“Looks can be deceiving” said Mia while preparing breakfast as Sam sat at the kitchen counter “I’m not sure Lucy is actually telling the truth brother”

“Oh come on sis….!” he said pouring milk into his cereal “I don’t think she can hurt a fly let alone kill a man. And the world will know that today when the jury comes out with a verdict in her favor.”

Lucy had been accused of murdering her husband Robert and Sam was her lawyer in the murder trail. Though Mia knew it was Sam’s job and that he had represented several alleged murderers in his career , this one was different. The mere thought of Lucy rang alarm bells in Mia’s mind. Lucy was too saintly to be true. To make matters worse Sam was attracted to her and when Mia saw Lucy reciprocating his feelings, she knew something was amiss. Her husband had just been murdered and here she was already flirting with another man. Perhaps it was a sister’s sixth sense but Mia knew this was not good for Sam.

“You know Sam you shouldn’t get involved with her” said Mia serving him hot-pancakes as she continued “She’s your client you know.”

“She’s a great person.” Sam said with a mouth full of pancakes “Syrup please”

“Argh!! Sam I’m serious” said Mia handing him the Syrup.

“I like her and you know it’s not easy for me” he said still eating “Who knows this might be the real deal.”

“Hmm…” Mia turned to make coffee and spoke under her breath “I hope I’m wrong!”

The verdict was announced later that day and as it was expected the jury had found Lucy not guilty. Mia had seen the news footage while in her restaurant and there Lucy was with her hand in his. For some reason her heart sank. She just couldn’t get past the feeling that Lucy was too sweet to be true.

“I’m telling you Officer” said Mia pacing back and forth in Lucy’s apartment “My brother was with her the night he disappeared. You need to search again there must be something here that will lead us to him.”

“Ms. Cooper” said officer McCain addressing Mia “Ms. Lucy has gone out of her way to let us search her apartment without a warrant. I don’t think we should trouble her anymore.” With this he left leaving Lucy and Mia alone.

“You did something to my brother” said Mia pointing a finger at Lucy “You bitch! Is he alive or did you kill him too like your husband?”

At that Mia saw a sudden change of color in Lucy’s face. There was something menacing in the way Lucy walked up to Mia saying “Now now let’s not get hyper Mia. I empathize with you. This brother of yours was a sweet man but a little too clingy don’t you think?”

Mia didn’t know what to say except watch Lucy pour wine in her glass and sit in the couch opposite to where she stood.

“You know I feel sorry for you sweetheart” said Lucy as she continued “Maybe I know where he is.” Mia who was all along observing Lucy followed her gaze which at that very moment shifted to Piet Mondrian’s painting called Avond (Evening): The Red Tree on her wall. Lucy looked at it for a moment and looked away as if she feared the painting for some reason.

Lucy continued as Mia tried to make sense of Lucy’s aversion to the painting “Maybe your fears are true. I feel sorry that you’ll never know. Who’ll believe you?”

And as Lucy smiled almost mocking Mia, there was a sudden relief in the latter’s face. Before Lucy could fathom the reason the Officer McCain who had just walked out came back in.

“McCain I told you she knew something, didn’t I?” said Mia as she walked towards the door. McCain was her childhood friend and had agreed to wait outside the door and listen in. This because Mia was sure Lucy would say something if she felt in-charge.

“Ms. Lucy you need to tell me if you know where Sam is” said McCain. At this point Mia who was now looking at a tree in Lucy’s yard spoke “McCain I think I know where Sam is!” She then pointed towards the tree for it was eerily similar to the painting that Lucy had been avoiding looking at throughout the evening “I know where Sam is!”

Word Count: 749

Linking this to Speakeasy #153 with a painting called Avond (Evening): The Red Treeby Dutch artist, Piet Mondrian as the media prompt.

Source: https://nabanitadhar.in/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/avond-evening-the-red-tree.jpg