The Art of Deception by Nora Roberts

Author:Nora Roberts [Roberts, Nora]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 1986-11-14T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Kirby closed the doors of Harriet’s library behind her and leaned back against them. She didn’t waste any time. “The Titian’s being tested in the morning. Stuart sold it.”

“Sold it!” Fairchild’s eyes grew wide, his face pink. “Impossible. Harriet wouldn’t sell the Titian.”

“She didn’t. She was off playing with lions, remember?” Dragging both hands through her hair, she tried to speak calmly. “Stuart closed the deal, he just told her.”

“I told you he was a fool, didn’t I? Didn’t I?” Fairchild repeated as he started dancing in place. “I told Harriet, too. Would anyone listen? No, not Harriet.” He whirled around, plucked up a pencil from her desk and broke it in two. “She hires the idiot anyway and goes off to roam the jungle.”

“There’s no use going over that again!” Kirby snapped at him. “We’ve got to deal with the results.”

“There wouldn’t be any results if I’d been listened to. Stubborn woman falling for a pretty face. That’s all it was.” Pausing, he took a deep breath and folded his hands. “Well,” he said in a mild voice, “this is a problem.”

“Papa, this isn’t an error in your checkbook.”

“But it can be handled, probably with less effort. Any way out of the deal?”

“Stuart said the paperwork had been finalized. And it’s Myerling,” she added.

“That old pirate.” He scowled a moment and gave Harriet’s desk a quick kick. “No way out of it,” Fairchild concluded. “On to the next step. We exchange them.” He saw by Kirby’s nod that she’d already thought of it. There was a quick flash of pride before anger set in. The round, cherubic face tightened. “By God, Stuart’s going to pay for making me give up that painting.”

“Very easily said, Papa.” Kirby walked into the room until she stood toe to toe with him. “But who was it who settled Adam in the same room with the painting? Now we’re going to have to get it out of his room, then get the copy from the gallery in without him knowing there’s been a switch. I’m sure you’ve noticed Adam’s not a fool.”

Fairchild’s eyebrows wiggled. His lips curved. He rubbed his palms together. “A plan.”

Knowing it was too late for regrets, Kirby flopped into a chair. “We’ll phone Cards and have him put the painting in my room before we get back.”

He approved this with a brief nod. “You have a marvelous criminal mind, Kirby.”

She had to smile. A sense of adventure was already spearing through the panic. “Heredity,” she told her father. “Now, here’s my idea….” Lowering her voice, she began the outline.

“It’ll work,” Fairchild decided a few moments later.

“That has yet to be seen.” It sounded plausible enough, but she didn’t underestimate Adam Haines. “So there’s nothing to be done but to do it.”

“And do it well.”

Her agreement was a careless shrug of her shoulders. “Adam should be too tired to notice that the Titian’s gone, and after I make the exchange at the gallery, I’ll slip it back into his room. Sleeping pills are the only way.

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