Canvas & Keys

19. I'm Going To Have One Heck Of A Case Of Jetlag

Chapter 19

I'm Going To Have One Heck Of A Case Of Jetlag

"Back with a few hours of daylight still ahead of us," Cruz yawned as he got out of the car. He stretched his arms over his head, cracking his shoulders and back. "And I'm already ready for bed. I'll see you two in the morning. Don't go too crazy tonight..."

Drake aimed a punch at him, but Cruz danced out of the way, grinning, and jogged up the steps inside.

"He doesn't have a bad idea, though..."

This time, I was the one to aim the punch.

Drake held up his hands in surrender, laughing. "I just meant about getting sleep. We left early this morning and have been going nonstop. And we've got to figure out what our next move is going to be with the painting in Florence."

That next move was going to have to wait for a little while, though, because the birthday boy demanded us at his party.

We'd gotten back just in time for Grant to blow out the candles on his birthday cake. After, he opened all of his presents and wanted us all to play with the Lego sets he'd gotten. All the guys did...and had too much fun building and then destroying what they created.

Once all the kids were in bed, we got to get down to the details of Johanna Hummel's painting and the original frame most of her works were in.

"At least we know that they weren't switched out," John noted. "What was distinct about them from the others? Could you tell?"

Drake was the one to answer, pulling up the museum website and the exhibit page. "According to this and what we saw from the other paintings, Johanna's initials were burned into the wood. Apparently, it's what indicates the original frame. The painting we looked at, however, had that plus a small gold plaque bolted underneath that marking. There was nothing on it, though."

"So we're thinking this is what we've got to focus on? The gold plaque?"

I nodded. "Looks like it."

"Like I told Hattie before, I've already looked up some of the other paintings and found which ones looked promising," Emmy continued. "We'll just have to make sure they're not on display whenever they go...unless we want them to break in."

John shook his head. "Too much hassle now that we've got some pull with multiple museums."

"But it was so much fun when we did it," she pouted. "Are you going to deny the same experience to Hattie?"

He stared at her for a long moment. "Definitely."

"Oh, come on!" I complained, grinning. "Not fair!"

"Oh, it's fair, all right. You want to go through all the shit we did?"

"But you fell in love on your adventures. You wouldn't have met Emmy otherwise."

"Sure, I would have...but you're still not doing it."

***

The following day was full of planning what we needed to do to see the one in Florence. Luckily, with John and Emmy's connections in the museum world, they already had an in – a benefit gala being held. One large, last minute donation and we would have four invitations to attend. John and Emmy insisted on going, too, though John didn't want Em there being so close to her due date.

"One last party before the kid gets here," she grinned, rubbing her stomach in circles.

"You do realize you could go into labor before the party, right?" he tried to tell her. "Your due date is the following week."

"Well, if that's the case, then I won't go. But if not...I'm going."

It was a few days later just a little while after we'd gone to bed our focus shifted. At least one of our unanswered questions would be answered.

By the time I was finally able to drift off to sleep, I was woken by the sound of Drake's phone beeping, signaling he'd gotten a text. Drake, who had already been asleep with his face pressed comfortably against the side of my neck, barely moved. Not so gently, I pushed him off and leaned over him, grabbing his phone from where it was charging next to mine on the table.

The light almost blinded me in the darkness, but with a quick adjustment, I was able to see.

It was a text from an unknown number.

Meet us in Rio tomorrow. Midnight. Your place. Leave now and tell no one except you three.

A second came then.

Thora says hello.

Another came through the following moment.

Delete this as soon as you get it.

I did.

I didn't even need to have whoever it was give their name. I knew.

"Drake," I whispered to him in the darkness. "Drake, wake up."

"Hmm?" he murmured, arms slowly going around my waist. "Well, if you would have said something to me earlier, I could have..."

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter," I huffed, sitting up. "There was a text."

He pushed himself up beside me, rubbing his eyes and squinting in the darkness. "So I did hear my phone go off then."

"Yeah, and it was a text from Flannery. I know it was her, even if the number was unknown."

"And how do you know?"

"Because. Only you, she, and Cruz know about that Thora woman and she says hello. And since you and Cruz are here, I'm pretty sure it was Flannery who sent it."

Drake sighed, leaning over to turn on the light beside the bed. "What did she say then?"

"She wants to meet in Rio at your place. She said to leave now and tell no one except Cruz." I looked over at him as I gave him his phone. "What do you think?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What do I think? I'm pretty sure you've already made up your mind on the matter, right?"

"Well, of course," I nodded. "We need to go. I need to go. I want to make sure she's okay. And she's probably going to have Beau with her also. I need to see them both. Don't tell me you don't want to see them either."

"Of course, I do. But what happens if Vince finds out we're there? He's the whole reason we were in Rio in the first place."

"I know that."

"He's still got people all over the city."

"And I know that, too."

I could tell he was trying to come up with a reason not to go, but he already knew my decision on the matter.

"I'll go get Cruz."

Jumping up, I grabbed the first pair of shorts and t-shirt I could get my hands on before picking up my backpack.

"And I'll pack some things and call to make sure the jet's ready."