Plot Twist

The stolen painting

"It's beautiful, isn't it? So many years of hard work, finally paying off. I'm gonna have an auction tomorrow after the exhibition. Don't get me wrong, I hope to make a lot of money, but it's more than that. I want to be able to get recognized in the art industry, I want to be the next Picasso."

May looked at her big, beautiful painting. She had never been so proud of herself before. Charlie stared at her, expecting her to say something.

"May, I'm really happy for you, but you shouldn't get your hopes up like that."

"What do you mean?" asked May. "I've already secured my spot in the exhibition and I have recieved multiple calls about interested buyers."

"I know, but still, it's best to just wait."

May was very confused, but ended the conversation once the guard opened the gallery. They spent just a few minutes preparing the painting in their designated area, and an hour talking to the guard making sure that it was gonna be secure.

Charlie seemed particularly interested in the security. He asked about the cameras, the guards, the locked doors, the keys and even the alarms. He wanted to make sure everything was gonna be okay, at least that is what he told May.

It was already the next day. It felt like the biggest moment in her life. She was nervous, but mostly excited. She hadn't even gotten out of bed when she heard a strange sound coming from the living room. May slowly got up, and quietly grabbed a knife she always kept hidden under her pillow. Then she walked out of her room and peeked around the corner to see who was in the living room.

"Charlie? What are you doing up so early? Wait, did you even sleep last night?"

Charlie quickly gathered the documents that were laying on the table and put them in his bag.

"It's nothing. I just couldn't sleep."

May was confused, but she was way to happy to let something like this distract her from her goal.

"Whatever. Today I am going to sell my painting for a lot of money, and soon I will be known all around the world!"

May smiled at Charlie and then ran into the kitchen to make breakfast.

After an hour both May and Charlie were ready for the exhibition. May looked stunning in her long black dress, and she was eager to go.

Sadly, the exhibition didn't go quite as expected. Only a few people seemed interested in the painting, and once the auction began most of them left. May didn't think it could get much worse, but it definitely did.

"Excuse me guard, where is my painting? I left for a few minutes and its gone. Did they move it to another room?"

The guard's facial expression said everything, he didn't know where it was. May started to panic, and quickly started looking for Charlie. She needed his help to find the painting, but she couldn't find him either!

After half an hour of looking all over the gallery, and calling Charlie multiple times, he finally showed up.

"Where were you? I called you so many times! Do you even know what's going on?"

"No" Charlie nervously replied.

May explained to him that the painting was missing, and Charlie seemed shocked.

"You know what, I'm gonna go talk to the guard again." said May

As she left, charlie sat down. After a few minutes the police had arrived, and they immediately came to ask Charlie some questions.

"It wasn't me!" He repeated it over and over again.

The police officers told Charlie that someone suspected that he was involved. He quickly thought of the guard. "It must be because I asked him about the security" he thought.

After a few minutes May walked over to the apparent suspect.

"Did you do it?"

"No!"

"Then what were you doing this morning? I saw you planning something, don't even try to deny it!"

"May! I was just planning a surprise party for after the auction, when you had finally sold your first painting. Where you the one who suggested it was me?"

May looked at him, without saying a word.

"What is that in your bag?"

Charlie took the wierd book out of his bag. He stared at May, very confused.

"This isn't mine. What even is it?"

He nervously opened the book, to discover it was a detailed description of everything he was going to do to steal the painting.

"What? Someone is framing me, I swear!"

Soon, the officers arrested him. After a few days in prison they found probable cause for him to have stolen the painting, financial problems.

Charlie kept claiming he would never do anything to hurt his friend. He told everyone he wasn't capable of such an elaborate heist, but no one believed him.

"Here is your money May, just like it says in the contract."

"Yeah. Good thing we agreed that if the painting ever went missing under your supervision you would have to pay me double what the painting was worth."

May walked away with
$100,000 in a check. She felt proud of what she had done. She told herself she was really clever, after all she had stolen her own painting and framed her best friend. The best part of it all, is that no one suspected a thing.