Free The Portrait of Doreene Gray by Esri Allbritten

He took them off and gave them to her. Behind the glasses, deep crow’s feet bracketed his eyes, which were brown and flat.
    Suki put the glasses on and gazed around. “Nice.” She handed them back. “Thanks. I’ll go see if Doreene is free.”
    He didn’t put the glasses back on, but held them loosely in the hand he had draped over the steering wheel. “I appreciate it.”
    Angus raised a hand. “Pleasure meeting you.”
    They walked across the street to the house.
    â€œDo you think he’s a stalker?” Michael muttered.
    â€œHe might be a member of the press,” Angus said quietly. “Enrico Russo is an Italian name, isn’t it?”
    Suki nodded. “Yeah, but his accent didn’t sound Italian to me.”
    â€œItaly’s a big place,” Angus said mildly.
    Michael snorted. “Europeans don’t know big. Scotland is only the size of North Carolina.”
    Suki shook her head. “I swear I’ve heard that accent before, and I don’t think it was Italian. It’s something subtler.”
    â€œBrazilian?” Michael asked. “Although that guy didn’t sound like Reynaldo to me.”
    â€œBrazil is a big country, but I don’t think it’s that, either.” Suki shook her head. “I don’t know.”
    At the front door of the house, Michael reached toward the handle, but it swung inward before he could grasp it.
    Maxwell Thorne stood in the doorway. “Can I help you?”
    Suki gave him a wide grin. “Honey, we’re home!”
    He smiled uncertainly.
    â€œDoreene invited us to stay with her.” Michael lifted one of the bags he held, by way of illustration.
    â€œIs Doreene with you?” Max craned his neck to see past them.
    â€œShe’s not home?” Suki asked. “Because there’s this guy…” At the sound of a car starting up, she turned. “… who wanted to see her, and now he’s driving away. Weird.”
    Max watched the Impala accelerate down the street. “What guy? Who was that?”
    â€œEnrico Russo,” Angus said. “I don’t suppose he’s part of your security detail, is he?”
    Max looked disgruntled. “Doreene hired two of Lupita’s relatives to guard the painting at the press conference. She never mentioned anyone else. Maybe I should call the police. Did anyone catch the license plate number?”
    The others shook their heads.
    â€œMake sure you tell her about this,” Max said. He held the door open wider. “I suppose you may as well come in. Doreene isn’t answering her cell phone, so I dropped by to see if she was here. Presumably Lupita knows where to put you. Lupita!” he called.
    They trooped inside as Max held the door for them. Lupita came clattering down the stairs.
    â€œI’m sure I’ll see you later,” Max said, and left.
    Angus smiled at Lupita. “Did Doreene mention that she asked us to stay at the house?”
    Lupita nodded. “The bedrooms are all upstairs.”
    She took them to the second floor and down the hall a little, where she gestured to an open door. “Here’s one. This used to be the parlor.”
    Suki looked inside. “Do Angus and Michael need to share?”
    Lupita shook her head. “There are a lot of bedrooms. Miss Doreene sometimes throws big parties.”
    Angus set the bags he carried just inside the door. “I think I’ll take this room, if that’s all right.”
    â€œDo you think Doreene is selling the house because she wants a smaller place?” Michael asked Lupita as they continued down the hall.
    â€œI don’t know.” She shook her head. “I’ve worked for this family since I was seventeen and my aunt brought me over from Mexico.” She took a tissue from her apron pocket and blew her nose. Then she straightened her shoulders and went farther down the hall.
    They all