Free Dog Collar Knockoff by Adrienne Giordano Page A

made a hefty offer, she might consider selling us the painting?”
    “Uh.” Carlton’s gaze zoomed to Ro’s chest as if an alien had popped out. “Perhaps.”
    This guy needed to be rescued. Oxygen anyone? Lucie cleared her throat. “How do we contact them?”
    Dragging his gaze from the alien boobs, Carlton faced Lucie and handed her a sticky note. “This is the number of their estate attorney. He’s usually the contact regarding private transactions.”
    “Wonderful,” Ro said, finally stepping back. “You’ve been most helpful, Carlton. I look forward to doing business with you in the future.”
    The three of them high-tailed it out of the gallery. Joey held the rear passenger door open for Ro while Lucie hustled to the other side. She needed a break from all this undercover stress. She didn’t like lying, even for the saving-her-own-butt cause. Lying was still lying.
    With assistance from the side rail, she vaulted herself into Ro’s Escalade. These monsters weren’t built for diminutive people.
    Next to her, Ro buckled in and fanned herself. “So, that was awesome. My God, what a rush. Seriously, Luce, I might be an undercover detective in my next career.”
    That would be a vision to behold. “Great. Let’s see if we can focus on today though.”
    “You’re right. We shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves.”
    Joey hopped into the driver’s seat and fired the engine. “Hey, Ro. You almost gave that schmuck a heart attack. You gotta go easy working your assets. Some men can’t take it.”
    “Please,” she said. “A little flirting never hurt.”
    “It does if the guy drops dead.”
    Ro jerked her thumb in Joey’s direction. “Again with the Mr. Charming act.”
    Joey pulled out of the lot. “Where to?”
    “Home,” Lucie said.
    “Home? What home?” This from the future detective with alien boobs. “We have to call the estate attorney. You said the artist lived around here. Maybe the family is local. We could go there today.” She held out her hand. “Give me that phone number.”
    Still holding the number, Lucie held it out of Ro’s reach. “No. We’re not going there. At least not today.”
    All of this was coming at her too fast and she needed to slow it down. Slow, slow, slow. Ro was the impulsive one, always rushing forward. Not Lucie. Lucie needed to plan and prioritize. Run scenarios. Ones that didn’t include going to jail for fraud.
    And being someone’s bitch.
    No. What she needed was to go home and think on this. Carlton had told them the family made private sales. Perhaps Mr. Lutz’s painting was one such sale. Lauren would have no way of knowing about these private sales, so going on her limited knowledge, Lucie could see why she might wonder if the painting was a forgery.
    Which meant, Lucie could be overreacting to the whole Mr. Lutz-got-scammed theory. She could be wrong. Even if her instincts, that little niggling on the back of her neck, told her she wasn’t, she could be. Accusing an innocent man—a client no less—of criminal activity wasn’t exactly the way to build a solid reputation.
    “Luce!” Ro hollered.
    “Ro!” Lucie hollered back, making Joey laugh. “I’m not calling that attorney today. As it is, my nerves are shot. Mr. Lutz could have bought his painting direct from the family with Bart Owens brokering the deal. I could totally see that. That’s what we need to confirm before contacting this lawyer. Once we contact the lawyer, we’re committed.”
    “To what?”
    “I don’t know. Something.”
    Joey gunned the gas as he hit the on ramp to the expressway. “Roseanne, leave her alone. This is her deal. And I know my sister. She’s a pain in the ass when she gets dug in. You won’t budge her.”
    “Thank you, Joey. I think.”
    Twisted compliment, for sure, but coming from Joey? It might be the best she’d get.
    “Sure,” Joey said. “Who’s hungry? I could eat.”
    “We can stop for something quick. Maybe the drive-thru. I need to