obvious by their facial expressions that Geraldine was open to Alex’s suggestion. She reached into her blazer pocket and withdrew a card case, from which she gave Alex a business card. Alex thanked her and then came back to our table. I watched David and Geraldine leave. They did, indeed, appear to be a couple.
“Geraldine said she would be happy to look at the photos of the paintings. She said to call her office first thing on Monday.”
I looked at Alex and decided he had done so well, it was time to let him off the hook. I smiled brilliantly and said, “Thank you Alex. Knowing I have a professional expert to help out makes me want to get back home right away and get to work on the photos.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to that as well. Maybe we should order dessert to go?”
“I like that idea. I had my eyes on the dessert called Triple Chocolate Threat, and how about you?” I asked.
“Me too. When the waitress comes back, I’ll ask for the check and order two of those to go.”
Chapter 20
As soon as we arrived home Alex let Atlas out for a few minuets. He put coffee on to brew and I dashed upstairs to my office, off my bedroom. I had changed into comfy jeans and a sweater when Alex tapped on my office door. I didn’t need to say a word, instead I whistled short and low, a cue I had taught Atlas. Sure enough the big guy bumped open the door and led the way for Alex.
“Nice trick, when did you teach him that?” Alex asked.
“Just recently. I found it was less of an interruption to my creative thought process if I leave the office door closed, but not latched, that way when I hear Atlas I can just let a soft whistle cue him to come in. Also, I’ve learned that if I leave the connecting door to my bedroom ajar, Atlas will make himself comfortable on my bed, in full view of me, and he won’t take up the little bit of floor space I have in here.”
Alex pulled up a chair next to me, he set the tray of coffee off to the side. Handing me a mug of coffee, he said, “We can wait on dessert, right?”
“Sure.” I focused on my computer, tip-tapping on the keyboard and then brought up the overlay photos to show Alex. “Look, they are exactly the same.”
“Can you enlarge the frame?”
“Yes, here it is.” Alex leaned in close to the screen to study the enlarged pictures. “Quite the discovery. And, what about the view of the coastline from the top of the path? How does the photo match up?”
“Just a sec.” I brought up the photo I took this afternoon and layered it on top of the photo of the painting at the Van Wyck home. “It is a very close match, off by only a millimeter or two.”
Alex studied this discovery. “I’m sure that the few feet in elevation, between where we stood on the path and standing up on the verandah of the Van Wyck home is the only difference. Really, almost too close to say there is any difference. So, then, the artist must have painted the pictures from the verandah. But why? And who was the artist?”
“Not only that, but why the two different versions of the women? Alex, do you have any connection to the law firm of Benson and Marciano?”
“No. Why do you ask?” Alex said.
“It was that law firm that handled the sale of Ruby’s home. And according to Otis, his family did not buy the house until around 1920, so there was at least one other owner, that would be the person who bought the house from Ruby Red. Benson and Marciano would have those files. And the firm is still in practice, I checked.”
“And paying them a visit might render the answer we are looking for? Excellent idea. Tell you what, I’ll call the firm on Monday and get an appointment,” Alex said.
“For what reason? Do you think they will grant you an appointment if they know the real reason for it?”
“Good point. I’ll think of something. Shannon, I know you’ve not been in San Diego long enough and I don’t want to sound arrogant, but the Blackthorne name has
“Geraldine said she would be happy to look at the photos of the paintings. She said to call her office first thing on Monday.”
I looked at Alex and decided he had done so well, it was time to let him off the hook. I smiled brilliantly and said, “Thank you Alex. Knowing I have a professional expert to help out makes me want to get back home right away and get to work on the photos.”
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to that as well. Maybe we should order dessert to go?”
“I like that idea. I had my eyes on the dessert called Triple Chocolate Threat, and how about you?” I asked.
“Me too. When the waitress comes back, I’ll ask for the check and order two of those to go.”
Chapter 20
As soon as we arrived home Alex let Atlas out for a few minuets. He put coffee on to brew and I dashed upstairs to my office, off my bedroom. I had changed into comfy jeans and a sweater when Alex tapped on my office door. I didn’t need to say a word, instead I whistled short and low, a cue I had taught Atlas. Sure enough the big guy bumped open the door and led the way for Alex.
“Nice trick, when did you teach him that?” Alex asked.
“Just recently. I found it was less of an interruption to my creative thought process if I leave the office door closed, but not latched, that way when I hear Atlas I can just let a soft whistle cue him to come in. Also, I’ve learned that if I leave the connecting door to my bedroom ajar, Atlas will make himself comfortable on my bed, in full view of me, and he won’t take up the little bit of floor space I have in here.”
Alex pulled up a chair next to me, he set the tray of coffee off to the side. Handing me a mug of coffee, he said, “We can wait on dessert, right?”
“Sure.” I focused on my computer, tip-tapping on the keyboard and then brought up the overlay photos to show Alex. “Look, they are exactly the same.”
“Can you enlarge the frame?”
“Yes, here it is.” Alex leaned in close to the screen to study the enlarged pictures. “Quite the discovery. And, what about the view of the coastline from the top of the path? How does the photo match up?”
“Just a sec.” I brought up the photo I took this afternoon and layered it on top of the photo of the painting at the Van Wyck home. “It is a very close match, off by only a millimeter or two.”
Alex studied this discovery. “I’m sure that the few feet in elevation, between where we stood on the path and standing up on the verandah of the Van Wyck home is the only difference. Really, almost too close to say there is any difference. So, then, the artist must have painted the pictures from the verandah. But why? And who was the artist?”
“Not only that, but why the two different versions of the women? Alex, do you have any connection to the law firm of Benson and Marciano?”
“No. Why do you ask?” Alex said.
“It was that law firm that handled the sale of Ruby’s home. And according to Otis, his family did not buy the house until around 1920, so there was at least one other owner, that would be the person who bought the house from Ruby Red. Benson and Marciano would have those files. And the firm is still in practice, I checked.”
“And paying them a visit might render the answer we are looking for? Excellent idea. Tell you what, I’ll call the firm on Monday and get an appointment,” Alex said.
“For what reason? Do you think they will grant you an appointment if they know the real reason for it?”
“Good point. I’ll think of something. Shannon, I know you’ve not been in San Diego long enough and I don’t want to sound arrogant, but the Blackthorne name has
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