The Art of Deception: A Daughter of Sherlock Holmes Mystery by Leonard Goldberg

Author:Leonard Goldberg
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Published: 2020-06-15T23:00:00+00:00

17

The Stewart Gallery

On our ride to the Stewart and Son gallery, we had to face the disheartening fact that Harry Edmunds had won the battle. He now had the masterpiece in his grasp and would soon disappear once it was sold on the black market.

“He must have discovered which painting held the masterpiece,” Joanna surmised, raising her voice above the noise of the four-wheeler we had hired. “There was a marking of some sort that served as a clue.”

“Do you have any idea what this marking might be?” I inquired.

Joanna shrugged. “It could have been made in a dozen different ways. Perhaps there was a scratch on the corner of the frame that James Blackstone had mentioned. Or perhaps there was some irregularity in the varnish which was difficult to detect. But then again, it may not have been a marking that led to the masterpiece, but rather that Edmunds recalled the painting which was being restored when the treasured canvas came to light. Or even more likely, he narrowed down the possibilities by reviewing the list of restorations in the folder on Simon Hawke’s desk.”

“Whatever the clue, he knew it well beforehand,” my father said. “That is why he advertised on the black market that the masterpiece would soon be available.”

“Yet all may not be lost,” I thought aloud. “Could we not set a trap for him on the underground market?”

Joanna shook her head quickly. “To set a clever trap requires an irresistible bait, which we lack. And even if such bait was available, it might well prove useless since the auction we presume is taking place may be over and a deal struck. That being the case, any clever trap would be totally ignored.”

“The tide is now running entirely against us,” my father said unhappily. “And it appears to be reaching the stage where it cannot be reversed.”

“We have lost a battle, Watson, not the war,” said Joanna.

We arrived at the Stewart and Son gallery and hurried into a large, well-appointed display room that had every wall covered with eye-catching paintings, all of which seemed to come from a long gone past. The owner, Mr. Miles Stewart, was not available, for he was bedridden with severe bronchitis. However, his son Samuel was minding the gallery and greeted us with suspicion until we were formally introduced. He seemed most pleased to meet Joanna.

“Ah, the daughter of Sherlock Holmes whose exploits I have read about,” said he. “I would be forever grateful if you could somehow arrange for my painting to be returned, for it will be dearly missed.”

“Am I correct in assuming the painting is quite valuable?” Joanna asked.

“That is the strange part, madam,” Stewart replied. “It was surrounded by works far more precious, yet he chose the one of considerable less value. It is beyond me why he would do such a thing.”

“Was there anything unusual about the painting?”

“It is the artist who was unusual.”

“How so?”

“It was painted during the Italian Renaissance by a woman named Saint Catherine of Bologna, and depicts a nun at prayer in full habit,” Stewart described.

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