They arrived at the Art Center just after lunch. There were several people browsing around the gallery. When they entered, Alice was explaining to visitors about the exhibit, so they waited until she was alone.
“Alice, you seem to be a more permanent fixture now. How is Kim’s sister?” Josh inquired.
“I don’t know. I’ve tried to reach her, but it seems her cell phone is dead. She hasn’t called anyone, not even Mr. Kincaid. I hope everything is all right.” Then Madison stepped out from behind Josh. “Oh my God. What happened?” she blurted out as she slapped her hand over her mouth.
“I was in an accident. I slid into an intersection during the rain.”
Alice walked closer to Madison examining her head. “That’s quite a knot you have there. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, just a few stitches and swelling. I was lucky.”
Alice couldn’t stop looking at Madison and shaking her head.
“Alice, is Mr. Kincaid here?” Josh asked.
“Uh yes. He’s in his studio.”
“Would you mind calling and telling him that we’re here, and we need to talk to him?”
“No, not at all.”
She called the studio, but he didn’t answer. “Sometimes he won’t answer if he’s working on something, but I can walk back and tell him you’re here.”
“That’s okay. I know where the studio is. We’ll walk back there,” Madison said.
They made their way down the hallway and out the back door to the courtyard. Madison could see Kincaid through the window of his studio. He was pacing back and forth with his arms crossed over his chest.
Josh knocked on the door until Kincaid finally opened it. He seemed preoccupied and wasn’t his charming self. “This is not a good time. I’m in the middle of formulating my ideas for my next collection.”
“Well, we can talk here, or you can come to the station, and we can talk there. Either way, we need to speak to you now.”
“Okay, okay. Come in. How can I help you?” When he saw Madison’s appearance, he blurted out, “Oh dear. I can’t paint you in that condition. What happened?”
“I had a little accident. That’s okay; I can’t be your model. I have more important things to do, like finding a killer.”
“Then why are you here?”
“We have a few questions that we need to clear up, and you have been less than helpful with giving us the answers. The last time we talked, you told us Kim had all the information, but apparently, she’s not available either. We want to know a little bit more about your exhibit.” Josh unbutton his jacket and put his hands on his hips.
“What about my exhibit?” Kincaid asked nervously.
Madison stepped up closer to Kincaid. “We’d like to know how long it usually took to complete one of your paintings, and when you started them?”
Kincaid shook his head and sat down. “I don’t know; Kim keeps track of all those things.”
Madison leaned down in front of his face. “An artist knows how long it takes to complete a painting. They know every stroke of their brush, Mr. Kincaid. They know when they start one, and the subject, so please don’t insult us by pretending you’re an air-head. We’ve been patient with you, but now people who have been involved with you, are missing and murdered. If you don’t want me to haul your ass down to the station for an overnight stay, you’d better start helping.”
Kincaid's legs began to shake, and his voice quivered. No one had ever talked to him that way. Madison waited a moment for him to digest what she was saying and then calmly asked, “Is your memory coming back to you now?”
“I keep a diary of every painting; when I start, where the location is, who the model is and when I finish. Unfortunately, Kim does take care of all of that so that I can focus on my work. However, I can tell you roughly when I started working on this exhibit.” He took in a big gulp of air and tried to compose himself. “I started the first painting around the beginning of June, and I think I completed it July 20th. I’d have to give more thought to the others, but I know I completed the final painting for my exhibit right before Thanksgiving. Honestly, that’s all I can remember under this pressure.”
Josh finished writing everything Kincaid said in his logbook. “We’d like you to dig deeper for the rest of the information and call us as soon as you can remember the others. It’s important.”
“I will, I will,” he said, standing up in front of Madison. “I’m sorry about your injuries. I was looking forward to using you for my collection.”
Madison looked at him and shook her head wondering if he had heard a word she said about not working with him. He is so self-absorbed, I doubt it even registered that I didn’t want to work with him.
Josh and Madison headed back to her office. She turned to Josh, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“I sure am, but I want to check the timeline we have first.”