Con Artist Legacy

Chapter Two: The (Almost) Arrest

Chapter Two: The (Almost) Arrest

I let my brush waiver above the pallet as I stared at the canvas in front of me. I had started it two months ago and so far the majority of the canvas was still blank. I stared intently, willing it to tell me what it wanted to become but I wasn’t having much luck today.

Perhaps tomorrow, art was so finicky on Mondays. None one liked Mondays.

I put the brush down and begin to stretch, my eyes gazing over the walls of my studio, where I had hung my finished pieces…every single one. It was a mixture of a desolate landscapes and haunted characters. Everyone in the house refused to come into my studio, said it gave them nightmares.

I had locked myself in the room for the past couple of days. I was trying to figure out what my grandmother’s fortune meant.

Be careful, there is danger in your future. This family has a lot of secrets and it’s only a matter time before they come to find you. 

Everyone told me to forget about it. During the funeral my mother had grabbed my arm and practically dragged me out the church, repeating, don’t look her in eyes and keep walking.

I couldn’t forget though. I mean I knew she wasn't all there, that ever since my grandfather was diagnosed she had started to lose it. That she would mumble to herself, giving people fortunes.

The thing was… they always came true. It didn't matter how little or silly it was.

My aunts and mother thought it was nothing but ridiculous nonsense from a woman who had completely checked out from the real world. Apparently there were no family secrets and therefore nothing to be afraid about.

But I knew better because I knew my grandfather. No one else knew about the secret passages, the hidden rooms or booby-traps.....not even grandma. So I knew there were secrets, I just didn’t know what they were and I was scared.

Ding Ding Ding Ding      

Someone was at the door and it seemed everyone was too busy to answer because the ringing just wouldn’t stop. My studio was located on the first floor off the foyer, so I was pretty close anyway and the noise was starting to annoy me.

“I am coming…hold your damn horses,” I yelled. I walked to the door very slowly. Would it hurt people to be more patient?  I opened the door to Nathaniel, my childhood best-friend turned cop and Paul.

“Ollie is T..” Nate begin and I had to cut him off because I was really trying to nip the little kid nicknames at this point in my life. I mean I was almost twenty-five, time to start being an adult…well adultish.

“Olivia…my name is Olivia.” I placed myself in the doorway, because something told me this was not a friendly visit. Why else would Paul be here? Paul smelled funny and had really bad teeth. Paul also firmly believed we were soul-mates, had believed this since we were five. I am pretty sure he became a cop just to hang out with Nate and by association…me. We all have our cross to bear.

“Right. Oliviiiia, is Tere home?” Nate said with an irritated look on his face, “We have some questions for her.” I studied his face. His wavy brown hair looked like it needed a comb and I noticed he forgot to shave. His poop-colored eyes drooped with sleep. Man he looked tired. He probably had some problems at work. Oooh maybe he sucked so much that he was going to get fired soon! I knew that it was insensitive of me, but Nate had been promoted to detective recently and had gotten incredibly busy. Then there was also the fact he was not-so secretly dating my ditzy cousin. I wasn’t happy with either arrangement. I missed my partner in crime, despite the fact that it was slightly problematic that your crime partner was also a cop.