It Started with A Painting

Chapter 27

It was the next day in the early morning. Mr. Heart finally camreturnedom the office but found that his daughter was gone without a note.

Josh finally decides to head back to Ruby's bakery. "Josh wants to get some coffee together because it's my treat," Steve said as he gavsmiled at himd walked ahead of him. "Hey wa,it up" J,osh shouted as he caught up with Steve. "Besides yo,u are paying," Josh said as he opened the door for Steve.

Josh waited outside of the coffee shop for Steve but noticed his father's car drive past by  noticing him. "Hey, you good" Steve asked std holding two cups of coffee. Josh turns to Steve "yeah I',m googood answers as Steve gives him his coffee.

Then they started to walk down the street "so you just want not to go to your best friend's father's wedding  Just ill at Ruby's bakery' Steve said. "Yeah, I do because I feel like she's more toward me," Josh said as he took sips of his coffee.

As they walk down to the backdoor to the basket's door but hear shouting at front door. Josh and Steve quickly walked into the kitchen and toolistenedhere Alex' Mr. Heart said to flip over plates that went crashing on the floor. "I don't know, ; besides I showing your anger to her Ruby answers st,ay behind the counter.

"Ruby that is not helping at all because you are a lying bitch'Mr Heart shouted as he walked toward her. Mr. Heart took his hand and hit her across the face,out to hit her again,t Josh grabbed his arm and pushed him into the wall.

"You punk have death wish so,n," Mr. Heart said as he slowly got back up. "Would like that father bu,t truthfully I',m better off than with you" J,osh answers lo,oking over at Steve he,lping  Ruby herfrom the ground. Mr. Heart laughed and wiped away the blood from his lips "you just like your sister who never listens to me" he said.

"Just leave dad beside me before the end of the month," Josh said as he watched his father walking toward the door. Mr. HeaHeartopped at the door and said "you don't need to worry about your stuff all outside" M,r. Heart said as he walked out the door.

Josh walks over toward Ruby an,d Steve picks up the order paper and places them on the counter beside him. "Are you ok Ruby?" Josh asked with concern as he saw the small cut on her forehand. Ruby let go of Steve and looked at Josh with tears in her eyes "thank you both of you, " she said as she placed her hands on Josh's face and quickly removed her hands from JosJoshce.

'It's not a big deal besides here we, head here to grab the wedding cake' S,teve said as he smiled toward Ruby. "Yes, I will right back," Ruby said, remembering aboand walking into the kitchen.

Then, they nod their head, Josh touches his cheek, thinks about why she wasisying, and feels more is known about me. "Josh earth to Josh," Steve said sn,apping his finger in front of his face and finally got back "sorry I ,was zoned out th; thinkout Ruby," Josh saysaid he looks down in the kitchen. 

"So you think that Alex's mom is your mom to,o," Steve said, scratching his head. Steve looked at Ruby back at Josh 'I think it's thet to work on the case" S,teve said as Josh nodded his head just as Ruby came in carrying the cake onto the counter. 'Don't worry about paying boys on the house' s,he said to stop them from pulling out their wallets.

They put them in their jacket. 'I guessed Alex finally saw her father's bad side, ' Ruby said as she grabbed the bottle of water out of the cooler. Josh sat on the counter beside the phone and answered "yeah sh,e did th. Therst part is that she got a black eye from him" a,s Ruby crushed the water bottle in her hands and threw it at the recycling bin.

'Damn it sa,me thing he did toward the other daughter' Ruby answered running her hand through her hair. "Quinn," Steve said as he pulled out his phone and pul last picture of Quinn and himself.

Ruby touched Quinn in the picture "so I have another sister" Josh asked as the room went silent. She took Josh's hand " not anymore, cause she died in the car crash four years ago" Ruby by answered. Josh places his hand over her hand but realizes that father survived the crash so maybe Quinn stays too "thank you, Ruby; I will talk to you later," Josh said as he got off the counter.

"No problem," she replied as they left the bakery with the wedding cake. " what are you think now, Josh," Steve asked, carrying the cake on his arm. "If my father was not the only one who survived," Josh said as try to get Steve on board "the ok first thing that gets the cake to the venue and will give you my answer' Steve reprepliedrefully to place the cake in the backseat of his car.

After Mark looked over articles about his mother's crime scene to find any that were not mentioned, he finally walked away from it. Soon after going through, He walked into the kitchen to see Alex sitting at the table with a cup of tea in front of her.

"Morning, you look like hell," Alex said as she got up from her chair. "Yeah, right. I was about all night going over the articles, still finding nothing' Mark said, pouring a cup of coffee into a mug. Mark sat down at the table. Alex looked over Mark's shoulder "you need some time to rest besides, I want to take a day off from detective work. Just take it easy," Alex said as she moved the articles away from him.

"Yeah, you are so right beside me. I was going to check up with my sister and pick up my  suit for my father's wedding this evening," he said, kissing her on the cheek.

After Mark left the kitchen and headed out to deal with things, Alex decided to look at the article, but she stopped reading because it was too dark for her. Soon Josh and Steve came into the living room. "Hey, we are back,'' Josh said as they walked into the living room to see notes on the table.

Steve placed the box of hospital files from four ago on the table and started to pull them out.