style="font-size:15px;"> “Miranda!”
She turned. “Grant.”
“I wanted to ask how you’re doing. I was worried about you after our talk during the Illumination party...uh, a couple of weeks ago. You kind of disappeared.”
Miranda looked directly into Grant’s pale blue eyes. “It was less than a week, Grant. And I didn’t disappear. I flew down to Birmingham, and now I’m here. I fly back tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Why, what?”
“Why are you going back down to Alabama? I thought your stepmother drove you crazy.”
“She does.”
“So why are you heading back?”
“Why are you being nosy?”
He inhaled sharply. “Whoa! That was rude.”
“No. It was honest. If you must know, I’m doing inventory on the estate of a good friend who recently passed away. And, I’m meeting Brooks in about twenty minutes, so I see no reason to hang out in the street making small talk. Good luck with getting a part in this movie and I trust you wish me the same.”
“Oh.”
“Bye.”
She whirled around and briskly crossed West Forty-Sixth Street at Eighth then headed down Ninth Avenue. She was absurdly pleased that Grant’s last word had been a mere “Oh.” So much more vacuous than “Ah,” which at least signaled the speaker was thinking of something brilliant to say.
Miranda arrived at China Tan’s with seventeen minutes to spare. She ducked into her favorite art gallery, A. J. Rinaldi’s, which was conveniently located next to the restaurant.
“Miranda, great to see you!” the manager exclaimed before enveloping her in a huge hug.
“Hey, Jason. You, too! I know, I know, it’s been ages but I’ve been working nonstop and just haven’t had the chance to come by.” She loved A. J. Rinaldi’s. The gallery sold enough high-end artwork to pay for its midtown address, but the manager, Jason Devere, and the other employees were friendly and just as willing to help clients choose one of the less costly pieces
The staff was not only friendly, they were knowledgeable. After Miranda finishing oohing and aahing over a sculpture she knew she’d never be able to afford, lightning struck. “While I’m here, I wanted to ask if you’ve ever heard of an artist named Benjamin Auttenberg? He was imprisoned in Terezin, the concentration camp in the Czech Republic. He died there in 1945.”
“Auttenberg?” Jason’s interest was apparent. “Talk about a blast from the past. I haven’t heard anyone mention Auttenberg in years. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding him—as there is with most of the artists who were imprisoned.”
“Please tell me.”
“Well, you already know that Auttenberg was a Czech artist. I believe he and his family lived in Prague before the war, which wasn’t far from Terezin. His works had begun to sell not long before he ended up in the camp, along with his wife and child. Rumors have floated for years that he continued to paint while he was at Terezin. The only thing that’s certain is that he was killed in the camp just before it was liberated. I’ve heard from some dealers that a few of his paintings ended up in the hands of private collectors. And of course, there were the Nazi generals who were forced to hand over a piece or two after the war, although those were actually the works he’d done back in Prague. They were stolen directly from his home before it was burned to the ground. The most interesting rumor is that his wife transported his Terezin artwork to America, but Mrs. Auttenberg was never located.”
“Until now,” Miranda muttered.
“Meaning?”
“You may need to take a trip to Birmingham, Alabama, sometime in the near future.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve supposedly inherited a house from Miss Virginia Radinski. I use the term supposedly because there’s an issue regarding her will—make that two wills.” A vision of Russ Gerik immediately flashed through her mind, followed by an anticipatory tingle. She’d be working with him once she was back in Birmingham.... She determinedly brought her focus back. “Anyway, I found out three days ago that Virginia wasn’t a miss. She’s the widow of Benjamin Auttenberg.”
Jason appeared astonished.
“Seriously? This is amazing! It would be even more amazing if you found any of his works there. Have you spotted anything interesting?”
Miranda shook her head. “Haven’t had a chance to take a look at any art that isn’t already on the wall and what I’ve seen was by artists I know aren’t Auttenberg. In the brief time I was in the house, I spotted one Renoir print and two seriographed Tarkays.”
Jason grinned. “I’d call that interesting. Two?”
Miranda smiled. “Two very fine Tarkays, which are hanging in Virginia’s living room. Even if I don’t get the house, I’m hoping the judge will decide those prints go to me. I haven’t yet hit the attic, so there might be something hidden away in a secret panel or guarded by a presence from beyond. One never knows.”
Jason sighed. “It would be worth dealing with ghosts and goblins. If you truly have inherited her possessions there’d be a pretty price in an original Auttenberg. Or if you’re not inclined to sell, you’d still have a piece you’d enjoy owning the rest of your life. Auttenberg is a great fit for your taste.”
“Well, if I do find anything—and it’s actually mine—I’ll give you a call before I make any decisions. Thanks for all the info.” She inclined her head toward the front door, where a middle-aged couple with determined expressions glared at Miranda and Jason. “Looks like you have real live paying customers.”
Jason glanced at the entrance. “I do. They’re here for that pricey sculpture you admired. If they like it, I’ll be able to afford my apartment for at least a year on my commission alone.”
They grinned at each other, and Miranda gave Jason a quick hug. “I’m outta here anyway. Meeting Brooks next door.”
Brooks was waiting for her at a small booth in the middle of China Tan’s. Dishes of rice, spicy bean curd, walnut chicken, veggies, crab rangoons, egg rolls and wontons with peanut sauce were already on the table.
Brooks quickly kissed her cheek. “I’ve ordered for us both. Hope you don’t mind. I have a meeting in an hour.”
“Of course I don’t mind. You know what I like and I’m starving, so I’m a happy woman.”
“Well?” he asked.
“Well, what?” Miranda filled her plate, poured peanut sauce over everything but the egg rolls, took a bite of wonton and sighed with sheer pleasure.
“Audition, Miranda. Remember? The one you left about thirty minutes ago?”
“It was lovely. I was lovely. The only non-lovely part was running into Grant.
