Eric was supposed to help Fran and I hang Greg's paintings, but insteadhe just sat there and "directed."

"More to the right, Hugo."

I touched the painting but I didn't move it at all. "Like this?"

"Perfect!" he said, sipping his coffee.

I mock surveyed the painting. "Perfect, huh? I'm not sure about thatone, doctor. I think I need a second opinion."

He looked disgruntled. "Suit yourself."

I turned to my employee Kevin. "What do you think, my boy?"

"Two ecstatic thumbs up," he said from behind the counter, not even glancing up from the sink of dirty dishes.

"What would we do without you, Eric?" asked Fran as she finished hanging the last canvas.

"Well, all your paintings would be crooked. The picture's dipping to the left a little, Fran."

"Nice artwork," said Steve, walking in for the beginning of his night shift. "Where'd you get 'em?"

Without thinking, Fran started to blurt out "Gre-"

"Gre, a local artist," I said , stepping on Fran's foot.

She muffled a groan, putting her arm around my shoulder forsupport.

"A local artist?" asked Steve. "Which one?"

"It's a woman artist," said Eric, eyeing me. "You wouldn't have heard of her."

"What's Gre's last name?"

Eric went blank. "Name? Uh...his name-"

"I thought you said it was a her?" Steve said casually, running tape on Kevin's close-out.

I shrugged. "Her name is...Dre Bennett-Darcy. This painting iscalled 'Prejudice' or 'Pride' or something."



"Oh," he said. "It looks like one of Greg's."

We all held our breath and tried not to look at each other.

Steve handed Kevin his cash drawer. "It better not be short todayor I'm going to have to write you up."

"It was even when I counted it last night," said Kevin.

"Well, it was twenty short yesterday. Don't let ithappen, again."

Kevin nodded and walked into the back office.

"There's been shortages?" I asked.

"More than once," said Steve, putting another drawer in theregister. "Your little helpers Kevin and Brian are lazy."

*****

Barbra's first words when she walked in a half hour later, "Take down these crappy paintings. What the hell do you think we are, a goddamn art gallery?A brat in kindergarten could do better than these. "