Flawed Perfection (An Eve Sumptor Novel) (9 page)

Eve’s deliberate stride was full of rage—and, quite sexy if Lainey took time to think about it—as she made her way to Branson.

“What the fuck are you trying to pull, Mr. Branson?”

“Excuse me?”

He looked scared, and guilty as shit, Eve thought.

“Why do you have one of
my
paintings hidden away here?”

Ian instantly perked up.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“Bullshit! Don’t fucking lie to me!” Eve closed the distance between them, and lowered her voice. “You don’t want to know what happened to the last person that lied to me.”

She thought of Meredith. Of course, Eve didn’t have anything to do with Meredith’s death, but had she been honest with Eve and let Eve help her, Meredith would be alive today.

Lainey stepped up, and placed her hand on Eve’s arm, pulling her back. She understood how upset Eve was, but she didn’t want Eve to think about the terrible things that happened.

“Mr. Branson,” Lainey said amicably, even though she did not have one amiable bone in her body for this so-called man. “Eve and I saw one of her paintings in an office back there.”

“Do you always take it upon yourself to go into places you’re not welcome?”

Lainey’s hand tightened on Eve’s arm when she, again, stepped toward Branson.

Ian advanced then, taking Eve’s place.

“I can have an investigator here within minutes, Mr. Branson. Not to mention the police. You may want to start explaining.”

“She’s mistaken.” Branson tugged at his collar, and sweat gathered on his mustache.

“Eve does not make mistakes when it comes to art,” Ian replied, coldly. “If she says it’s hers, I believe her.”

Branson’s mouth clamped shut.

“Have it your way.” Ian brought out his phone, ready to call the investigators.

“Call Captain Harris.”

Eve’s voice was eerily quiet, and her eyes never left Branson.

“You want to call the police in?” Ian was surprised. Eve usually preferred to take care of problems in her own way. A way that normally didn’t require the law.

“No. I want Captain Harris here. Ask him not to say anything.” She knew she had no right to ask Charlie to keep quiet, but Branson only had one of her paintings that she saw. If she wanted to find the rest, and get answers, she needed Branson to talk
without
lawyers. But, she also wanted to keep Charlie in the loop, just in case. “Call James, as well.”

Ian’s eyes widened a bit. A police captain, and a known criminal in the same place? Only Eve could pull that off without a hitch, he thought, and made the calls.

“Legally, I cannot conduct a search without Mr. Branson’s permission or a warrant, Eve.”

“I can.” James began to move towards the office before Harris stopped him.

“If you want me to be able to do anything about this, it has to be by the book.”

“I can get the painting, and make him talk,” James sneered. Cops had too many damn rules!

“Enough.” Eve stepped between Charlie and James. “I saw the painting, Charlie. So did Lainey.”

Harris took Eve aside so Branson couldn’t hear. “Eve, he could easily say you planted that painting there, and if he has a good lawyer, that’s exactly what they’ll tell him to say. Lainey is your assistant. She would lie for you.”

Eve’s eyes cut to Charlie. “You know, as well as I do, that Lainey would not lie about this.”

“You’re right.
I
do know. But, do you think anyone else would see it that way?”

When Eve frowned, Harris continued.

“Let me do this by the book, Eve.”

He sighed when Eve slowly shook her head. “I need answers, Charlie. You mentioned his lawyer. If you arrest him, I can’t get him to talk without an attorney present. Which means I don’t get what I need. The painting is there. I just need to know why, and where the others are. James can get answers.”

“Eve! Damn it!” Harris watched Eve retreat back to James, and speak softly to him. With another sigh, he took out his phone and made a call.

Eve’s phone rang, and she saw Billy’s name pop up on the ID. Once again, her eyes went to Charlie. He had called him, she was sure, she just didn’t know what he thought that would accomplish.

“Billy.”

“Eve, what you’re doing is illegal.”

“He has my painting. What I’m doing is finding out what happened to the rest of my belongings.”

“Then let Harris do it.”

“Did he really think you could talk me into this?”

She heard Billy’s exasperated breath, and almost smiled. If she weren’t so damned pissed, she probably would have.

“No. I think he’s smarter than that,” Billy muttered. “Hand the phone to Branson. Harris thinks hearing from the FBI can intimidate him enough to talk before we have to arrest him.”

“It’s for you.” Eve handed the phone to Branson, then joined Charlie. “You’re so hung up on going by the book. Tell me, Charlie. What would you arrest him for? You said yourself you can’t search this place without a warrant. I doubt you could arrest him for being an asshole.”

Charlie didn’t even bother trying to hide his smile. “Could you imagine how full the jails would be if we arrested people for being assholes? I would ask him to come to the station to answer questions, as a person of interest in the case of the Sumptor Gallery thefts.”

“And, if he refused?”

“Then, I’d arrest him for being an asshole. Or, obstruction of justice.”

Eve laughed, softly, but sobered quickly when she saw defiance in Branson’s face as he spoke to Billy. “He won’t tell you anything.”

“So, I should let James beat it out of him?”

Eve entertained the thought for a moment. She didn’t care for violence, having seen too much of it in her life. But, she also didn’t care for being stolen from.

“He wouldn’t beat him. Just intimidate him. More so than what Billy is doing, it seems.”

Eve had had enough. She strode over to Branson, and snatched the phone from his hand.

“This isn’t working, Billy. I’ll call later.” She disconnected, glanced at James—who walked up behind Branson—then brought her eyes back to Branson. “I’m finished playing games with you. Why do you have my painting?”

“Go to hell. I don’t have to talk to you.”

James grabbed Branson around the back of the neck, and leaned in. “The lady asked you a question.” He squeezed. “Answer her.”

“Are you going to allow this?” Branson fumed at Harris.

Captain Charlie Harris turned and walked out of the building.

“Where are you going?!”

James changed his stance, clutching Branson around the throat and slamming him against the wall. “I said answer her!”

“Eve?” Lainey’s timid touch quivered on Eve’s shoulder.

“It’s okay, Lainey. Why don’t you keep Charlie company outside?”

“I want to stay with you.”

Eve turned to her and smiled. “I’d rather you go outside. Everything will be fine. I’ll join you in a minute.”

Lainey saw the determination in Eve’s eyes, and reluctantly agreed. “
Please hurry,
” she whispered, then disappeared outside.

Eve nodded to Ian, then waited until he was gone before stepping closer to Branson.

“Don’t
fuck
with me. Why do you have my painting?”

James dug his fingers into Branson’s neck at his continued silence, only backing off when Branson turned red, and started coughing.

“It was payment!”

“Payment for what?”

“They will kill me if I talk!”

“Who says
I
won’t kill you if you don’t,” James growled.

“James.”

James grudgingly backed off at Eve’s urging.

“Who will kill you, Branson?” Eve exhaled with frustration when Branson said nothing. “I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

“Is she still in there with him?”

“Yes, sir. She’s trying to get him to talk.” He spoke through the headset, watching Eve through the scope of his rifle, then focused back on Branson. “What would you like me to do?”

“Take him out before he says anything.”

“What about Eve?”

“Not yet.” Damn, it would be so easy to kill Eve now and be done with this. But, he would wait and watch her suffer first. “Where is the other woman?” Perhaps if Eve watched her friend die, that would be the beginning to Eve’s end.

“Outside, with the cop.”

Fuck. It was unfortunate that the woman was not next to Eve. Luck won’t always be on your side, bitch, he thought.

“Deal with Branson. Perhaps scare them a little, but no other casualties. Yet. We’ll leave them for later.”

The call was disconnected. He had a job to do. He aimed, and pulled the trigger.

“Branson …” Eve felt the warm splatter of blood hit her face, and stood there, confused as she watched Branson’s body slump to the floor.

“What the fuck just happened?” She felt James push her out from in front of the window, and cover her body with his. Concrete ricocheted from the walls as more shots came through.

“Eve!” Lainey came running through the door at the commotion, but couldn’t see Eve. Only James, and a very dead Branson.

“Get her out of here, Harris!” James yelled his order through gritted teeth.

“Lainey, let’s go!” Harris radioed in to dispatch as he ran behind Lainey, shielding her from the direction of the shots. “Shots fired! Shots fired! 5153 is on scene. Get units here, now!”

“Charlie! Eve is in there!” Lainey felt the hot trail of tears flow down her cheek. Was Eve hit? Was she alive? If she was shot, how was she going to go through this again?

“James is with her! Get down! I need to make sure you’re safe before I can go back in.”