AMANDA felt positively giddy.
“Is everything all right?” Professor Angeli asked anxiously as she hurried into the office. “Mindy told us the waitress said you had an urgent message from your roommate and that you and the other young man rushed away.”
“Is she okay? Cissy okay? I know how she gets nuts sometimes. She’s been hitting the booze again, right? And those damn pills. Should I go to her?” Jimmy was worried.
“Jimmy, she’s fine… now. No, it wasn’t alcohol or pills. I think she would love to tell you all about it. It was a break-in but she was very brave. We got there in the nick of time. It was very exciting.” She turned from her amazed assistant to the stunned older artist. “The other gentleman was very helpful. I was very grateful he was with me. Good Lord, Untermeyer is still here?”
“Yes,” the professor quickly explained as Jimmy rushed to the nearest phone. “Young Nathan was brilliant, charming, effervescent. He showed Untermeyer the most amazing sketches for upcoming projects. Our money man is positively drooling with anticipation and all but forcing largesse into our corporate hands. Ah, Mr. Untermeyer,” he greeted the approaching businessman. “Here is our esteemed executive returned from a rather exciting morning. I’m sure she’s anxious to continue your discussion.”
The compact man’s anxious expression morphed into the scowl of an important person extremely annoyed at having been kept waiting as he swept imperiously into Amanda’s office.
“I’m sorry, I’m not at all anxious to continue our discussion,” Amanda announced quietly as she slid behind her desk. Untermeyer’s jaw dropped. “I was called away and it’s been a difficult few hours for me. Our particular niche of the publishing business is like that, as I’m sure you can appreciate. We must move fast and make, hopefully, well-informed decisions.
“You can appreciate my wanting to meet with you when I can give your proposition my fullest attention. Perhaps you’d like to have further discussions with your partners, now that you’ve had a chance to meet our personnel and observe our operation, before you make your final offer.”
She ushered the startled man from her office. “Please give me a few days to assimilate some new developments. Jimmy will set up another meeting that will ensure my undivided attention. I’m sure you don’t feel your hours here have been wasted?”
“No, no.” The sputtering man could barely speak. “No, not at all. You got a great shop here. Just the kinda thing my guys are looking for. Don’t go with somebody else until I get a chance to pitch. Okay? Promise me that?” He held out an anxious, damp palm.
“I promise. Thank you for being so understanding. Professor, if you would see our guest out.” Jimmy, still on a nearby phone, gave Untermeyer the OK sign as the professor smilingly led him away.
Amanda made a quick stop by Nathan’s cubicle, where the young man was feverishly working on a brilliantly conceived illustration.
“I hear you did good, bozo,” she said, as she smiled in gratitude. “Thanks.”
“The old guy was really excited by this stuff,” he said. He gave a dismissive shrug, but his eyes shone. “And the prof couldn’t stop yapping enough. Maybe…” His look drifted inward. She didn’t recall ever having seen Nathanthink before. He justdid. “Maybe that model guy in last night’s class…” He shook his head as though just as surprised at his reactions as she. “Y’know, I’m kinda looking forward to what ole Antonio might come up with tomorrow night. Who was the suit that drug you out?”
Amanda’s heart skipped a beat. The life drawing classes at the League were held twice a week. The “suit” would be “un-suited” again tomorrow.
“Another money man,” she fibbed. “They’re throwing the stuff at us, thanks to your wicked, wicked ways with a drawing pen. Don’t get any smart ideas: your contract’s iron clad.”
His look was totally devoid of the usual self-interested smirk. “Thanks… Amanda. You’ve pretty much saved my ass again. Between you and the professor…” The old Nathan quickly squelched the glimmer of a buried smirk, but not before Amanda got in a quick hug of appreciation.
“We’re saving each other, buddy. That’s what friends use friends for.”
She went into her office and firmly closed the door.
Drunk with accomplishment was one thing. And Nathan being civil? Now, how was she supposed to spy on her friends?
Amanda stared at her hands, resting on her desk, her fingertips still tingling with the remembered feel of Marc’s warm palms underneath. The heat circulated in her chest. She felt a slight constriction in the depths of her throat and another sting behind her eyes.
I must be coming down with something.
No, Ace. You ain’t coming down with it. You GOT it.
WHAT A glorious day, Marc thought as the cab inched its way through the cacophony of Manhattan traffic. Crisp, bright light glinted off the proliferation of soaring phallic architecture. Clean, fresh, on-the-verge-of-spring air filled his lungs. Rich, healthy blood pumped in his veins.
The cab jolted as the driver bellowed a few well-chosen Pakistani epithets at the blocking taxi in front of him.
I love this city. LA is a helluva lot easier. But New York is… New York.He began to hum happily to himself.
“OKAY, TROOPS, this seems the best way to let you all know what’s going on.” Amanda sat on the front edge of her desk and surveyed the small group she had called into her office.
“Ohmigod, we’ve been bought out, right?” The receptionist’s voice cut through the general murmuring. “It’s the good-looking guy with the glasses, right?”
Amanda smiled. “Mindy, you’ve been influenced by my fine young assistant’s too many over-the-top reactions to things that are not that big a deal.”
“Come on, boss lady. It’s a big deal. You don’t call us into a private confab unless somebody’s hand has been in the till or worse,” Nathan commented, as he slouched in a chair busily scribbling on a pad.
The professor looked concerned. Jimmy looked eager.
“Someone has been going though my files. There was no sign of forced entry so I can only assume it was someone who had access to the office. Do any of you have any idea who, or why, someone might want to do such a thing? Nothing is missing that I can determine.”
The professor blanched. Jimmy looked excited. Mindy gasped. Nathan glanced up from his sketching with a frown. “Your files? Why? What the hell is in your files?”
“Records of sales, contracts. Documents that require a hard copy, a signature. Everything else is in the mainframe and available at everyone’s computer. To everyone at Double A, for that matter. We’re on a network.”
“You mean like who bought what books from us? Who we sold stuff to? Projected series? Stuff like that?” Jimmy was getting into it. “Sounds like illustrated-novel publishing espionage to me. Competitors trying to get the jump on us.” He nodded his head sagely, satisfied they were in the thick of big-city doings.
Professor Angeli sat forward on his chair. “We are somewhat lax about security. It does sound feasible that someone might have secured the proper keys. If nothing’s missing, was there a particular section of the files that seemed to have drawn the intruder’s special attention?”
Amanda ran her fingers under her shoulder-length hair to rub the back of her head. “Not that I could determine. Just general rummaging. Several of the posters were dislodged. As if they were looking for something that might have been hidden under the backing. Can’t figure it out. Though Jimmy’s suggestion does make a kind of sense.”
“I agree,” the professor added with finality.
Nathan shrugged and went back to sketching as Mindy glanced from one to the other, impressed with the efficiency with which they were solving the problem.
“We must be particularly careful of our projected projects. Several competitors would be more than delighted to get their hands on young Jimmy’s wonderful writing and,” the professor hastily added at Nathan’s scowl, “our chief artist’s brilliant illustrations.”
“Gee, this is kind of creepy, isn’t it?” The receptionist bounced eagerly on her chair. The phone rang. “I should take that outside, right?”
“Thanks, Mindy, and you better head back to reception. We don’t want anyone sneaking in while our backs are turned.”
“Right.”
“Thanks, all. You’re probably right. I’ll have the locks changed and I’m sure that’ll take care of that.”
The professor chuckled. “Let’s hope our pilferer doesn’t possess the dexterity of one of our nimble-fingered band of artists.”
Nathan’s slouching body stiffened.
“What do you mean? Someone we know here picks locks?” Amanda asked.
“How quick you are, my dear. But let’s not speak about that now,” he said, his voice rich with shared conspiracy. “The answer I would guess would be a surprising one.”
“Not all that surprising.” Nathan said. He sat up stiffly, looking annoyed.
“Nathan, you pick locks? But…”
The professor was totally nonplused. “I… I was referring to Mr. Wilde.”
“Mr. Wilde?”
“And me,” Nathan admitted. “The old guy taught me everything I know. I could crack Fort Knox.”
“I DON’T care if it is the damned Metropolitan Museum of Art.” Marc’s grim smile was deadly and his low voice equally threatening. “Don’t use that supercilious big-brother-putting-down-the-stupid-younger-sibling tone, little buddy. It tends to get my dander up.”
David blanched as nearby assistants turned from the art work they were hanging to take note. “Don’t make a scene.”
“You never learn, do you?” Marc started out of the closed gallery, heading past the alert guards.
“Marc, please.” David made a resigned conciliatory gesture. “I’m under a lot of stress here. Bear with me.”
Marc stopped and met the admonishing gaze of one of the larger guards.
Back off, dork. I could drop you with one chop.He turned back toward his abject brother.As abject as he’s capable of being.
“Is something wrong, doctor?” The large guard moved menacingly in Marc’s direction as he spoke to David.
“Yeah.” Marc’s intent look froze the man in his tracks. “You’re intruding on a private discussion and I’d hate to have to call to your supervisor’s attention how you overstepped your authority with a member of the public.”
“Oh, God.” David hurried to interpose himself. “Everything’s fine, Manchetti. Thank you. This gentleman’s… no, it’s me… I… Thank you. Please go back to your post.”
The guard slowly retreated, his apprehensive expression still grim.
I wonder what he’d do if I stuck out my tongue? Marc thought playfully. He considered the possible consequences.Probably not a good idea.
He bowed his head penitently in the guard’s direction. The large man’s back stiffened and he turned away, head high, having diffused a volatile situation.
“Okay, so I over-reacted to your stupid observation. I’m a little stressed, myself. Don’t these people ever let you take a break? Let’s go for tea.” Marc grinned. “Lemon’s on me.”
David stared at his younger sibling. “I’m too old to be put through this. What do I care whether we find the forger or not? It’s not my problem. I should have let the insurance company…”
“Yes?” Marc prodded, knowing the answer. “Let the insurance company what?”
“Miss Silvestri, I’ll be taking a break. My colleague and I will be in the restaurant if you should need me.”
“I can bring you something, doctor, if you’d rather,” the eager young woman suggested.
“No. We… I need to get away for a few minutes. Thank you.”
Marc beamed a blazing show of teeth on the rather plain-looking, avid, young woman, whose eyes instantly dropped.
As they left the gallery, Marc ducked his head in deference to the imposing guard.
“You’re really impossible,” David muttered as they started down the hallway leading to the grand staircase. He allowed a small undignified snort to escape. “I envy your impertinence.”
Marc grabbed the older sibling at his side and gave him a powerful hug. David stood in shock, unmindful of the crowd splitting around them.
“No hard feelings.” Marc continued down the hallway with a jaunty step.
David hurried to catch up as Marc descended the wide marble staircase. “I meant no disrespect to your new lady love. I’ve told you it’s not possible she’s the forger, but there is the possibility she may be involved.”
“I couldn’t care less whether or not she’s the hottest forger of Michelangelo since the dawn of the twentieth century.” He bounced ebulliently down the stairs emerging into the enormous classically designed entrance space. They turned toward the Ancient Greek section of the museum past which was the restaurant.
“If they put her away, I’d hide a file in my boxers so she could saw her way out in a flash. We’re gonna live happily ever after, big brother. Happier than I’ve ever been.”
“Marc. Get hold of yourself.” David hurried anxiously after him down the gleaming white corridor. “You hardly know the woman. We can’t throw away months of preparation, months of the effort you expended in preparing to put your incredibly inventive plan into action.”
“Nobody’s throwing anything away. If anything, it’s better now. She’s one of us.”
David blanched. “You told her. You revealed yourself?”
“Yeah.” A silly grin spread over Marc’s boyish face. “Mostly. And I’m planning on revealing a lot more. Gal’s gotta know what she’s dealing with.”
“A romantic infatuation! A schoolboy crush!” The drawing instructor turned on his heel and stormed back past patrons admiring ancient Greek statues.
Marc crossed his arms and leaned nonchalantly against a fragment of a marble nude. A female guard immediately materialized reminding him not to touch the works of art.
Acknowledging her admonition, he stood away from the statue and waited.
Through the crowd of museum patrons he saw the returning slumping figure.
Marc put his arm around his brother’s shoulder and guided him into the table service section of the museum’s dining area.
“Truce? I’ll be infatuated. You be as skeptical as your ancient, non-trusting self needs to be.”
David gave his muscular younger brother a baleful look. “Ancient… at forty. You’re right. And almost totally non-trusting. Not a pretty resolution to our parents’ upbringing.”
“Mom and dear ole Dad were lucky we didn’t drive a stake through their cold, unloving hearts. Sorry.” Marc acknowledged his brother’s look. “Another over-reaction. I guess they did the best they knew how. As if that’s an excuse.”
David slumped into the chair their waiter indicated at an empty table. “Scotch, please. Double.”
“Hmmm. And you never drink. I must be getting through.”
“I feel as if I’ve been beaten with a stick.”
“I think the term in some circles is ‘trod upon.’”
“Trod upon. Yes. By a hoard of confused elephants.” Accepting the quickly proffered drink, he tilted the squat glass to his lips and immediately gagged as the 80-proof alcohol seized his throat.
Marc waited until his brother had regained his composure and drawn fresh air down his burning throat, waving away the concerned waiter.
“Did we learn anything from last night?” The instructor of life drawing with a Doctorate in Art History continued to suck in fresh air in obvious embarrassment.
“I learned the smartest one in the class ain’t the bad guy.”
“I’ve had a chance to check my observations against the museum’s drawings. Both their authentic and inauthentic ones. They were very kind to…”
“Yeah?” Marc leaned forward excitedly.
“It’s merely my own opinion, of course.”
“David, for God’s sake…”
The instructor sighed deeply. “I confirmed what I told you I suspected last evening when you finally calmed down.”
Marc suppressed an amused reaction. Big brother couldn’t resist the dig. He was amazed they hadn’t done each other in years before. No… grateful. He spread his hands in supplication. “And?”
“Possible, but improbable: Christine. Possible, but unlikely: Nathan. Certainly capable: Professor Angeli.”
“Which leaves?”
“The most likely suspect is Mr. Wilde. His skill is unquestionable.” He hurried on. “But I’m not ruling out Miss Emerson completely. She’s very gifted. Under the right circumstances…”
Marc leaned back in his chair, his steaming tea cup obscuring his sly smile.The right circumstances are exactly what I have in mind for getting Miss Emerson into…and they have nothing to do with forged Michelangelos.