Chapter 17

Valerie reached the gallery just ahead of the cops and opened the doors, turning on the lights and getting the coffee started at the little station she kept in back.

She'd had an assistant once, but found that the girl spent more time on her phone than she did working, and since her place was never overly busy except when she was having a showing there was no longer a need.

Sonya had always helped out when she needed a hand in the past before the children came, but that hadn't been for a while. As she thought of her friend she wondered how long it was going to take until she no longer did. It was going to take some time she was sure, they'd been such good friends.

They'd done practically everything together, except have children. That was the only place they'd differed. They'd gone away to college together, been married close together; there was so much that they'd shared in their lives. So many milestones.

She didn't want to dwell too much on it, not now, and especially not with