Ace in the Picture by Jude Tresswell

Author:Jude Tresswell [Tresswell, Jude]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781912655199
Publisher: Rowanvale Books
Published: 2020-06-15T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Over Weetabix and boiled eggs, Ross told Phil about his nighttime phone call. Raith, it seemed, was up already and working in his studio.

“So this Templeton guy had no idea what’s been going on?”

“No! He’s been trekking over the Himalayas for the last two months. He didn’t even know there was a question mark over the painting, let alone know about Raith.”

“Do you believe him? About the painting?”

“It’s hard to say. I think so. He was very apologetic about phoning at three in the morning—it was eight a.m. where he is—but he said he felt he’d better contact me as soon as possible.”

“And you don’t know him personally?”

“No. As I said, he knows one of the people in Brighton that I contacted. He’s got a few days in Kathmandu and he was catching up with texts. This was mentioned. He said he realised straight away. He placed the painting with Lenfitte’s on the basis of what the client told him about the provenance. She seemed genuine, and her story was perfectly reasonable. He dealt with Lenfitte’s by phone and letter, not email. Then, he says, knowing that his lease was coming up, he passed on all his paperwork on to a friend for safe keeping and hit the mountain trail. He doesn’t know if the friend collected mail and didn’t open it, or if it’s just lying on the old shop floor, or if it’s been thrown away by new tenants, or what. That, presumably, is why Seabrooke’s lot didn’t get onto it.”

“Communication breakdown.”

“Big time.”

“We’d better tell him. He’ll be over soon.”

“Mmm,” Mike said.

“I know that ‘Mmm’. What’s the problem?” asked Ross.

“I don’t think we should tell him. Not yet, anyway.”

Ross asked, “What?”

Phil asked, “Why?”

“Cos what’s he goin’ to do? He has to stay with the paintin’, so that means the two left in London go and ask the questions.”

“Ask Templeton’s friend, you mean?”

“Yes, but then ask the woman. They’re so fuckin’ slow about everythin’, this Templeton will have climbed Everest twice before they get their act together. I’d have been bangin’ on Lenfitte’s doors demandin’ to see everythin’ connected with the case, secret or not, and I’d have chased up any letters. But also, what if the cop who got suspended isn’t the bent one? Nuthin’s proved yet. What if it’s one of the other two? Then he tells his nasty friends, and this woman’s in a lot of trouble. She might have acted in good faith. Even if she hasn’t, it’s one thing payin’ the penalty through the courts. It’s another lettin’ those animals loose on her.”

“Well, if one of Seabrooke’s remaining crew’s corrupt, Mike, Raith’s still in danger. They’ll know about the back way into Tunhead over Askill’s land.”

“No. It was need-to-know only, and as long as Seabrooke is on the level, which I think he is, they won’t know.”

“So, what exactly are you saying?”

“Exactly what you think I’m sayin’. We go down south ourselves.”

“And how are we going to manage that?” asked Phil. “Seabrooke can’t go: he’s got to stay with the painting.

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