"Right, well if you don't want any of this awful fruit cake, Suzy, I'm going to throw it straight into the bin!" said Neil, his stomach still churning and gurgling after mistakenly taking a slice and eating it.
"Go ahead! It had too many nuts in it for my liking" came Suzy's voice from the bathroom.
Neil smiled and, with great pleasure, consigned the welcoming fruit cake to the trash can. "And don't come back!" he snarled as the congealed stodge hit the bottom of the trash can. Then his stomach gurgled again.
Suzy emerged from the bathroom fully dressed and made up. She made herself some bacon, eggs and coffee after Neil had confessed he couldn't eat anything at the moment.
"My stomach might not recover until tomorrow" he said.
"Anyway, what are we up to today? Do you have any work to do?" asked Neil.
"No deadlines...but I'd like to follow up on a few leads regarding our ongoing investigation" said Suzy.
"Ah, I was wondering when we were going to get back to some proper sleuthing" said Neil.
"Like that painting you discovered...the mysterious one by an unknown artist" Suzy reminded Neil.
"I've got an idea about where to go next with that. There's an archive section down at the Casbah Gallery in town plus a lot of knowledgeable people to ask. I suggest we begin there on our search."
"OK, sounds like a good plan" said Suzy. Neil excused himself to go get washed and dressed. He eventually emerged in his green casual suit; as befitting a bohemian artist.
"I'm not a great expert in art, Neil, how do you think we should go about our enquiries on this one?" Suzy asked.
"I've asked Futures Past about what they know about the painting, which isn't much, but they acquired it from the Casbah Gallery. We need to know how the Casbah got hold of it, why they moved it on to Futures Past, who painted it and any other information about technique, framing and even the pigments and paints used because I noticed that was unusual about the piece as well. From there we can track down the artist and, hopefully, get to meet them."
"And do I have questions for them!" said Suzy, enthusiastically.
"I'm sure you do...OK, let's get to town." said Neil, grabbing the keys to his Volvo P1800.
As it was a Sunday the traffic on the roads was light and within 20 minutes they'd arrived at the Arts Quarter in the heart of the city. Neil parked up in the large, underground car park beneath the Casbah Gallery and they headed up to begin their investigations.
"Did you know that Charles Boyer never actually said that line in the movie?" responded Suzy.
"Way to ruin the mood, Suzy. Next you'll be telling me that Humphrey Bogart never said 'play it again, Sam'" said Neil, with a sigh.
"Well, actually..." began Suzy.
"No time to talk movie trivia: Let's get inside" said Neil, cutting her off and not wanting to be corrected again.
They wandered around the lower level of the gallery, searching for a curator or the research library in the building. As they wandered along, they also took the time to view some of the more impressive artworks on display.
"Do you remember we had our first date here?" she said.
"I remember it well: You played guitar for me. It was then and there that I fell in love with you" said Neil.
"Oh yes. I was too mixed up and terrified to say it at the time."
"Terrified of little old me?"
"No...terrified of myself. When I first met you I was surprised, then awkward, then scared, then enthralled and finally I couldn't get you out of my head. I mean, I've never found it easy to talk with single, young women and there you were...talking with me..."
"I remember you were terrified of being at the Romance Festival" she said, smiling.
"I really was...but it was here; among the paintings and the music, that I just fell head over heels for you."
"But you didn't say that at the time"
"Oh good gracious no! I was completely tongue tied back then...but look at us now."
"A proper married couple. We've now got the nice suburban home with the picket fence...soon we'll be getting a dog and then..."
"But before any of that...we're here to investigate, remember?" said Neil, cutting her off before she said 'baby'.
Neil had asked at the front desk whether they could see the curator or, at least, browse the gallery's archives but they were met with a firm rejection.
"I'm sorry, but the curators do not meet with visitors without an appointment" said the supercilious man at the official enquires desk.
"Then can we make an appointment to see one of them?" asked Neil.
"It is very important for our research" added Suzy.
"They will only grant interviews with those from accredited galleries and collections, not the general public."
"But we're not just the general public" said Suzy. "My husband here is a professional artist and I am a journalist for a magazine."
"Which publication would that be?" asked the official, looking down his nose at her.
"Erm...'Hey, Wow'?" she replied, knowing that a pop culture magazine for teenagers wasn't exactly high brow.
"Hey...Wow. Sounds most edifying." said the official with a sneer. "I'm afraid the answer is no"
"Not even if we make an appointment?" said Suzy, with a look of pleading innocence on her face.
"Not even then. This is a prestige gallery and we have a reputation to maintain."
"...like Fort Knox. Oh well..." she sighed.
"Come along, Suz, we'll think of another line of enquiry." said Neil, taking her by the arm and leading her gently away to the gallery café.
They sat at the long bar to ponder their situation, which at the moment was a lot of miles travelled for no result and no other leads.
"The pompous, stuck up pencil neck at the desk!" complained Suzy. "I tell you what his problem is...it's that making appointments for us would be too much hard work for him!"
"These gallery administrators are very possessive about their collections, Suzy. I've encountered this kind of thing before." said Neil. "Anyway, let's get something to drink...coffee?"
"Yeah, coffee would be fine. Oh, Neil, what are we going to do next? That painting might be the clue that unlocks the mystery!"
"Excuse me" said the man behind the serving counter. "I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying to the manager back there"
"Is he normally like that?" asked Neil.
"Oh you got off lucky. I've seen him call security on people who complained about some of the paintings in here. Just for complaining! Anyway, my names Ira and I know a thing or two about what goes on in this place. What was it you were looking for?"
Suzy and Neil looked at each other in surprise at what might be a lucky break. They nodded and turned back to Ira.
"We're doing some research on a painting. One that used to be here but was recently moved to the Future's Past museum in Willow Creek." said Neil.
"Oh THAT painting" said Ira, knowingly. "They couldn't shift it out of here quick enough!"
"Why's that?" asked Suzy.
"Unknown artist, painting shows up out of nowhere and there were complaints about it as well"
"Complaints? Who from?" asked Neil.
"Now that I don't know about, but a few of the wealthier patrons and donors to this place kicked up a fuss about the painting. So it had to go."
"You said the painting showed up out of nowhere" asked Suzy. "Surely there's some record about how it was obtained?"
"I don't know about records, but I know the guy who procured it for the gallery. He lost his job over it."
"How do we get in touch with this person? We'd like to meet with him" said Neil.
"Here, I'll write down his name and phone number: It's Virhaan Trevedhi, Oasis Springs 5705." said Ira, jotting down the details on a pad of paper, tearing off the sheet and then handing them it.
"You sir, have just saved our day!" said a gleeful Neil.
After finishing up their drinks Suzy went to a payphone and called the number that was given to them.
"Hello?" came a man's voice from the other end.
"Hello...my name is Suzy Humphries and I'm doing some investigations on a painting that you acquired for the Casbah Gallery."
There was a brief pause at the other end before the man said "which one?"
"Landscape by an unknown artist. The one that landed you in trouble"
Again, there was a pause before a reply. "Who are you investigating for?" said the man.
"For myself. I've been following a story for months and the painting is part of a bigger story" she said, hoping that the man...Trevedhi...would agree to a meeting.
"I should say it is! OK, we can meet...do you know the Rattlesnake Juice Bar in Oasis Springs?" he said.
"Yes I do. We're coming from the Casbah in San Myshuno so we can be there..." she said, checking her watch. "At 1pm. Is that alright with you?"
"Sure. How will I recognise you?"
"I'm blonde and wearing a black and white dress. My husband's wearing a green suit. We will see you there."
"OK...1pm" he said, before putting the phone down. The meeting was on!
Once they had taken the long drive across the bay from San Myshuno to the drier Oasis Springs the sense of tension and anticipation in Suzy and Neil had reached its peak. The case of the unknown painting was throwing up more mysteries and also more questions for them. They pondered these points as they sat outside at the Rattlesnake bar whilst waiting for Mr Tevedhi.
"Who do you think were those rich donors who objected to the painting?" asked Neil.
"Who do you think? The Landgraabs and the Fengs most like. They don't want their little secret of a mysterious grotto, filled with strange flora and fauna, getting out."
"Makes sense...but who painted the picture?" said Neil. "Someone else who stumbled upon the grotto as we did?"
"Hopefully we'll find out the answer to that very soon..." said Suzy.
They didn't have long to wait until they were approached by a young man in Bohemian garb. He looked like a young artist straight out of central casting...in fact he looked more like an artist than Neil.
"Are you Suzy Humphries?" the man asked.
"I am and this is my husband, Neil" she replied.
"Good, glad to know you. I'm Virhaan Trevedhi. How did you find out about me?"
"From Ira at the Casbah Gallery" said Suzy.
"Ah, good old Ira" said Virhaan, smiling.
"Won't you please sit down with us?" said Neil. "I'll order some drinks. Waitress! We'd like some drinks over here!" said Neil, calling out to a member of the bar staff.
"What can you tell us about the painting?" asked Suzy.
"It was painted by a buddy of mine; Advik Archaya a couple of years ago."
"I don't know that name in the art world" said Neil.
"You wouldn't. He was strictly an amateur painter but he obsessed over that one piece so much...put so much effort in." said Virhaan.
"You said 'was'...what's happened to him?" asked Suzy.
"He went missing earlier on this year. No one's found any trace of him since he left town." said Virhaan.
"So what's the backstory of him becoming obsessed with that one painting and is it linked to his disappearance?" asked Neil.
"Like I said, he's a buddy of mine. We went to art college together but whereas I ended up working in the business, mainly as a gallery curator and purchaser he left the art world behind and went into business. We stayed in touch though. As for the painting, it's official title is 'The Other World' and like I said, he became obsessed with painting it. Dusted off his old paintbrushes, mixed his own paints and went at it day and night. It cost him his job."
"What made him become so obsessed with painting that one piece?" asked Suzy.
"He confided to me that he had 'seen things', strange things, and that he had to capture what he'd seen on canvas." said Virahaan with a shrug.
"Did he say where he'd seen these things?" asked Suzy.
"Yeah, somewhere down in Willow Creek. He tried explaining to me that there's this secret bit down there but it didn't make much sense to me."
"Why did he disappear?" asked Neil.
"Well, he was getting so obsessed with finishing the painting that he lost his job. I offered to help him out by trying to find a buyer for the painting...which was pretty good by the way. I think it's a fine work."
"I agree" said Neil. "He had talent"
"Yeah...but as I was trying to find a buyer he got involved with some girl. It was a short romance, but intense. Anyway they went off one weekend to Granite Falls for a dirty weekend away and...well...they never returned. No trace of them was ever found. All his luggage and stuff he took with him on that trip was found in his cabin, but no trace of him."
"What about her stuff?" asked Suzy.
"Gone. Cops reckon she might have survived and gone back for her stuff...which if that's true might mean she'd murdered him. Anyway, the cops and local rangers couldn't find any trace of his body out there."
Suzy looked at Neil, who in turn looked back at her. The pieces were starting to fall in place.
"Do you know the name of this woman?" asked Suzy.
"Yeah, it was Leanne. I didn't get her last name."
Suzy looked skywards and Neil took a deep breath.
"What is it?" asked a confused Virhaan. "Do you know her?"
"You could say that..." answered Suzy.
They fleshed out some other details with Virhaan; about how it was the Landgraabs and Fengs who objected to the painting being hung at the Casbah Gallery, how Virhaan lost his job there because of it and how it was fobbed off onto the smaller, less prestigious Future's Past museum. After their drinks he said his goodbyes and Suzy and Neil went inside the bar to discuss things.
"Well it's clear our old friend Leanne McGregor is involved here. This Archaya stumbled upon the grotto, became obsessed with it, painted the picture which in turn alerted the Landgraabs and Fengs...who don't want the secret of the grotto to get out...and my guess is that Landgraab sent McGregor to lure Archaya into a trap...take him up to Granite Falls, bump him off and make it look like an accident." said Suzy.
"I...I think...you may be...right...phew, is it getting hot in here?" said Neil, gasping and fingering the collar of his turtleneck sweater.
"Neil...you don't look well. There are blotches on your face" said Suzy, concerned.
"Urgh...you're right; I've come over all sick. Let's...get...going..." he muttered.
"I'll drive us back but along the way I want to stop off at Willow Creek Archive" she said. "I'll continue my search for more information about this Advik Archaya character."
"Ooh, I'm starting to get hot and cold..." said Neil, groggily.
Suzy grabbed Neil's car keys from him and ushered him out to the Volvo parked around the back. She drove all the way back with him slumped in the front passenger seat wondering what it was that he had come down with that didn't affect her? Once back in Willow Creek she helped him inside, put him in bed and then headed back into Magnolia Promenade to search through the public records in the local library.
She headed for the newspaper archive to look up the details on the couple who went missing at Granite Falls back in the Spring. As it was a fairly recent story, it wasn't difficult to find. Advik Archaya, age 32, of Courtyard Lane, Willow Creek and Leanne McGregor, approximately 26-27 years old, residence unknown reported missing on 12-03-66. An extensive search revealed only a pair of shoes belonging to Mr Archaya and so on, just as Virhaan Trevedhi had said.
"So why didn't the police connect the disappearance of a Leanne McGregor with the woman under suspicion of trying to kill Alan?" thought Suzy.
Then the penny dropped..."Advik Archaya, of Courtyard Lane...wait, that's where we live!" she exclaimed out loud.
"SHHHH!" came the voice of the librarian.
"Sorry. Wait a minute; I remember Eliza mentioning the previous owner going missing. Oh my gosh! We're living in his house!" She thought to herself.
"I must tell Neil! I must call Action! I must talk with Eliza! I need to get back to Granite Falls!"
Suzy darted out of the library and ran back to the Volvo as quickly as she could. The case was now blown wide open.
