Read Online Summer in Eclipse Bay by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
Tags: Love Stories; American, oregon, Conversion is important., convert, conversion, Suspense Fiction; American, Summer Resorts, Vendetta, Women Art Dealers
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layer of clouds. Whitecaps danced on the slate-gray waters of the
bay.
Nick parked in the small lot. When he climbed out from behind the wheel, a
snapping breeze tugged at his wind-breaker.
Storm on the way,
he
thought. Summer squalls were not unusual for this time of year here on the
coast.
Octavia was already out of the passenger seat. The bouncy wind whipped her
hair into a froth and caused her long, full skirts to billow around her legs.
She laughed a little as she grabbed a handful of her skirts to keep them from
blowing up around her thighs. Her eyes were bright. He got the feeling that she
was savoring the raw energy of the approaching storm. Maybe she tapped into it
for her fairy magic or something. Seemed logical.
"We'd better hurry," she said. "The rain will hit any
minute."
"Right."
With an effort he wrenched his attention away from her flying hair and
skirts and opened the rear door of the BMW. He reached inside and hoisted the
painting. Octavia had wrapped the picture in old newspapers before leaving
Thurgarton's cabin.
Carrying the painting under one arm, he walked with her to the door of
Bright Visions.
"You really think this thing is worth a quarter million?" he
asked.
"Between you and me? Yes. But we'll all feel more secure once we've had
a second opinion."
She continued to struggle with her skirts with one hand while she withdrew
her keys from her shoulder bag. She opened the front door and stepped quickly
into the darkened interior of the shop to punch in the code that deactivated
the alarm system. Then she flipped some switches to turn on the lights.
"Who'd have believed that old Thurgarton would have possessed a
valuable work of art?" He carried the painting into the shop. "He was
no collector. You saw how he lived. How the heck do you suppose he got hold of
it?"
"I haven't got a clue." She led the way across the showroom to the
long counter. "As I told you, there isn't a lot of Upsall's work around.
It's amazing to think that one of his pictures has been sitting out here on the
coast all these years."
"Who says we're not a bunch of real sophisticated art lovers here in
Eclipse Bay?"
"Certainly not me." She opened the back room and turned on more
lights. "You can put it there with that stack of paintings leaning against
the far wall."
He surveyed the crowded back room. Rows of paintings were stacked five and
six deep against every wall. Empty frames of all shapes and sizes were propped
in the corner. The workbench was littered with tools and matting materials.
"No offense," he said dryly, setting down the painting, "but
this place looks almost as cluttered as Thurgarton's cabin."
"Gallery back rooms always look like this."
He straightened. "The finding of a previously unknown Upsall should
make for an interesting story in some of the art magazines."
She smiled. "I can see the headline now.
Conspiracy Buff, New Age
Cult Leader and Porn Shop Proprietor Inherit Lost Upsall."
"Be interesting to see what they do with the money." He walked
back to where she stood in the doorway. "Well, so much for tonight's
thrilling adventure in the world of art. Are you ready for dinner? I'd take you
to Dreamscape, but Carson is there and we wouldn't be able to talk in peace.
How about the Crab Trap? It's not as good as Rafe's place, but it's not
bad."
"You do realize that if we dine in any of the local restaurants, there
will be a lot of talk tomorrow?"
"So what? Hartes are used to being talked about in this town."
"I know."
Belatedly it occurred to him that she was not accustomed to being the
subject of local gossip. "Look, if this is a problem, we can go back to my
place. I've got plenty of food in the house. Comes with having a growing boy
around. I'm not saying that it will be what anyone would call gourmet,
but—"
She cleared her throat. "I bought fresh asparagus and some salmon
fillets this afternoon."
Fresh asparagus and salmon were not generally purchased on a whim. He
considered the
bay.
Nick parked in the small lot. When he climbed out from behind the wheel, a
snapping breeze tugged at his wind-breaker.
Storm on the way,
he
thought. Summer squalls were not unusual for this time of year here on the
coast.
Octavia was already out of the passenger seat. The bouncy wind whipped her
hair into a froth and caused her long, full skirts to billow around her legs.
She laughed a little as she grabbed a handful of her skirts to keep them from
blowing up around her thighs. Her eyes were bright. He got the feeling that she
was savoring the raw energy of the approaching storm. Maybe she tapped into it
for her fairy magic or something. Seemed logical.
"We'd better hurry," she said. "The rain will hit any
minute."
"Right."
With an effort he wrenched his attention away from her flying hair and
skirts and opened the rear door of the BMW. He reached inside and hoisted the
painting. Octavia had wrapped the picture in old newspapers before leaving
Thurgarton's cabin.
Carrying the painting under one arm, he walked with her to the door of
Bright Visions.
"You really think this thing is worth a quarter million?" he
asked.
"Between you and me? Yes. But we'll all feel more secure once we've had
a second opinion."
She continued to struggle with her skirts with one hand while she withdrew
her keys from her shoulder bag. She opened the front door and stepped quickly
into the darkened interior of the shop to punch in the code that deactivated
the alarm system. Then she flipped some switches to turn on the lights.
"Who'd have believed that old Thurgarton would have possessed a
valuable work of art?" He carried the painting into the shop. "He was
no collector. You saw how he lived. How the heck do you suppose he got hold of
it?"
"I haven't got a clue." She led the way across the showroom to the
long counter. "As I told you, there isn't a lot of Upsall's work around.
It's amazing to think that one of his pictures has been sitting out here on the
coast all these years."
"Who says we're not a bunch of real sophisticated art lovers here in
Eclipse Bay?"
"Certainly not me." She opened the back room and turned on more
lights. "You can put it there with that stack of paintings leaning against
the far wall."
He surveyed the crowded back room. Rows of paintings were stacked five and
six deep against every wall. Empty frames of all shapes and sizes were propped
in the corner. The workbench was littered with tools and matting materials.
"No offense," he said dryly, setting down the painting, "but
this place looks almost as cluttered as Thurgarton's cabin."
"Gallery back rooms always look like this."
He straightened. "The finding of a previously unknown Upsall should
make for an interesting story in some of the art magazines."
She smiled. "I can see the headline now.
Conspiracy Buff, New Age
Cult Leader and Porn Shop Proprietor Inherit Lost Upsall."
"Be interesting to see what they do with the money." He walked
back to where she stood in the doorway. "Well, so much for tonight's
thrilling adventure in the world of art. Are you ready for dinner? I'd take you
to Dreamscape, but Carson is there and we wouldn't be able to talk in peace.
How about the Crab Trap? It's not as good as Rafe's place, but it's not
bad."
"You do realize that if we dine in any of the local restaurants, there
will be a lot of talk tomorrow?"
"So what? Hartes are used to being talked about in this town."
"I know."
Belatedly it occurred to him that she was not accustomed to being the
subject of local gossip. "Look, if this is a problem, we can go back to my
place. I've got plenty of food in the house. Comes with having a growing boy
around. I'm not saying that it will be what anyone would call gourmet,
but—"
She cleared her throat. "I bought fresh asparagus and some salmon
fillets this afternoon."
Fresh asparagus and salmon were not generally purchased on a whim. He
considered the
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