The Newell Murder serialization 4

Tight face skin, delicate chin, dark eyebrows, clear almond shape black eyes, effeminate acquiline nose, full red lips and thick dark hair drawn into a bun at the nape of the neck.

Lauren didn’t wait to see anymore. He wanted the WYF to hang in his living room, where he could see it every morning and night, so bad he rushed off to where the salesgirl was seated at a table. A woman was also making for the girl but he beat her there just in case it was the WYF she had on her mind too.

The girl, a redhead, was conversing animatedly with the blonde who had attended to him earlier and whom the other woman now hooked up with as Lauren quickly stepped to in front of the redhead and smiled at her. “Good morning.”

She smiled warmly back at him. “Good morning, sir. How can I help you? You’ve seen something you’ll like to buy? We’ve many of such. People find it difficult to leave here without buying some things and some of them even write us afterwards to thank us for making their lives and their homes and offices brighter.”

They’re all sales programmed, Lauren thought. The sparkling smile and then the pitch for the moment. “Yes. Painting one-twenty-seven.”

As he spoke, his gaze swung to an antique grandfather clock beside her table. He was admiring it, but then he heard her utter a small “Oh!” and he took his sight from the clock to her and saw her staring past him with the unmistakable glint of fear. He whirled around quickly to catch what was wrong but everything seemed okay and as should be to him.

Turning back to her, he found her now composed, but her smile appeared stiff.

“What was your little game?” he demanded.

She nodded negation. “Oh! Nothing,” but a barely audible tremble was in her tone.

“Don’t give me that,” Lauren said bluntly. “What scared you?”

“Nothing. Nothing. Really,” she insisted. “What’s that painting you wanted again?”

Lauren knew something was wrong somewhere but he couldn’t stay on it. “Woman In A Yellow Frock. Painting one two seven.”

He examined her closely with new interest. She was of medium height, had big dark eyes, a button nose, well-paned shoulders, pear shape breasts, a small waist and heart shape lips. She wore subtle earrings and a white blouse on a long sky blue skirt. Her feet were in open-toe high heels.

What frightened her?

She broke into his thoughts. “Sir, the painting you want to buy is three thousand dollars. How do you want to pay?”

Note: This is the fourth page of the Oseyiza Oogbodo book, The Newell Murder. The first three pages were published previously in the last three weeks on this blog. More pages will follow still on a weekly basis. But it’s also available on Amazon through the link: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/bookshelf