General Fiction posted July 14, 2024 Chapters:  ...9 10 -11- 12... 


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A chapter in the book Unfinished Brushstrokes

Unfinished Brushstrokes Chap 11

by Begin Again




The '57 Chevy rolled down the dimly lit street, stopping occasionally for a stray cat running across the street or a peddler pushing his rusted grocery cart. Flickering neon signs cast their intermittent glow across the cracked pavement. It wasn't the type of neighborhood that screamed visit me.

Jonathan found a parking spot between spilled garbage cans and a few tattered tents. He unlocked the glove compartment, took out the blue velvet box, popped it open to reassure himself the necklace was still there, and slid it into the inside pocket of his jacket. He climbed out of the car and crossed the street.

As he cleared the curb onto the sidewalk, he almost tripped over someone lying inside a cardboard box, sleeping off his romance with a bottle of cheap wine. As he passed the doorways of the abandoned buildings, his skin crawled from the stench and the bodies huddled together for shelter. Trying his best not to make eye contact, he read the address and knew he had two more buildings to go.

His destination was a small, unassuming shop tucked away in the back of a building, off the alley. The sign above the door simply said, D. Donovan — Custom Jewelry.

A bell above the door jingled as he entered the shop. The interior was filled with cluttered bits and pieces of tools, knickknacks, and jewelry. A sign read, "One man's junk is another man's treasure."

Behind the counter stood a wiry man with sharp eyes and nimble fingers, meticulously working on a delicate piece of jewelry.

It had been a while, but Jonathan still felt the warm rush of an old friendship from a time neither of them cared to remember. Jonathan greeted him. "Good evening, Mr. Donovan."

The man looked up, and recognition flickered in his eyes. "Jonathan. It's been a while. What brings you here?"

Tonight was not for fond memories; it would be strictly business.

Jonathan reached inside his jacket and pulled out the blue velvet box. He opened it, displaying the glittering gems. "I need a replica of this. It has to be perfect."

"Did you come here to insult me?"

Jonathan cleared his throat. "Forgive me! I know anything you do will be the best."

Donovan lifted the necklace from its resting place and examined it, caressing each stone with his weathered fingers. Finally, he raised his eyes and met Jonathan's. "That's quite the piece. Why the need?"

Jonathan hadn't expected to be questioned. He mulled over his answer and then was honest. "It's a family heirloom. I'm in trouble with Veraci, so I thought —"

Donovan nodded. "No need to explain, son. It'll take some time, and it won't be cheap."

Jonathan looked at the necklace, knowing how special it was to Margaret. "Just do it."

The old man's skilled hands were already assessing the fine details of each stone. "Come back in three days. It'll be ready." Without another word, he turned and shuffled through a worn, tired curtain into his back room.

Jonathan mumbled, "Thanks!" and left as quickly as he had come.

*****

"Sasha, what do you think?" Megan wiggled her freshly manicured nails, which were deep purple with tiny silver stars on the tips.

"Oh, girl! That's sexy! Too bad we don't have someplace to show them off."

"I know! This summer is boring. Everyone's gone to the beach or the mountains. And we're stuck in this ghost town."

Eleanor chuckled. "If only you knew. It is a ghost town." Worried about what Doyle had in mind, she'd checked up on her niece. She was happy to see Megan doing what every sixteen-year-old liked to do — have fun!

The salon was high-end, of course. The girls wore plush white robes and relaxed in soft leather chairs while music played in the background. Though she suspected Megan and Sasha would much prefer the ear-splitting sounds of electric guitars. A young Asian girl served small glasses of sparkling water, or that's what she said when she handed each girl a glass. Eleanor had her suspicions about the way they were giggling.

Sasha opened her purse and took out a tin case. Eleanor could see it resembled a mint case. Looking around, Sasha whispered, "Try one of these, and you'll forget about this town for a while."

Megan peered into the box. "What are they?"

"Just try one! You're going to love them," Sasha giggled. "I got them from Teddie. He's the best."

Eleanor didn't like what she saw, but had no idea how to stop Megan from taking one of those pills without causing a scene. So, she sat in one of the chairs, fretting about it.

As the girls finished their manicures, a sexy young man entered the salon. Sasha and Megan could barely control themselves.

Hiding behind their phones, Megan hissed, "He's hot!"

Sasha murmured, "For real! He's total eye candy."

Megan giggled. "Bet he could liven our night up."

Sasha pouted. "He is too busy on his phone. How can he not notice us?"

Megan flipped her hair over her shoulder, careful not to snag her nails. She smirked. "If he doesn't, it's his loss."

"But he's so dope, Megan."

Listening to the girls' conversation, Eleanor wondered if she needed a new dictionary to understand the girls. One moment, they're drooling, and the next, they call him a dope. She shook her head. "I'll never understand teenagers."

The salon owner, Grace, entered from the backroom, smiling at the boy. "Nick! I'm so happy to see you."

He immediately disconnected himself from his phone and smiled charmingly at her. "Running some errands for Ma." He handed her a small, elegantly wrapped box. "She sent you this."

Grace nodded and quickly slipped the box into a drawer. A flicker of something unspoken passed between them. "Your mama is a good lady. Tell her thank you for me."

Nick turned an admiring eye on the girls. "Gracie, you going to introduce me to these lovely ladies?"

"Oh heavens, my manners must be slipping." She gushed and wrapped her arm around him, moving closer to the girls. "Megan — Sasha — I'd like you to meet a dear friend. I grew up with his mother."

Both girls smiled and said hello. Before the conversation could continue, his phone rang again. Turning away, he answered. The call was short.

"Nice to meet you, girls." He kissed Gracie on the cheek. "Business calls."

Sasha and Megan's high hopes plummeted. Eleanor, on the other hand, felt relieved. Something about the boy didn't feel right.

As he reached the door, he stopped, grabbed a blank piece of paper from the front desk, and scribbled an address on it. With a mischievous grin, he walked back to the girls, handing the paper to Megan. "Big blowout on the hill tonight if you're looking for some fun."

Giggling, the two girls stared at each other and then back at him.

"I gotta run. Come by if you get a chance." He blew a kiss in their direction and was gone before either of them could say anything else.

Eleanor had left her chair and followed Nick outside. She was screaming, "No! No! My niece doesn't know a thing about you." Too bad no one could hear her."

His shiny red convertible squealed its tires as it left the parking lot while Eleanor shook her head. "That one's trouble!"

As the girls left the salon, Eleanor heard Megan tell Sasha she was tired and was going home to lie around the pool and then take a nap. Sasha said it sounded like a good idea and she'd come too.

Eleanor thought the girls would be safe at home. "A nap sounds like a wonderful idea."

*****

After a relaxing dip in the pool and a long nap, the night was settling over the compound. Megan and Sasha were bored.

Sasha prodded Megan. "Come on, Meg. The party's in an exclusive part of town. I've always wanted to see the inside of those mansions."

"I don't know, Sasha. We won't know anyone there."

"Since when did that stop you? Anything is more exciting than sitting around here, staring at each other."

"Okay, we'll go, but I'm not telling my mother, so we've got to be home by midnight. Agreed?"

"Agreed! Now, let's go raid your closet. We've got to look hot."

*****

Dressed to the nines, Megan and Sasha couldn't believe their eyes when they pulled into the long, winding driveway. Neatly parked rows of cars greeted them, and a valet signaled for Megan to pull forward.

"Good evening, ladies." He smiled as he helped Megan out of her car. "I'll park it for you. Here's a number." He handed her a yellow ticket with a number stamped on it, and she shoved it into her clutch purse.

Music was thumping, and rays of lights danced across the grand facade.

"Have you ever seen anything like this, Meg? I feel like we died and went to heaven."

"Just remember — we've got to be back at my house by midnight, or mom will have the police out searching for us. Then you will wish you'd died."

The music grew louder as they approached the grand doors, where a doorman ushered them inside. The foyer was a sight to behold. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, casting a soft glow over the marble floors and grand staircase.

Sasha sighed. "It's like Gone with the Wind."

"I can't believe this is real," Megan whispered. "This place is straight out of the movies."

"Come on. It's nine o'clock. Let's enjoy every second if we've only got till midnight."

They joined the throng of guests, letting the pulsating music guide them through the opulent room. As they danced and chatted with new acquaintances, the hours slipped away in a blur of joy and champagne.

Somewhere around eleven, Megan searched for Sasha. It was time to rip themselves away from this fantasyland and go home. Not that Megan's home wasn't beautiful, but there was no comparison to this.

It was then that Megan saw their host standing by the bar, smiling at her. Their eyes locked, and her heart skipped a beat as he moved through the crowd towards her.

"Megan, I'm so glad you came." He looked around the room. "Are you alone, or did your friend come with you?"

"Sasha? She's here somewhere. I was looking for her. I'm afraid we should be leaving."

"Certainly not before dancing with me?" He extended his hand and smiled, knowing she couldn't refuse.

Megan hesitated, then allowed herself to be led onto the dance floor. The music slowed, and they swayed gently to the rhythm. He held her close, and she could feel his warm breath against her skin.

"You look stunning."

"Thank you," Megan murmured, a blush rising on her cheeks. "This party is incredible."

"I'm glad you are enjoying yourself."

As the song ended, Nick leaned in closer. "You must see the view from the terrace before you leave. There's nothing like it."

She nodded. "I suppose another few minutes won't matter."

He led her through a side door and onto the terrace. The cool breeze was refreshing, in contrast to the warmth inside. The view was breathtaking. The sprawling gardens glowed softly in the moonlight.

"It's magical." Megan gazed across the well-groomed lawn.

"It is, isn't it? But not as beautiful as you."

She turned to face Nick and discovered he was much closer. Something in his eyes made her heart race. He leaned in, gently brushing her cheek with his lips. Their eyes met, and then he pulled her tight against his chest, kissing her passionately.

A figure dressed in black emerged from the darkness, striking Nick on the back of the head. He collapsed to the ground as Megan gasped, too shocked to scream.

Another figure hissed, "Don't make a sound."

She felt something being pressed against her mouth and nose. She wanted to scream, but instead, everything faded to black.

*****

Megan slowly regained consciousness, her head pounding and her vision blurry. She felt a rough fabric against her face and realized she was lying down. The faint hum of a car engine and the rhythmic bumps of the road beneath her became more apparent as the minutes passed. The interior was dimly lit by the occasional passing streetlight.

The indistinct murmur of voices from the front seat caught her attention. Even though her hands and feet were tied, they had left her mouth uncovered.

Terrified, she begged, "Please, don't do this."

A gruff voice answered from the passenger seat. "Sounds like our little princess is awake."

Megan whimpered. "Why are you doing this? Who are you?"

The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror, his head covered except for his cold eyes. "Just sit tight and stay quiet. You'll find out soon enough."

*****

Back at the party, chaos erupted as the guests discovered Nick's unconscious body on the terrace. Sasha had been searching frantically for Megan. Her heart sank when she saw the paramedics enter the home.

"What happened?" Her voice was shaky. "I can't find my friend."

One of the other guests shook her head. "I don't know for sure. Someone said that Nick's been attacked on the terrace."

A male guest asked, "Your friend — Megan, right? She was dancing with Nick, and then I saw them go out on the terrace."

Sasha couldn't breathe as her chest tightened with fear. "Have you seen her since?"

"No, I'm not sure, but I heard Nick is awake and saying she's missing."

"Missing? Nooooo! She can't be." Sasha scrambled to find her phone in her purse and dialed Megan's home.

******

As the phone rang in Margaret's bedroom, a male voice mumbled, "Let it ring. We're busy."

Margaret unwound herself from the twisted sheets, her breathing heavy. "I've got to answer it. It could be Megan."

John Doyle sat up on the edge of the bed, his back to Margaret.

Margaret answered the phone. "Hello."

"Mrs. Ashley, it's Sasha. Something's happened."

Margaret gripped the phone and asked, "Where's Megan? What's going on?"

A slow smile tugged at the judge's lips. He knew he had established his alibi.

"She's gone." Sasha burst into tears and collapsed.

Margaret screamed hysterically into the phone. "Sasha! Sasha! Talk to me."

The judge rounded the end of the bed and sat beside Margaret, his voice calming. "Tell me what's happening, Margaret. I'm here."

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Eleanor Bennett alias (CJ Grey) - a woman of mystery
Margaret Ashley - Eleanor's sister
Megan Ashley - Margaret's daughter
Trevor Ashley - Margaret's son
Jonathon Williams - Eleanor's brother
Audrey and Jackson Mayfield - Art Gallery Owners
Craig Winslow - Attorney
Matthew Donatelli - Detective
Garth Woodman - FBI Agent -
Tango and Poppa - FBI Agents and Garth's sidekicks
Jenna Bradford - neighbor/friend and confidanct of Eleanor Bennett
Danny Veraci - casino owner and crime boss
Charles Weldon - A reknown artist and a memory from the past
Dylan Weldon - Charle's nephew and protege
Charlie (Charlotte) Morgan - Inspector Metropolitan Police. England
Jose Martinez - detective
Judge John Doyle - a prominent member of the judicial court and a crook
Fenton Dawson - court-apointed lawyer
Mr. Donovan - the backstreet jeweler
Sasha - Megan's best friend
Nick - the charming guy at the party
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