'Can you bring up the watercolor that's leaning up against the freezer?'
'The small one?'
'Yes.'
'Sure thing,' he replied.
A few seconds later a young man came up the steps carrying a framed watercolor. He was in his early to mid-twenties, right out of central casting for small-town Pennsylvania. He had a shock of wheat- colored hair that fell into his eyes. He wore a navy blue cardigan, white T-shirt, and jeans. He was almost feminine in his features.
'This is my nephew, Ben Sharp,' Nadine said. She went on to introduce Jessica and Nicci and explain who they were.
Ben handed his aunt the tastefully framed and matted watercolor. Nadine put it onto an easel next to the counter. The painting, realistically rendered, was almost an exact duplicate of the photo.
'Who painted this?' Jessica asked.
'Yours truly,' Nadine said. 'I snuck out there one Saturday in June. A long, long time ago.'
'It's beautiful,' Jessica said.
'It's for sale.' Nadine winked. From the back room came the sound of a teakettle whistling. 'If you'll excuse me a second.' She walked out of the room.
Ben Sharp looked between his two visitors, shoved his hands deep into his pockets, rocked on his heels for a moment. 'So, you guys are up from Philly?' he asked.
'That's right,' Jessica said.
'And you're detectives?'
'Right again.'
'Wow.'
Jessica glanced at her watch. It was past two. If they were going to track down this house, they had better get going. She then noticed a display of paintbrushes on the counter behind Ben. She pointed to it.
'What can you tell me about these brushes?' she asked.
'Just about anything you'd like to know,' Ben said.
'Are they all pretty much the same?' she asked.
'No, ma'am. First of all, they come in different grades-master, studio, academic. All the way down to economy, although you really don't want to paint with economy. They're more for the hobbyist. I use the studio, but that's because I get a discount. I'm not as good as Aunt Nadine, but I'm coming along.'
At this, Nadine reentered the shop with a tray bearing a steaming pot of tea. 'Do you have time for a cup of tea?' she asked.
'I'm afraid we don't,' Jessica said. 'But thanks.' She turned to Ben, held up the photograph of the farmhouse. 'Are you familiar with this house?'
'Sure,' Ben said.
'How far away is it?'
'Maybe ten minutes or so. It's kind of hard to find. If you like, I can show you where it is.'
'That would be very helpful,' Jessica said.
Ben Sharp beamed. Then his expression darkened. 'Is that okay, Aunt Nadine?'
'Of course,' she said. 'Not exactly turning away customers, it being New Year's Eve and all. I should probably just close up and pop the Cold Duck.'
Ben ran into the back room, returned wearing a parka. 'I'll bring my van around, meet you out front.'
While they waited, Jessica glanced around the shop. It had that smalltown atmosphere that she found appealing of late. Maybe that was what she was looking for now that Sophie was getting older. She wondered what the schools were like around here. She wondered if there were schools around here.
Nicci nudged her, dissolving her daydream. It was time to go.
'Thanks for your time,' Jessica said to Nadine.
'Anytime,' Nadine said. She came around the counter, walked them to the door. It was then that Jessica noticed the wooden box near the radiator; the box contained a cat and four or five newborn kittens.
'Couldn't interest you in a kitten or two, could I?' Nadine asked with a hopeful smile.
'No thanks,' Jessica said.
As she opened the door and stepped into the snowy Currier amp; Ives afternoon, Jessica glanced back at the nursing cat.
Everyone was having babies.
73
The house was much more than ten minutes away. They drove on roundabout roads, and deep into the woods, as the snow continued to fall. A few times they encountered white-out conditions and had to stop. After about twenty minutes, they came to a curve in the road, and a private lane that all but disappeared into the trees.
Ben pulled over, waved them up alongside his van. He rolled down his window. 'There's a few different ways in, but this is probably the easiest. Just follow me.'
He turned onto the snow-drifted track. Jessica and Nicci followed. Soon they came into a clearing, and merged with what was probably the long driveway leading to the house.
As they approached the structure, cresting a brief rise, Jessica held up the photograph. It had been taken from the other side of the hill, but even from this distance there was no mistaking it. They had found the house that Walt Brigham had photographed.
The driveway ended in a turnaround, fifty feet from the building. There were no other vehicles in sight.
As they exited the car, the first thing Jessica noticed was not the remoteness of the house, or even the rather picturesque winter setting. It was the silence. She could almost hear the snow hitting the ground.
Jessica had been raised in South Philly, had attended Temple University, had spent all her life within a few miles of the city. These days, when she answered a homicide call in Philly she was greeted by car horns, buses, loud music. Sometimes, by the shouts of angry citizens. This was idyllic by comparison.
Ben Sharp got out of his van, left it idling. He slipped on a pair of wool gloves. 'I don't think anyone lives here anymore.'
'Did you know who lived here before?' Nicci asked.
'No,' he said. 'Sorry.'
Jessica glanced at the house. There were two windows in the front, staring out like sinister eyes. There were no lights. 'How did you know about this place?' she asked.
'We used to come here when we were kids. It was pretty spooky then.'
'Kinda spooky now,' Nicci said.
'There used to be a couple of big dogs on the property.'
'They ran loose?' Jessica asked.
'Oh, yeah,' Ben said, smiling. 'That was the challenge.'
Jessica looked around the grounds, around the area near the porch. There were no chains, no water bowls, no paw prints in the snow. 'And this was how long ago?'
'Oh, a long time ago,' Ben said. 'Fifteen years.'
Good, Jessica thought. When she'd been in uniform she'd done her time with big dogs. Every cop did.
'Well, we'll let you get back to the shop,' Nicci said.
'Do you want me to wait for you?' Ben asked. 'Show you the way back?'
'I think we can take it from here,' Jessica said. 'We appreciate your help.'
Ben looked a little disappointed; perhaps because he felt like he might be part of a police investigation team now. 'No problem.'
'And say thanks again to Nadine for us.'
'I will.'
