Read Online Thread End: An Embroidery Mystery by Amanda Lee - Free Book Online

doctorate in art history and—to hear Josh tell it—the man either was or thought he was a genius,” Sadie said. “He corrected Josh on several points while they were walking around the museum, and it not only made Josh feel dumb, but it made the poor guy fear that the board had brought Vandehey in to take his job.”
    Ted got out his notebook and pen, flipped the pad open, and wrote something. “I need to find out how long Josh Ingle has been acquainted with Professor Vandehey. If that man has been living in Tallulah Falls under all our noses . . .” He expelled a breath.
    “Oh, no, man.” Blake waved a hand. “I don’t think it was like that at all. Josh didn’t start bellyaching about the guy until two . . . maybe three . . . days ago. I think that’s when this Vandehey guy blew into town and started making Josh feel inferior.”
    “Do you think Vandehey came to Tallulah Falls to case the museum?” I asked.
    “I believe that’s a strong possibility,” said Ted.
    “Why would he do that?” I tossed Angus a piece of ham from my sandwich. “He was able to stay under the radar for all this time. . . . I mean, he practically got away with stealing a priceless Cézanne. . . . Why would he risk his freedom by coming here and stealing something else?”
    “Maybe he ran out of money,” Blake said. “Who knows how much he got for the Cézanne, but I’m certain it would be nowhere near what the painting was worth since he couldn’t sell it to a legitimate buyer.”
    “That’s true,” said Sadie. “And he could hardly apply for a job using his real name and credentials since he was a wanted man.”
    Ted was shaking his head. “From what the FBI has divulged to us, Vandehey never sold the Cézanne. He is believed to have given it to a small library somewhere. So far, the bureau has been unable to find it, but they believe it’s in either Canada or Mexico.”
    “Then, unless he’s independently wealthy, he would definitely need money,” said Blake.
    “Even if he
was
a wealthy man, the government would freeze his assets to force him out of hiding,” Sadie said. “Right, Ted?”
    “That’s right.” He handed the final bite of his ham sandwich to Angus, as promised. “I suppose the library that became the unknowing beneficiary of a stolen piece of artwork might have paid Vandehey a small stipend, but it couldn’t have been much.”
    “Obviously, I never met the man, but it doesn’t appear to me that Professor Vandehey was a bad guy,” I said. “Yes, he stole a painting. But from what I understand was written in his confession, he simply couldn’t stand for it to be in the home of the unappreciative boor who’d acquired it. Was his taking it wrong? Of course. But it doesn’t strike me as the action of a greedy man.”
    “What are you saying?” Sadie asked.
    “He doesn’t strike me as the type of person who would come to Tallulah Falls after being on the run for years to steal for the sake of stealing,” I said. “There had to be a compelling reason for him to come here.”
    “I agree,” said Ted. “And that reason is what I need to find out in order to determine who killed him.”
    “I think when you find your museum thieves, you’ll find your killer,” said Blake.
    “You’re probably right,” Ted said. “But I can’t go solely on that presumption or else I might overlook something important.”
    “True,” I said. “It could be that Vandehey didn’t have anything to do with the theft but that he was recognized and killed because he wouldn’t give up the location of the Cézanne.”
    “And it could be as simple as whoever was giving him the money to live on got tired of doing so,” Ted said.
    *   *   *
    As Sadie and I packed up the picnic, Blake and Ted played ball with Angus. The three of them kept getting farther and farther away.
    “I believe the guys are trying to see who can throw the ball the hardest,” I said, with a laugh.
    “They must be