced the waiting room while Josh got them some coffee. It was going to be awhile, but Madison wasn’t going to leave.
So many things raced through Madison’s mind; the message from Anne Gunter about the wall and the fact that Aspen had been shot like the others. Maybe she would be able to tell her who the killer was. “But why Aspen? And why now. Did Aspen know something, or did the killer think she did?”
Josh finally came into the waiting room and handed her some coffee. She pulled him over to the side and whispered. “Aspen may know who the murderer is, and if she does, she may be in more danger now. Can you make sure someone is watching over her 24/7?”
He glanced around the room. “I will. But right now, I think we’d better keep this under wraps. The fewer people know she’s found, the better.”
“I’ll call Jim and let him know, but ask him to hold the story for awhile.”
They had waited for more than three hours before the doctor emerged in the lobby. He slowly walked up to Madison. “She’s alive, but we had to put her into a medically-induced coma. She has lost a lot of blood and not out of the woods, yet. You can see her, but she won’t know you’re there.”
“That’s okay; I still want to tell her I’m here.”
Josh waited as the doctor escorted Madison to the ICU. Aspen had tubes and wires attached to her, monitoring her every move and Madison barely recognized her. They had to shave a section of her hair off, where the bullet hit. If it had hit just a fraction closer, she would have been dead already. She reached down and squeezed Aspen’s hand. “Aspen, it’s Madison. You’re going to be okay. Hang in there, girl. You’ve got to finish your painting. I think I’m going to be your biggest fan. Hell, I might just buy one before your show just to tell everyone that I have your first one.” She knew Aspen couldn’t hear her but hoped she could feel her.
The nurse came in to check Aspen’s vitals and to give her more fluids, so Madison left. “I’ll be back real soon, girl.”
It was all she could do to hold back her tears, but it was time to find the bastard who did this to her friend, and Madison felt they were getting real close. She approached Josh in the lobby with a tear still on her cheek. “I think it’s time to give Mr. Kincaid another visit.” They headed back to her office. Josh turned to her, “What made you look there for Aspen?”
She turned toward him and casually said, “A psychic told me.”
“Oh, a psychic.”
She chuckled at his remark, and he left it at that. She smiled at him. “I sure am hungry, are you?”
“We could go to your place and finish off that Chinese, or we could have someone wait on us over a fresh cup of coffee?”
“I’m not into Chinese at this hour. Let’s get some real food.” Madison rested her head against the window and before Josh pulled into the parking lot, she was asleep. He hated to wake her but nudged her shoulder. “Maddy, we’re here.”
“I guess I nodded off.”
“It was probably my stimulating company.”
The café had just turned the open sign over as they walked up. Lisa opened the door. “Hi, you two. You’re our first customers of the day. Coffee?”
“Oh yeah,” Madison said heading for the booth in the back corner of the room. It was only 6:30 a.m. and already they had put in a full day, and there was still more to do. Josh tried to talk her into going back to her place to rest after breakfast for awhile, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She was on a mission, and nothing was going to stop her now. Her mind was spinning with speculations and formulating a new twist on the profile of their killer, but she needed to talk to Kincaid first. This time she wasn’t going to beat around the bush and wanted to know some specific details that only Kincaid could answer.
She and Josh discussed what happened to Aspen and how it was related to the case. They were in sync that Aspen might have been a loose end that the killer needed to eliminate. She didn’t fit the profile of the other women at all. But the question remained, why Aspen? Due to her injuries, it might be some time before they could question her.
Josh dropped Madison off at the Center to get her car and talk to Kincaid, and he headed back to the station to fill out the report on Aspen. Madison sat in her car going over some things in her files, waiting for the Center to open. She saw Alice walk up to unlock the door. Normally, Kim would be there on Sundays. Madison was hoping Kim had found the information she had asked for the other day.
She put her papers back into her case and headed for the door. Alice was shuffling through the pamphlets and books getting things ready for the day. “Good morning, Alice.”
“Oh, hi. Good morning, Madison. I hear you’re becoming quite a regular around here. Is it true you might be the subject for Tyler’s new collection?”
“I haven’t decided. I thought you only worked on Wednesdays? Where is Kim this morning?”
“Oh, she’ll be in later. She called me and asked if I could open. I guess she had some family things to attend to.” Alice continued straightening the reception desk. “Now, what can I help you with?”
“Is Mr. Kincaid here today?”
“He might be. He has a little apartment off of his studio. When he works late, he sometimes stays there. Let me call the studio and see.” She dialed the number, but there was no answer. “I guess he’s not here yet, but I know he’ll be here soon. Do you want to just wander around the complex until he arrives? I’ll text him and let him know you’re here.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
Madison casually walked back to the gallery to study the paintings again. She stood at a distance from the paintings to get a different perspective and get a more in-depth look. Each painting depicted the woman looking at something out of reach; a longing. One woman was positioned staring at a structure or landscape in the distance, and there appeared to be an obstacle separating two points of view. The model that looked like Margaret Hill was sitting on a dead log protruding from the water’s edge looking across a body of water toward a city in the distance.
Another painting was a profile of the woman wearing one earring sitting on a pile of broken concrete, gazing across the swamplands that were untouched by the sprawling concrete jungles of towns.
Madison stepped up to the next painting. This one was the back of a woman with an eagle sitting on her arm. It appeared both were watching a flight of birds, overhead, and the eagle longing to take flight. However, the eagle was wounded and could no longer fly. This painting evoked sadness and the disparity that their ambitions were out of reach.
As she moved around the room, Alice entered. “Mr. Kincaid just texted back. He wanted me to tell you he would be here soon. Isn’t his work amazing?”
“It certainly is intriguing. Alice, what can you tell me about the models he used for these paintings?”
“I don’t know much about them. Tyler sort of kept them a secret because he didn’t want people asking them about his paintings before he had his exhibit. I did see a few of them on occasion. Kim dealt more closely with them. She’d arrange for them to pose. I do know they often went on location with him. Tyler said that way he could get a better feel for the landscape. Other than that, I am in the dark. He’s such a secretive artist, and I don’t like to pry. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to the front. Sundays are usually busy.”
“Thank you.”
It wasn’t long until Tyler showed up. He escorted Madison to his studio. “I’m glad you came by today. I hope I’ve convinced you to pose for me.”
“That’s not why I’m here today. I still haven�
�t decided whether I will or not. Mr. Kincaid, as you know, I’m working on a case of missing persons and murder with the Maitland Police Department. There have been some leads that seem to lead back to the center.” Madison motioned for him to take a seat.
He placed his arms across his chest. “Good grief, I hope you don’t think I have anything to do with it.”
“No, but I do need to ask you about your models. I know you told me Kim could give me that information, but surely you can remember their names?”
“Of course I do. They are very special to me and my artwork.”
“I’d like to go into the gallery with you right now if you don’t mind.”
“Certainly.” Tyler followed her down the hall.
As they entered the gallery, Madison approached the first painting and pointed to the woman in the painting. “Who is this woman?” Then she proceeded to the next and so on until she had the names of each of the women. She did not tell him they were the women who were missing. She wanted to gather as much information as she could before she proceeded. “I might need to talk to you again about your models.”
“Of course. Anything I can do to help in your investigation.”
“I appreciate your help.”
Now that her suspicions were confirmed, Madison wanted to run her theory by Josh and update the board. If what she was thinking was right, then the next step was obvious to her.
She called Josh and told him what she found out. Josh was startled at how quickly she obtained the information but wasn’t surprised. “I’ll meet you in about an hour. I have some questions, too.”
Madison returned to the board with the names of each woman and placed the photos of the painting above their photos and all the information they had gathered during the investigation. Details were coming into focus that she had totally missed before.
Madison was sitting at the table staring up at the board when Josh arrived. He knew that look. “Okay, what’s up? I know that look, that shit-eatin’ grin. You’ve made a break-through, haven’t you?”
“You tell me?” She pointed to the board.
Josh sat down next to her and studied each photo and the information beneath them. Then suddenly he turned to her. “Holy cow.”
“How did we miss that?”
“We didn’t have all the pieces; that’s how.”
Josh reached over and grabbed her in his excitement. “It’s so clear to me now.”
“Not so fast. We still don’t know who or why, and until we do, we’re not finished. We still have some questions for Mr. Kincaid. We need to know where he was on certain dates, but I don’t want to scare him off. We have to handle this delicately for now. I’m hoping to talk with his assistant, Kim, soon. She’s going to be reluctant giving us information on him; she’s very protective of Mr. Kincaid.”
“Maybe, I can help there. Would you like me to visit with Kim and see what I can learn, without sounding like I’m investigating the artist? I can be charming when I need to be.”
“Sure, have a go at it. While you’re doing that, I’d like to go to the hospital and check on Aspen. The doctor called and said she’s out of her coma. Maybe she can tell me what happened. Her parents have hired a full-time nurse to be with her 24/7 at the hospital. I’d like to talk to them as well.”
Josh headed back to the art center to talk to Kim. Madison had a few things to finish before she left for the hospital. She took her files out to the trunk of her car, and as she was arranging them, she felt like someone was watching her, but when she looked around no one was there. It was one of those feelings you get that makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. She completed what she needed to do and then drove off to see Aspen.
Aspen would most likely still be groggy, but Madison hoped she would be able to describe what happened to her and how she ended up behind the center. It was obvious that someone had taken her there, but was it the same person that tried to kill her? That’s what Madison was hoping to learn.
She walked down the hall of the hospital and saw Aspen’s mother coming out of the room, and she looked haggard from lack of sleep. “Hello, Mrs. Chambers? I’m Madison Hart, a friend of Aspen’s. I was wondering if I might talk to you for a moment.”
“Aspen told me about you. You’re an agent with the FBI, aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am, I am. How is Aspen?”
“The doctor said she lost a lot of blood and being in the coma has affected her. I asked her who did this to her, and she just looked at me. I’m not sure she understood the question.” Mrs. Chambers struggled to hold back her tears. “Thank God you found her, or she wouldn’t be here at all.”
“Would you mind if I talk to her?”
“No, not at all, but try not to upset her. She seems to have difficulty remembering things, and it’s frustrating her. I just want her to get better so we can take her home with us. The doctor said she is going to need a lot of rest for now.”
“I promise I won’t push, but anything she can tell me will help us find out who did this.” Madison patted Mrs. Chambers on the shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”
“Thank you, but we’re fine. Just knowing Aspen’s going to be okay is enough for now. Her father and I have hired someone to be with her around the clock.”
“Well, if there is anything, please don’t hesitate to call me.” Madison handed her a card and then slowly walked into the ICU room. Aspen was still hooked up to tubes and monitors. Madison reached up and gently squeezed Aspen’s hand, and she opened her eyes and smiled. “Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi, yourself. How are you feeling?”
“Not too good right now. My head is throbbing, and I ache all over.” She struggled for air as she spoke. Just that little amount of talking wore her out and set off an alarm. Her O2 stats dropped immediately. The nurse came in to make sure she had her nasal cannula in her nose. “She gets winded quickly, so try not ask her too many questions right now.”
Madison didn’t want to upset or excite Aspen and knew there wouldn’t be much to find out that day. She sat with her for awhile, until Aspen nodded off, and then left her a note letting Aspen know that she would return in the morning.
Chapter 15
Josh pulled up in front of the Art Center just as Kincaid was walking through the door. “Mr. Kincaid!” he hollered. Tyler stopped and turned to see who it was. “Detective Logan, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Do you have a moment? I think you could help us clear up a few things that might help with this investigation.
“Certainly. What can I help you with?”
“We’d like to know when was the last time you saw the models you used for your latest exhibit. You said after they had finished posing for you, they quit coming around, and you haven’t seen them since. Is that correct?” Josh pulled out his pad and started jotting information down.
“To be honest I can’t remember when I saw each one of them last, but it was soon after I finished the piece they modeled for. I thought I had a connection with each lady. I’m not good with times and dates. I let Kim keep track of all that for me. I’m afraid I’d miss my showings if it weren’t for her. Maybe she can tell you. I hate to be rude, but I have an appointment and must be going. Is there anything else?”
“No. Not now.” Josh watched Kincaid walk off.
Josh waited until he left and then headed inside to see if he could talk to Kim. There was no one else at the Center, and Kim was just about to close for the evening. She was sitting at the reception desk arranging the brochures on the exhibit.
“Kim. How are you this evening?”
“Hello, Detective Logan. If you’re here to see Tyler, he’s gone for the day. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“What can you tell me about Mr. Kincaid’s paintings? I’m curious about a few things, especially about his models. I’ve heard they posed for him mostly in the evenings. Is there some reason Mr. Kincaid chose to paint with them at night?”
“Oh,
yes. There’s no one here at night, so he doesn’t get disturbed. But he also didn’t want people to know who was sitting for him. He’s a very private man. He felt if anyone knew who is models were, they would know about his works before he could do an exhibit. And that would take the element of suspense out of his show.”
“Did you ever see him with the models after the paintings were done?”
“Not that I can remember. Once Mr. Kincaid finished a painting he was ready for another muse. If you ask me, I think those women thought there was something more to their relationship than just an artist and model. You know how some women can be. It’s the same thing with his fans; they think they are all special to him.”
“I suppose so. Thank you for your help. Have a nice day.”
“Detective Logan, I heard your friend Ms. Hart is going to be the subject of Tyler’s next collection. How do you feel about that?”
“It’s none of my concern what she does. Sounds interesting, though, I just might have to come to that exhibit.” Josh turned and started out the door.
Chapter 16
The clouds were rolling in fast. The forecast was calling for heavy rains that evening. Josh was exhausted, and all he wanted to do was shower and rest. Very little sleep, late nights, and frustration with the evidence in the case had finally caught up with him. He called Madison and told her he would see her in the morning.
Madison was somewhat relieved when Josh called. It had been a long day for both of them. She longed for a hot bath, but all she had was a shower in her makeshift bathroom. She showered, slipped into her tank top and yoga pants and poured a glass of Merlot. Her first thoughts were to study the board with the new clues added from the day, but the more she sipped on the wine, the more she just wanted to pull away from the whole thing. She drew the curtain, separating her space from the office, curled up in bed, pulled the covers up to her waist and leaned against the wall sipping her wine. Suddenly, she heard the sharp crack of lightning and then the pounding of rain on the old tile roof. It had a rhythm that was so mesmerizing and relaxing, something she hadn’t felt in quite some time.