This Time For Sure by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Author:Hank Phillippi Ryan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Down & Out Books

9:30 a.m.

Within half an hour, Annamaria had pulled her Audi to the curb in front of Claudio’s hospital wheelchair. Claudio let his anger spike as he climbed, gingerly, into the front seat.

“Let’s get one thing straight. I did not agree to getting a concussion from your ‘mere tap on the head.’ That’s what you said and then I was supposed to lie on the floor until you left. And it was supposed to be tomorrow.” Claudio snapped the seat belt closed and turned toward Annamaria, a scowl slashing a thin line across his pale face.

“Get a grip, Claudio. You’ll have another heart attack if you don’t calm down. Besides, I didn’t hit you on the head. Armando did.”

“And who is Armando? This was supposed to be a two-person job. You getting the artwork out of the building. Me editing the security video. Tomorrow.”

Annamaria turned on the ignition but sat gripping and un-gripping the steering wheel, her knuckles alternately pulsing pink and white. “Yes, I am…sorry. I let information about the job slip while we were making love. He threatened to go to the Carabinieri if I didn’t cut him in. And do it tonight instead.”

“That was stupid of you!”

“I know. I know. But I thought his size and his strength could help if we ran into a problem.”

“Didn’t you take his brain into consideration?” Claudio wanted his frustration to billow, to overflow with exasperation, but fatigue settled in and his voice dropped to a mellow baritone. “You were supposed to keep it simple. Fooling the Carabinieri should be easy. The idiots can’t tell a Matisse from an Andy Warhol.”

Annamaria shrugged. “Well, it’s done now. We’ll make the best of the situation. I’ve already contacted the fence you suggested in Milan.”

“Alright. Get me home, would you? My head is pounding. And while you’re driving, tell me what you told the Carabinieri.”

Claudio listened, riveted, eyes closed. She told him about the call from the Polizia that had jangled her cell phone as she drove home after the theft. She’d arrived at the Museo, looking frumpy and tousled as if newly awakened, after dumping the black catsuit at her apartment. She met the Emergency Medical Team near the front entrance of the Museo as they wheeled Claudio out and she identified him as the nighttime security guard.

“Then what happened?” So far, so good.

Annamaria continued with the details. Claudio analyzed each moment, each word. Looking for holes. Carabinieri and Polizia in Claudio’s office viewing the security video; evidence hanging from the mesh screen, photographed in place and removed. Questions about the outdated security system. Identification of the stolen artwork. The Mucha. The Wyspianski. The Albaugh.

Priceless. Irreplaceable.

Gone.

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