Portrait in Crime by Carolyn Keene Page B

people to a preview of Christopher Scott’s show. Both new and old works were on display. A couple of New York’s major art critics had also been invited. Cynthia had hoped that all the publicity would tempt Scott to make an appearance, but there was no sign of the painter.
    Nancy spotted Bob Tercero talking with some very glamorous-looking women. He saw Nancy looking at him and smiled brightly.
    Nancy smiled back, but Bob didn’t see because he had already turned his attention back to hisguests. Nancy circled the room alone, examining the Scott paintings on display. One was the large pink canvas she had seen earlier. Another was small, a seascape with boats, and Nancy’s favorite was a bold blue-and-white rendering of an empty beach, which had been painted a year earlier.
    Nancy’s attention was caught by this painting because it appeared to be very simple, just a beach, waves, and sky. But there was something magical about it, something that made her want to walk into the scene. The beach sparkled, the waves glistened, and for a moment Nancy was sure the water was actually moving. As she stood staring at it, Nancy understood for the first time why Christopher Scott was considered a great painter.
    She looked for Sasha, who had gone to get a soft drink, and saw him talking with George and Gary and a woman she didn’t know. The woman, dressed in a skintight red suit, couldn’t keep her eyes off Sasha. George spotted Nancy and excused herself to join her friend.
    â€œShe’s the wife of someone important,” George said, referring to the woman in red. “Poor Sasha. She’s so boring!”
    Nancy smiled. “Well, then, we should stay far away from her, shouldn’t we?” Then she took a second look. The woman was resting her hand on Sasha’s arm. “She certainly seems interested in Sasha, though,” Nancy added under her breath.
    â€œDon’t worry, she’s much too old for him,” George said. She grinned slyly at Nancy.
    â€œGeorge!” Nancy was annoyed for a moment. She wished her friends wouldn’t tease her about Sasha.
    â€œOkay, okay,” George said. “Sorry. I promise I won’t mention either of you again this evening.”
    Nancy and George moved around the room, listening to conversations, trying to pick up any new information about Christopher Scott.
    â€œEveryone is speculating about the show and wondering whether Scott will show up,” George said. “Seems like the whole town knows something’s up.”
    â€œI noticed that,” Nancy said slowly. “People are trading stories about the last time they saw him. You know, I think the most recent ‘encounter’ I heard about was from some woman who said she’d seen him in the supermarket last fall.”
    â€œLast fall!” George exclaimed. “That was almost a year ago!”
    Nancy nodded. She guided George over to a corner where three well-dressed men were talking about the painter.
    â€œI guess he can’t bear to be here without Nicholas,” one of them suggested. “I hear he’s vowed to give up painting forever.”
    â€œJust between us,” the second man said, “I don’t know if that’s such a tragedy. Christopher’s work has been slipping lately. The new paintings I’ve seen in the last six months are very dull.Look at what they’ve got here tonight! The only piece worth mentioning is that blue-and-white canvas, and that one was done almost a year ago, I think.”
    Nancy saw Cynthia heading toward the group. She was dressed in gray silk, with large diamond drop earrings hanging almost to her shoulders.
    â€œIf he has given up painting, this is a final farewell,” the third man replied, “and we should see his unfinished work. As you know, Christopher was famous for starting a canvas and not finishing it for years.”
    Cynthia floated up to the group. “Are you