Collection (19 page)

As a result of her travels, Franka made many friends abroad. She still had art connections from these years, and frequently traveled to visit and conduct business. They knew her as an art restorer working for a private conservation house. It would be difficult to track her down because these friends didn't really know her. Franka had been very successful in compartmentalizing her life. Her friends in France didn't know her friends in England. She had different back stories depending on where she was and with whom she dealt. Nobody outside of the family could get a true measure of her. They knew only what she told them, and it was doubtful that she told them the truth.

“Do you think you could send people out to check on her most frequent haunts?”

Pippa nodded decisively.

“Yes, we could start there. I know a few of the names she's used over the years. We can get the word out that we're looking for her, maybe say that her mother is ill.”

Lucien was at odds with his emotions.

“I know I want to find her, but I don't know what to do once she's found.”

“I think she owes us an explanation, at least. She's got to be orchestrating this. Franka is too smart to be forced to do anything she didn't want to do. I just don't know why she would betray us all.”

“Part of me just wants to let her go. If she's not happy, she deserves another chance. She's served the family well for many years.”

“You're too soft on her because of your own guilty feelings. It's not your fault. The sickness in our family is a biological anomaly. Franka is being selfish. If she needed money for a legitimate reason, she would have just asked for some. I don't know what she's doing, but I know it's hurting the rest of us. For that reason alone, she needs to be found and punished.”

“What would you have me do, Pippa? I can't send her to jail.”

“Maybe not, but we have disciplinary measures. We can handle it internally.”

“It's been quite a while since we've had to resort to flogging.”

“I'm serious, Lucien. If a family member steals from family it's more than just common larceny. It's treason. It was unthinkable, until a few days ago. Now everyone knows that one of us betrayed the others. That's a dangerous precedent. We've been insulated from the outside world to an extent, but I see its influence seeping in all around us. I know you and Cicero have hope that genetic research will reverse the curse that has held us apart from everything and everyone else for so long. I believe it's possible, but not a surety. From what I've seen of the modern world, we may need to prepare for a second dark age. Overconfidence. I see it everywhere; in the global markets, political treaties. A fall is coming.”

“I don't know if it's that dire, but I'm a realist as well. Human cruelty has been a constant in my existence. I know that will never change.” Lucien used his thumb to wipe a nonexistent smudge from the top of Franka's desk.

“The chaos we've had to endure through the years has not disappeared despite the civilization we surround ourselves with. I guess I just didn't expect to see it in my own house.”

Pippa nodded.

“If she can betray you, anyone can betray you. Don't forget that.” Pippa was solemn now. She looked out the same window through which Lucien had seen a beautiful lake and garden, and her eyes darkened. Whatever Pippa saw, it wasn't nearly as reassuring. She turned to Lucien.

“I'll send out as many people as we can spare to see if she's been spotted.”

Lucien nodded, and she left the room. As she closed the door behind her, he noticed a painting on the wall by Franka's bookshelves. It was a painting in the style of Caravaggio's
The Taking of Christ
, depicting the moment Judas betrayed Jesus to the soldiers that would bear him to trial. For this reason it was also called
The Kiss of Judas
. How fitting that Franka had chosen it to decorate her office. There was a console table in front of the painting with a tray for her correspondence. Lucien looked through the mail, trying to find anything unusual. Nothing was out of the ordinary.

If she'd wanted them to find her, she would have found a way. There was nothing left behind. No irregular appointments in her agenda, no diary in her quarters, not even a hint dropped to the others before her disappearance. That took a level of effort that led Lucien to believe she'd been covering her escape rather than answering to coercion. Why? Lucien knew Franka. This wasn't right. He was convinced there had to be a partner. It was unlikely that she'd done this all by herself, whether for ill or to protect the rest of them.

There was another knock at the door, and Lucien was glad to answer the door this time. Like Pippa, his mind was wandering to dark places.

“Yes?”

“It's Jonnie, I have a letter for you.”

Lucien shook off his mood and tried to answer gently. “Come in.”

Jonnie entered and Lucien could see that she had run up the stairs to deliver the letter.

“What's the matter?”

“It's addressed to Mather Wolfhausen.”

Lucien recognized the name he used to directly correspond with Franka.

“Let me see it.”

Jonnie held out her hand and held her chest with exertion and excitement.

“Is it from her?”

He opened the letter and immediately recognized Franka's formal longhand writing.

“Yes, it's from her.”

“I'll get Celine and Pippa.” Jonnie ran out the door, still out of breath.

Lucien read the letter. It was written on her heavy office stationary. Before she left the house for the last time, she knew she was saying goodbye forever. The letter was not rushed, or panicked in tone, but Lucien could sense an aggressiveness that Franka used when she wanted something desperately.

Mather,

I know you are eager to meet to discuss our recent disagreement. I request that you wait and allow me to call you when I have stopped traveling. Contact before that time will not be welcome. The object you require will be returned when I am secure.

I'm sorry,

Franka

It was in keeping with Franka's typical style of correspondence when she wished to keep business vague and to the point. It was all the confirmation he needed to treat her as a problem, rather than a victim. Anything else would be wishful thinking, and not the way to help Jane.

Could he afford to wait until she decided she was ready to tell them where the painting was? Lucien decided he didn't have much of a choice. He had no idea where it could be, and Franka was holding all the cards. Pippa would have to delay her chase until they got the painting. He didn't want to risk Franka finding out that they were looking for her, and deciding that she didn't want to tell them where it was.

Celine walked into the office without knocking and started talking to Lucien, Pippa followed after her.

“Jonnie said you got a letter from Franka?”

“Yes, I did. She's demanding that we let her go before she'll give up the painting. I don't think we can refuse.”

“What is wrong with her?” Celine had not settled down since the botched meeting in the conference room. If anything, she'd gotten even more worked up after Jane had started asking questions. Celine didn't like Jane being privy to internal matters. Even if she was involved now, there would come a time when she might not have incentive to keep her mouth shut about the family and their various operations.

“Celine, calm down. We need to stay calm and think clearly. Do you believe her?”

“Yes. I don't know why she would need the original after having so much time to make as many copies as she pleased. If she's being forced to do this, and did take the painting, why send a letter about it? Honestly, I think it's still here, somewhere. She obviously has no intention of coming back, so how else would she return it? She wouldn't dare risk sending it in the mail or by courier. Even if she's gone crazy, she knows how risky that would be. It might get damaged, or stolen in transit.”

“So, we wait?” Pippa was clearly disappointed.

Lucien tried to think of ways to keep spirits high. Keeping people busy would be the best way to stay optimistic.

“I think we should still get people ready to go when she calls. We just need to figure out where to send them. Have you heard anything from Eva?”

Celine nodded her head.

“She's looking over the video from the train station now. She told the security office that the wife of a member of parliament had her purse snatched just outside the station and the thief fled inside. They believe she's looking for this man to get a picture of his face and identify him.”

“Well, let me know if she finds something. It's probably the only way we could track her down quickly,” Lucien said. He was distracted by something in the office. He couldn't immediately pick it out, but the feeling was strong enough to make him stop before continuing their conversation. It was something about what Celine had said…

“When did Franka put up that painting?”

“What do you mean?” Celine was trying to figure out why Lucien derailed their urgent planning to talk about Franka's decor.

“This one.” Just then Lucien realized it was the only painting on the walls, and an odd one to pick for daily contemplation.

Celine looked to where Lucien was gesturing. “The Caravaggio? She was supposed to be painting a copy in her studio. I don't know why it's here unless she wanted to use it for a consult. It's very impressive, I'm sure it helps get us business.”

“How long ago did she take it out?” This had to be one of the last projects Franka was involved in before she fled, maybe it held some clue to her actions or whereabouts.

“The day before you arrived. I've been reviewing the vault logs for the past several hours. She noted that you told her to make a copy for a buyer in Russia. Caravaggio is within her scope of expertise, it's not unusual.”

Lucien shook his head, “Except, I didn't tell her to do that, and she knows this one is supposed to be in Dublin.”

“Was she going to steal it?” Pippa's imperious tone belied her contrition.

“She knew that I was coming here in a hurry and without any explanation. It's possible she removed it from the vault in preparation for running, but why didn't she take it with her when she left?” Lucien approached the painting to look more closely at it.

“Are you sure it's real? Maybe she already copied it and took the original. Perhaps she has copied more than we realize. We'll never be able to track them all down,” Pippa said.

Lucien shrugged. “I don't know if it's the original. Franka's one of the best painters we've got. I would have to compare this to the other Caravaggio's we've got to be certain. There's one way to find out quickly. Ask Jane to join us, please.” Celine stepped out of the office and spoke to Jonnie who was waiting outside.

Inferring his intentions, Pippa spoke quietly to Lucien.

“Is it true, can she really tell just by being in the same room with it?”

“Yes.” Any doubt in Lucien's mind was gone after he had witnessed her abilities in person so many times.

“That's impossible,” Celine returned to the conversation.

“Is it any stranger than what we live with everyday?” He knew that they of all people should be open to the possibility that Jane had abilities that were unexplainable and undefinable by current scientific standards. Whatever she did when she sensed untruth, she was good at it, and they needed a quick assessment to narrow down their focus and try to figure out what Franka had been up to before she ran.

They waited moments before a panting Jonnie led Jane into the room.

“What?” Jane was disturbed by recent events and didn't like the looks of this crowd.

“Jane, could you look at this painting?” Lucien tried not to lead her. He wanted a clean read from her face about what she was seeing.

“Okay.” Jane positioned herself in front of the painting. She looked at it and then looked back at Lucien. He stared back at her, so did the other women in the room. They didn't talk and Jane felt like she was being tested.

“What?”

Lucien finally spoke. He enunciated and spoke slowly as if she was obviously stupid.

“Is it a forgery?”

“Oh.” Jane looked again and tried to feel for the sense she had gotten with the other forgeries she'd seen.

“No. Surprisingly not. Is this what you do with your favorites? Hang them on the wall for everyone to see?”

“No. We do not. This shouldn't be here. So, why is it here?”

Lucien walked closer to the painting and reached out to take it off the wall. It was heavier than it looked, and when he turned it over, he saw why.

26

THE SUN WAS SHINING
outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Cicero sat on the steps waiting for Leanne. He was wearing one of Lucien's suits, but had removed his jacket. He looked like any other businessman taking a long lunch and enjoying the summer day. He looked at his watch again. She had gone into the museum about an hour ago, and Cicero was getting worried. Just as he was about to stand up to follow her in, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Hey cuz, I'm all done.”

Cicero looked up at the young woman. Leanne was smiling like always.

“What took you so long?”

She scrunched up her face in exasperation.

“There were a bunch of tourists around. I had to wait for the right moment.”

“Well, I'm glad you didn't get caught.” Cicero stood and brushed off his suit pants.

“Me too. I could get kicked out of school for something like this.” She adjusted her messenger bag and pulled her long brown hair back into a ponytail.

Cicero snorted. “For how much we pay them, you should be able to steal the
Mona Lisa
and still graduate.”

“Last time I checked, Cornell isn't in the business of educating convicts.”

“Right, but I am. Thank you for doing this. I know it's not your usual thing. I appreciate it.”

“No problem. Glad to help the cause. Just don't tell my mom. She'll freak out.”