"They're planning on killing you."
Jean Pierre had made the trip from Paris for this meeting.
"I'm not surprised."
They were sitting in the library of Simon's London townhouse. Outside was overcast with low clouds; a gentle rain was falling; the temperature 80 degrees.
"And the Italiano, l'artiste." JP's delivery of the news was calm; matter of fact. His tone never divulged the seriousness of the situation.
Connor was playing with wooden trains on the Persian carpet.
"That's unfortunate."
Simon understood that the operation was spiraling towards the finale. In the end, only one of the players could triumph.
"They broke into the studio." Jean Pierre removed a video tape from his attache. He stood up; placed it into the machine; pressed play.
The entire building on Antique Row was wired with state of the art security apparatus; including hidden surveillance cameras. On the screen two men methodically searched Anthony's studio unaware of being taped.
Simon offered the humidor to Jean Pierre. They lit their Cuban cigars; sat back in their wing chairs and watched the screen.
"I see that Mr. Brown managed to compromise the safe." The oversized jewelry safe contained the copy that Anthony was working on. Brown also discovered the museum's 8"x10" color photos of the original tucked in the safe drawer.
"Simon, where's Van Gogh's painting?"
"Watch." The camera followed the two intruders around the studio. "There. Under the table with all the other canvases."
"Mon ami, you left a hundred million dollar work of art out in the open?"
Simon cracked a smile. "Hidden in plain sight."
The two men on the screen recorded everything in the room with a camera. They took great pains to ensure that the contents of the room appear undisturbed.
"Brown n'est pas son nom reel."
"I figured as much. Does he do Engelond's dirty work?"
"Oui. Brown is the only one that he confiances completement."
Simon sat, closed his eyes and sat perfectly still. After a few minutes he sat up and looked directly at JP.
"Does he know about us?"
"No. Absolument pas!"
Simon stood, the two men embraced. Jean Pierre asked, "Ou allez-vous?" Where are you going?
"To see the doctor."