Episode #2: The Gallery

Apr,23 2026

<-#1: The call

Once back on the open road, Sydney added a new destination before stopping at the grocery store: the gallery.

We had received the address too from Tim, and Sydney thought that perhaps we should see what it was all about.

I couldn't argue with her! I never could.

It was in a small strip mall, between a dry cleaner and a small Cuban "grocery store". I put it in quotes because it looks more like a convenience store than a grocery store.

We parked. It wasn't quite supper time yet, but the place was mostly deserted.

We get out of the car, and I look at the sign. It's wooden and carved out.

"The Imaginarium Gallery"

It looks good. Seriously, I can recognize Ron's touch.

We both look inside. There are about two dozen pedestals, on most of which a bonsai tree is places.

"Bonsai trees?" I say, confused.

"They looks like mini trees"

I look at Sydney. "Bonsai trees are a Japanese custom. You keep a whole tree tiny like that by pruning them"

"Wow. But how do you even do that?" says Sydney.

I had no answer. But visibly, Ron had changed.

The door is locked. The lights are on, but that's no surprise. Even I know that it's a theft deterrant.

There is a note on the door: "Closed until further notice"

No shit... the owners died.

I fish for the key for the car and the house and try another key on the lock. With little surprise, the key turns and we get in.

It's only inside that I realize that there is an alarm system for which I do not have the code, but it's not set.

Sydney locks on the closest bonsai, but I go look at a "mission statement" poster on the wall, which is next to a "creative vision" poster.

I begin to read what sounds like AI slop when Sydney emits a little yell of surprise.

"What's happening, Syd?"

"They are not small trees" she says.

I turn around and start to get closer to one.

"They aren't?" I look; there are leaves and branches. What are they if not trees?

"Sculptures", says Sydney.

I get to one and see what she means. This is wood, like a tree would, but it's a sculpture. Even the leafs.

I can see the bark was carved, with the cutting marks creating a realistic texture.

Stunned, I realize that his sign was nothing. This was...

This was the proof that Ron wasn't a bum. He was an unappreciated artist.

Sydney joins me.

"This is just... Wow. So the leaves are painted?"

I look at it. "It looks stained. Look, we can see the wooden texture on the leaves"

I spot a police car parked quickly behind the car we use, and two police officers exit, guns in their hands, running to the door.

"Raise your hands, Sydney", I say as I put my hands behind my head and face the door.

"What?" But then, she turns and sees the cop. They open the door.

"Don't move!" yells one of them.

"We are unarmed," I say.

One of the cops puts his gun on his belt and takes out two pairs of handcuffs.

"That's not necessary", I say.

"Well, that's our decision to make. You are being detained", says the cop as he puts a cuff on my right wrist and then pulls it down to cuff my other wrist.

"This is not a robbery", I say, but he replies to just stay quiet.

I know I shouldn't talk to them, but I know what's going to happen. They will take us to the station and question us all night, and I am famished.

Sydney is next. She complains the cuffs are too tight; she gets them a little looser.

The officer who cuffed us speaks up.

"Just stay still. We'll be with you shortly", but then he yells, "Olivia? I'm Officer Shaffer. You can come out now"

A door opens at the back. I turn my head, and I see a young woman walking with a cane.

Officer Shaffer asks her, "Are you ok? Did they hurt you?"

"No, I was at the back when I heard them coming"

I speak up. "I have no idea someone was here. The door was locked"

The other police officer speaks up. "We'll get to you in a moment"

Officer Shaffer returned to Olivia.

"Ok, would you like for me to take your statement at the back?"

"No, I just want them gone."

"Sure, we'll call for backup to take them to the station, but we'll wait with them outside. I'll come take your statement when backup arrives".

He takes his radio. "Unit 4, we are 10-26 and in need of an additional unit for transport"

His partner tucks his gun into his belt and gets to Sydney. "Follow me, ma'am; we'll go next to my car"

Officer Shaffer takes care of me. "May I explain outside before going to the station?" I ask him.

"You have the right to an attorney. I suggest you wait until you speak with your attorney"

"I actually do have one, and he gave me the key to come inspect the building", I say.

Olivia speaks up. "Which attorney?" she says.

"Olivia, we'll sort this out at the station"

I speak up. "Tim Davenport"

She sighs. "Are you Kyle?"

"I am. This is Sydney, my girlfriend. Daphne was my sister. I knew Ron"

She exhales like a ton of tension left her body.

"Oh. Officer? It's okay. I am sorry. You can uncuff him"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I was warned he would come tomorrow to visit, but I didn't realize he would come so early"

But the cuffs stay on. Instead, Officer Shaffer asks me where my IDs are, and upon receiving the information, takes out my wallet, confirms my identity, and notes it in his little notepad. Only after checking there are no warrants for my arrest do I get uncuffed.

He leaves a business card for Olivia, telling her to just call him if there is anything.

Sydney's cards are in the car, so I give the keys so Officer Shaffer can confirm her identity. She only gets uncuffed after she is checked.

Olivia, meanwhile, apologizes. She still hasn't recovered from being shot.

"Hey, better safe than sorry" I tell her.

She smiles, and soon enough. Sydney is back. The two police officers do not quite leave. They park their car across the street and stay in their car.

Sydney tells her. "All my condolences for Daphne and Ron"

"Thank you, and to you"

I speak up. "So you worked with my sister?"

"Oh wait. I suppose I am out of a job. Shit. I didn't even think of that", says Olivia.

I look at her.

"Wait, so what did you do?"

"Oh, I took care of sales"

I nod. "Ok, well, it looks like there is still inventory, so someone will need to keep the sales going?"

"Right, but Tim said it would need to wait until the succession is solved"

"And I am working on that. So, let's not be hasty. I have no idea how to sell those things, how much they are worth, or who the potential clients are. And you do. So if I do inherit the place, I will need your help"

She nods.

"Did Ron do all of those?", says Sydney

"Yeah, but Daphne did the finishing. The sanding, the staining, the varnish. "

That surprises me. "Really?"

"Oh yeah. She was so incredible. I mean, these leaves barely hold on, and she could sand them and stain them. Even Ronny didn't know how she did it"

"I am seriously impressed with the initial carving", I say.

"Yeah. That was something else", she says. "I think everyone wanted to know how he did it"

"You don't either?"

"Nope. He only worked in his lab, at the back, with the door closed. I do know he did the upside down, but that doesn't answer many questions"

Sydney and I both laugh. "No, it doesn't"

She takes us to the back and shows us the piece he was working on when he died.

It was being carved from a large log of wood, and we can see the bottom "bowl" upside down from which the tree emerges. Under it, we see the trunk of the tree was carved, with some branches carved out, but there are also "pillars" holding the bowl up.

Those were probably present during the carving of the other pieces and removed at the end.

We thank her, and I explain that if I do inherit the place, I will rely on her to help move the pieces.

"I suppose they just appreciated in price", says Sydney. "I've received a few calls from previous clients who frantically want a piece they regret not having bought"

I laugh. "Was he that renowned that his death increases the price?

"We'll yeah. He even toured Europe's fine art museums two years ago"

I laugh. "He visited museums in Europe? My sister always wanted to visit Europe"

"Oh she was so excited. They bought the kids and spent what, 7 months there? About 3 weeks exposing in each museum"

"Wait, I thought you meant he visited the museums"

"Oh no, he toured with his pieces"

"These ones?"

She laughed. "No, he sold everything he brought there. These are new models."

Sydney again commented on how good they looked.

"They really are something. He gave me one as a sort of safety net, but I don't think I could ever sell it even if, right now, everyone is fighting to get their hands on the last remaining ones."

"What do you mean, safety net?" I say.

"Well, if something happened to him, which it did, and I was out of money, which I am not yet, I could sell it to rebound on my feet"

I laugh. "How much are they worth?"

"Oh, mine's less intricate, so about 70. These ones are more in the 120 to 140 level, but I suspect that it might double or triple in price. I got an offer for 600 for Cherry Blossom right there", she says, pointing at a piece under a glass box. It's gorgous.

"Only 600 dollars for that?" I say.

But Sydney touches my arm. "I think she means 600 thousand dollars"

Olivia nods.

I see 17 pieces in the front and noticed 3 more in the back. Even if they are only 100k each, that's 2 million dollars easily.

My eyes widened. I knew most would go to his kids, but that means that if I did take care of them, their future was assured.

It's a little sad that these sculptures are only worth that much because Ron and Daphne are dead, but at least they were leaving a legacy for their kids.

Well, that's nice for them. But what about me? What about Sydney?

And with that much at stake, will someone else try to claim this jackpot?

The robber, was it an attempt to get some of the pieces gone wrong, and he will be back to finish the job, robbing the kids of their inheritance and me of the chance to benefit a little from it?

When you have nothing, you hold on to what you have. But this... isn't just something to help me and my girlfriend survive. This is the key to prosperity for my niece and my nephew, and perhaps, to our prosperity.

And the only thing protecting this goldmine was glass windows in the front of the building that any sledgehammer could smash.

This was an opportunity, but at a high risk. And I still had no power to do anything to secure this.

<-#1: The call