Sheltered(13)

“Chocolate. You know the way to my heart,” I tease as I take the wrapper off the bottom and take a big bite. I moan as the flavor fills my mouth. “It’s still warm,” I try to say around a mouthful.

Johnny laughs. “Come on, I’ll walk you to work.”

“Where’s the interview?” I ask him after taking another bite of my muffin.

“Just a handyman for some building.” He waves it off like it’s not a big deal.

“You’re going to get it. I know it. You look sharp today.” I wink at him.

He nods. He doesn’t seem as talkative as usual. “Maybe we’ll get to walk to work together every morning if you get it,” I add.

“That would be nice.” He doesn't sound excited about the job at all. In fact, he seems off today.

“You okay, Johnny?” I ask, looking over at him.

“Change is coming.” He gives a small shrug, and I notice he isn’t smiling.

“Maybe, but change can be good,” I try to reassure him. Isn’t this just what I was telling myself this morning? Change can be scary, but it’s part of life. I should know. I hopped on a bus leaving my old life behind in hopes for a new one. “Someone told me once that with change comes opportunity.”

We stop when we get outside of the art studio. “Good luck,” I tell him, giving him a smile.

“You have a good day, Blair. I’ll see you around.”

“Tonight,” I correct. “I’ll see you tonight.”

For some reason that’s important to me. I need to know Johnny will be there when I walk home, just like I know Bear will be at home to greet me when I get there, too.

“I’ll see you,” he says, but he doesn’t confirm he’ll see me tonight. He gives me a nod before turning and walking down the street.

I watch him go, and the feeling of something not being right settles over me again. I look around thinking someone is staring at me, but there’s no one nearby.

I walk through the gallery doors and I feel a bit lighter when I don't see Gemma at the front desk. It’s good when I can start the day without her scowling at me. I don't see Lilith anywhere either, but she’s probably around because the doors are unlocked. I change my clothes before going into the warehouse and getting to work.

Time passes, and I’m alone in the warehouse. The guys left a while ago for a delivery and said they wouldn’t make it back tonight. So it’s just me and my crowbar popping crates. I’ve been through most of what’s in here by now, and I’ve started going through the ones that aren’t labeled. I figured it’s time to make a list and then go over the items one by one with Lilith. I don’t want to have to go back to her a hundred times over each one. I thought doing it once will probably be painful enough.

I go to open my fourth crate of the day, and I pause when the lid comes off and I look down at what’s inside. At first I’m surprised that there’s not much in the way of packaging material, just a framed painting stuck down in the wooden box.

I’m shocked again when I recognize it. It’s one I remember from my art history class. I remember the picture because I loved it so much. It’s of a couple lying in bed. The man is wrapped completely around the woman. Her head rests on his chest as he holds her in a protective embrace. What caught my attention in the picture was how at peace they looked, and I wasn't sure who was comforting whom. Sure, he was wrapped around her, but it almost looked like he needed her more than anything else in the world. In some areas of the painting it’s impossible to tell where one of them begins and the other ends. This couple loved each other. They were two halves of one soul coming together and forming a whole.

It was the one piece of art that stuck with me from the class, and I remember a lot about it. The one major thing I do recall is that it was stolen years ago. What I’m looking at right now has to be the original. I can’t see Lilith getting something that’s a knockoff, but would she really be dealing in stolen art? It can’t be the original. I’m sure I’m wrong.

I think for a second and then grab my cell phone out of my pocket to double-check that I have the facts of it straight. Maybe it’s since been recovered and now she has it.

I find the painting online and read about how it was stolen along with several other pieces as part of a big heist. I read the article for a second and scroll down to look at the attached pictures. Then I go to where all the unmarked crates are waiting on me and open up another one. When I do, I find another painting that matches one of the images from the article on my phone.

The hairs on my arms stand up, and for a moment I’m still. Then, unable to resist, I jump over to the next create and open it up. I know nothing about art or how to figure out if they’re fakes. So I do what I know and take a picture of them with my cell. Then I put them in a reverse image search on Google to see what pops up.

One after another, they come up as stolen.

I start writing everything down and taking notes in my folder. I’ve got a list of box numbers and all the shipping information. Then I write down the names of the paintings and their corresponding numbers and I save all the pictures on my phone.

The whole time, all I can think is that Lilith is going to be devastated. These boxes were piled up in the back with nothing on them. Lilith might be a lot of things, but she’s not a thief. She negotiates million-dollar deals all day every day. She doesn’t need to hold on to stolen art.