Joey Amato's apartment was on Snyder between 9th and 10th. It was a third floor walkup. Kelly and I stood outside the apartment door. Kato waited in the car.
I knocked once. The door opened a quarter of an inch.
"This can't be good." I pushed the door open with my foot and turned the light on with my elbow. The apartment had a smell that just should not have been there.
Kelly followed me in. "Don't touch anything," I told her. Our eyes scanned the room. She whispered, "Over there."
Sitting in a reclining chair placed in front of the television was the late Joey Amato with a bullet hole directly behind his right ear.
Call the police. Don't call the police. I walk over to the window and pull the drapes back. This is South Philly, home of the original town watch. Perhaps as many as twenty sets of eyes saw us enter the apartment, saw the car, already copied down the license tag.
Doesn't matter. No one will call the cops. Why? Because they also saw who murdered Joey. Time to skedaddle.
Pulling away from the curb Kelly suggests that I drop her off at home. She has an apartment on the Delaware down at Penn's Landing. Although I'm not thrilled with the idea, that's exactly what I do.
Before she gets out of the car, she leans over and kisses me right behind my left ear. "I'm sorry Pick. Call you tomorrow."
And she was gone.
"What's ya goin' to do, lad?" I'm heading back to my place on the East River Drive. Moe suddenly appears in the passenger seat.
"Don't know, Uncle." I assume that he's referring to me and Kelly. "I really don't."
"Far be it for me to tell you what to do, boyo."
"Why would you start now?" I long since learned that sarcasm is completely lost on an apparition.
Back at the house I sat down at the computer. There was a post on the anonymous site from Connor. 'Mission accomplished'. The post also included a link to an article in today's London's Times.
The article began as follows:
London, April 6, 2012 Hint of Previously Unknown Vermeer, Respected art historian, James Thomas Middleton has just published a paper at Oxford University indicating the existence of a previously unknown Vermeer. Middleton, a tenured professor and published author, unearthed documents hundreds of years old that point to an undocumented painting done at the hands of the famous 17th century Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer.
Middleton is quoted as saying, "The evidence for an undiscovered Vermeer work is rock solid. I shall devote my time and energy in an effort to follow this trail and attempt to locate this missing work of art".
The article goes on to provide some background information on the great artist and speculates about what a newly turned-up masterpiece would fetch on the open market.
Personally, I am not familiar with all of the particulars on how Connor managed to accomplish this piece of legerdemain. I have managed to piece together the following from conversations with my brother. To the best of my knowledge this is what occurred:
Connor managed to be visiting me in the States about the same time that Doo Wop and I were planning his newly conceived retirement program. When the details of this enterprise were confided to my brother, he eagerly offered to supply any assistance that he could provide.
Initially, on his return to Europe, Connor made several visits to Holland. It was there that he frequented antique shops, junk stores, flea markets and auctions. His initial efforts were directed to finding canvases, paint brushes, frames and such that were roughly three hundred years old.
As time passed, he became intrigued with the idea of creating a rock solid provenance for this newly created work of art. We began to have a conversation across the Atlantic for several months until he mapped out a convincing history for the painting. Once accomplished, he contrived a series of events for the painting's documentation to unfold.
Step one of the plan was to enlist the aid of a noted art researcher and historian. After deep background checks on several notable prospects, he settled on James Middleton. Connor arranged a meeting at Middleton's University office, ostensibly to hire him for research for a wealthy art collector.
On the appointed afternoon, my brother shows up at the professor's office. Before presenting the particulars of our offer, Connor, being the con man that he is, starts out dangling a very attractive carrot.
"Professor Middleton, am I to understand that your youngest daughter suffers from a debilitating condition."
"Yes, but how did you know?"
"Well, sir, my client is prepared to invest a great deal of money for the research into his family's art collection. It's only natural to perform some background inquiries beforehand. Don't you agree?"
"Yes, yes, I suppose. I just never stopped to think about it. What is it exactly that you require?"
Connor ignored the last question. "And how is your daughter's health at the moment, if I may ask?" I can picture him with his hands folded, index fingers touching and poised under his lips. Looking sincere.
James Middleton sighs deeply. "If you must know, not very well. Up to this point, conventional treatments have not proven to be successful."
CJ: With a sad smile, "And…"
Middleton: "And it appears that there is an experimental treatment which could possibly work. The problem is that the health system refuses to pay for experimental treatments."
CJ: "How much money are we talking about?"
Middleton: "Two hundred and fifty thousand pounds."
CJ: "What if I told you that my client is prepared to pay you precisely that amount, per year, in monthly installments for a two year period."
Middleton lets out a low nervous laugh. "Who would I have to kill?"
Connor proceeds to lay out the plan. Keep in mind, Middleton only hears about the portion of the plan that involves him. I don't have to tell you that this established and respected Oxford professor was not a happy camper.
Time to sweeten the pot. "Professor, two quick things. Aside from this small favor that we're requesting, the research work that I mentioned is genuine. You will be employed for two years at the numbers quoted and you can work at your own pace. This work does not have to interfere with your present responsibilities.
Also, when the two years are up, you will receive an additional quarter of a million pounds, deposited in your name in any bank of your choosing, anywhere in the world. You will receive this bonus regardless of the success or failure of our plan, assuming of course that you part is carried off without a hitch."
At this point, like all good salesman, Connor probably shut his mouth. In reality, this deal was a fait accompli. But, as you already know, the Brits are sticklers for appearances.
Middleton: "I'll have to think it over."
CJ: "Take all the time that you want, Professor."
Early the next morning the professor called. He was in.