The Memory Painter

They waited several minutes. The door opened again, wider this time. The big man smiled, now looking quite friendly. “Please come in. Dr. Rigby is anxious to meet you.” He surprised them both by providing house shoes in the traditional Japanese manner and led the way.

Inside, Bryan and Linz were both taken aback by the grandeur. The first room they walked through was constructed entirely of silk screens and gleaming Macassar Ebony floors. An ancient sundial sat mounted in the center on raised marble, adding to the dramatic effect. The next room they walked through was a gallery filled with antiques. Finn, like Conrad, had developed a taste for collecting.

Bryan kept his gaze on the floor and hurried through, not wanting to risk another episode like the one he had experienced at Conrad’s.