Page 2 of The Red (The Godwicks 1)

"You’re in the red,” he said again. "In debt,Imean.”

"What have you heard?” she asked. She knew local real estate developers could be aggressive when it came to prime property in prime locations. Had someone sent this man to force hertosell?

"I heard the gallery was in distress. Such a shame,” he said. "It’s a treasuretrove.”

"It’s a money pit,”shesaid.

He arched an eyebrow at her. He looked even more like the devil than ever. A dashing devil. Despite her fear, she liked looking at him. He didn’t seem dangerous. No, he seemed terribly dangerous. But he didn’t seem violent. There was adifference.

"How so?” heasked.

"My mother bought paintings she couldn’t re-sell,” Mona said. "She spent huge sums of money on gallery parties that brought in no revenue. And she died of cancer last autumn. The bills wereenormous.”

"No fathertohelp?”

"I don’t know who my father is. My mother was abohemiantype.”

"And you have nomoney?”

"Having no money right now would be a blessing because currently I have negative five hundred thousand dollars,” she said. "So unless you’re going to buy that Morland for five hundred thousand dollars, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to leave. The gallery is closed, but it isn’t closing—not yet. If you want to come back, you can. We’ll open at ten tomorrowmorning.”

"It’s not a Morland,”hesaid.

"What?”

"I told you—things aren’t always as they seem. There are machines for seeing through paint? Or am Imistaken?”

"X-raymachines?”

"Yes, those.” He nodded sagely. "You should take this painting and have it run through one of those machines. Tell me whatyousee.”

"I don’t have one here,” she said. "I’d have tofindone.”

"Do that. I’ll return in one week,” he said. "I want you totrustme.”

"Why?”

"Because I would like to help you. I would like to help you very much indeed. But I can’t help you if you don’t trust me. And I certainly can’t help you if you sell the gallery. So do asIsay.”

"Do as you say?” She was flabbergasted. The gall ofthisman.

"You won’t regret it,” he said. "I assure you, you won’t regret any ofit,Mona.”

"How do you knowmyname?”

"Mona Lisa St. James. You own The RedGallery.”

"Have you beenstalkingme?”

"Only watching,”hesaid.

"You’rescaringme.”

"I can’t help that,” he said. "Although I do apologize. I will not harm you in any way. I hope youbelievethat.”

She wanted tobelieveit.

"It would help if you told me how you got in without me hearing. The door waslocked.”

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