Andromeda Fox: Art for Art's Sake (ePub)

In this the second book of the Andromeda Fox series, Andy and Tildy are now living together as friends rather than employer-employee allowing an opportunity for their romance to blossom. Andy is learning to live to a budget now that he is working for himself and no longer collecting his allowance. To save money he buys a bunch of used canvasses to paint on. Mathilda is back working as a security guard for her father's company and her policewoman friend, Jenny is investigating a spate of senseless burglaries where only the occupant's artwork is vandalized, with nothing apparently stolen.

Meantime, Andy is busy putting together a collection of paintings for his first exhibition, which proves to be a huge success. His joy soon turns to dismay when the art gallery is broken into and his paintings are stolen. It doesn't take Tildy long to make the connection between the art gallery thefts and the senseless burglaries, especially as one man calling himself Brian Westlake seemed particularly interested in the paintings Andy did on used canvasses.

When Mathilda's father is shot thwarting a burglary, Tildy falls apart and straight into Andy's arms. He proves his affection, his reliability as he comforts her, and takes over the running of the Harris's business while her father is in hospital until Mathilda pulls it together to handle things herself. Westlake accosts Andy in his garage and forces him at gunpoint and the threat of taking Tildy's life to clean the masterpieces hidden under another painted work unsuspectingly in his possession. Andy is desperate, thinking all the while how he can turn the tables. He knows he can expect no help from Mathilda as she trussed up and helpless. All this death and violence, all for art's sake.