As they all left the office, Alaric still couldn't wrap his head around the whole conversation. But he was eager to understand what was going on. There were too many questions and not nearly enough answers.
The drive to the station was fast, and when they arrived, Alaric was immediately taken to Detective Franklin's office. The tension in his chest tightened with each step they walked over there.
The first thing he saw when he opened the door were the paintings—all four of them.
He rushed over, surprise coursing through him.
"You found them," he said as he examined the paintings without touching them.
"Yes," Detective Franklin replied. There was a note of satisfaction in his voice, but his expression remained unchanged.
Alaric turned his attention to the paintings.
They looked okay, but he would have his experts examine them closely. Just to be sure.
Still, he was happy. Relieved. It was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
