Free The Portrait of Doreene Gray by Esri Allbritten Page B

the afternoon doing Internet research on the family, the portrait, and the town. Michael also searched for the name Enrico Russo, but was unable to find any information on the man in the car.
    By six o’clock, Doreene still hadn’t returned. Angus ordered a pesto pizza, and they ate it in the conservatory.
    â€œThis was a good idea, Angus,” Suki said, pulling a slice onto a plate. “The smell was driving me crazy the whole time we were walking around this afternoon.”
    â€œThey probably vent it out specially,” Michael said, before taking a bite.
    They ate in silence for a while. Then Angus dabbed his mouth with a paper napkin. “ Spirits of the dead, crawling across the ground. That’s a hell of a quote.”
    â€œLupita’s got a vivid imagination, that’s for sure. You should offer her a job at Tripping, ” Michael said.
    â€œI wish I could, poor woman.” Angus tossed his napkin in the lid of the pizza box. “Doreene has a lot to answer for. That was a terrible thing she did, going to Tahiti instead of offering to chip in on her niece’s wedding.”
    â€œNot to take away from Doreene’s horrible behavior, but Lyndsay sounds like a spoiled brat to me,” Michael said.
    â€œOh, I don’t know,” Suki said. “If Maureene’s paintings were selling well at that time—”
    â€œThey were,” said Michael, who had done the bulk of the research.
    â€œThen why shouldn’t Lyndsay have gotten a car, or gone to the school she wanted?”
    Angus lifted a finger. “We don’t know Maureene’s financial situation. Maybe she was loaded with debt.”
    â€œThen her sister should have helped, instead of taking round-the-world cruises,” Suki said. “It’s hard for a girl to see her aunt living that kind of lifestyle when she isn’t getting what she wants. They were family, after all.”
    Michael snorted. “The kind of family that keeps therapists in business.”
    They heard voices approaching.
    â€œSpeak of the devil.” Michael wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I think Doreene might be home.”
    Sure enough, the sound of Doreene’s chatter came closer, interspersed with Reynaldo’s laughter. Doreene appeared in the door, carrying Gigi. Behind her, Reynaldo carried glossy shopping bags, several to a hand.
    Doreene looked particularly lovely in a dress with a pleated skirt. Printed morning glories decorated the black fabric, and her heeled sandals matched the blue color. “I see you’ve made yourselves at home.”
    â€œThank you for your hospitality,” Angus said. “We’ll be sure to wash our dishes.”
    â€œYou can leave them for Lupita.” Doreene turned to go. “Come on, Reynaldo. You can give me a fashion show with all your new clothes.”
    â€œDoreene,” Angus said. “A man came to see you today. Enrico Russo.”
    She turned back, an irritated look on her face. “Who?”
    â€œHe was sitting outside your house in a white Impala,” Michael said. “We thought you might have hired him as part of the security for the painting.”
    Doreene shook her head impatiently. “I didn’t hire anyone to sit outside in a car. Is he there now?”
    â€œNot unless he came back,” Michael said. “He drove off a while ago.”
    Reynaldo set down the bags he held. “I will look.” He trotted away, admirable backside flexing beneath sleek trousers.
    Suki wiped her hands on a clean paper napkin and reached for her camera, which sat on a plant stand beside her. “I got a picture of the guy. You can take a look and see if you recognize him.”
    â€œAt least one of you was thinking,” Doreene said, coming to stand next to Suki.
    Suki brought up the picture.
    Doreene squinted at the screen. “Is that the best you could do?”
    â€œHold on, let me magnify it for you,”