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Anna found herself face-to-face with another painting. That was probably the tenth or so painting that had showed up around her house within the past couple of months. This one was a portrait of Harvey reading a book, with Edward doing a crossword beside him. The mysterious artist seemed to prefer simple still-life portraits of the house's occupants. One of Anna's personal favorites was a portrait of James, laughing. The artist had put so much focus into the painting that the scar on James' cheek looked almost identical to real life. Other paintings included Shade and Amber asleep together, various news photos repainted, Mortimer and Will in the middle of a pillow fight, and Richard talking to Alice. All of them framed, all of them unsigned.
"Another painting? I'm drawing a blank on who could be making these!" The pun from down the hallway was accompanied by a groan. Anna tore her gaze from the painting, nodding in greeting to her coworkers turned housemates, James and Dori. James slid to stand next to Anna, curiously investigating the new painting. Dori stood next to him, resting his elbow on James' shoulder.
"Seriously, though. I have no idea who could be painting these things." James nodded.
"They do look really cool, though. It's hard to believe somebody puts so much effort into these." Harvey and Edward joined them a few moments later, complementing the piece that hung on the wall.
A few hours later, Anna was just cleaning. She paused when she came to an open door. Nobody used that room, so the door was usually closed. She decided to take a peek inside, maybe dust it out a bit. It was her house, after all. The room was full of painting supplies, and paintings with a darker tone that the ones in the halls. The first one she saw was a painting of a figure in a black cloak and a white mask akin to a plague doctor's, a sword in his chest and blue roses spilling from the wound. She gritted her teeth. She was certainly glad the artist had left that one in the studio.
There was an in-progress painting on an easel at the far end of the room. Shade's figure had already been painted, holding onto somebody's arms. Half-painted was the figure she held onto. It only took her a moment to recognize that it was supposed to be Mortimer. Somebody was painting Mortimer's arrest. A framed painting of the Detectives United and Mystery Trackers logos with Dori standing in front of them sat on a stool by the door, presumably to go out to be hung on the wall. Anna hummed approvingly at the art.
One thing she noticed was that the grittier pieces were signed. She leaned closer to read the text. The white paint spelled out a name. Mortimer Brown. Almost as she realized, she heard Mortimer's voice from the doorway.
"Detective Gray, what are you doing in my studio?" Anna turned around.
"Sorry, Mortimer. I noticed the door was open, and wanted to see if the room needed cleaning." Mortimer shook his head.
"Nope, I take care of that stuff." Anna gestured to the paintings.
"Why haven't you signed the ones you hang up?" She was pretty sure that Mortimer was rolling his eyes.
"What, and have everybody judge them because they came from me?"
Anna shook her head.
"Nobody would do that."
"Suuuure." With that, he passed her and resumed painting. He gestured to the painting that Anna had passed.
"Could you maybe hang that up for me, please? But don't tell anybody that I'm the artist." Anna nodded.
"I'll do that." Mortimer had his mask up, and seemed to be chewing on the end of his pencil.
"Thanks. Honestly, I'm surprised that my brother hasn't realized. He knows I painted when we were younger..." Anna shrugged, picking up the painting.
"Maybe he just hasn't connected the dots. I'm sure he'll realize eventually." Mortimer hummed under his breath.
"Maybe."
Anna exited Mortimer's studio, closing the door behind her. Mortimer had begun singing along to some song that Anna didn't know. She hung the portrait of Dori in the bedroom hall outside his room.
Occasionally, Anna hung up paintings for Mortimer, or gave him ideas for what to draw.