The following morning at 10:00am Simon met Price on the steps of the Guggenheim. Price passed the empty messenger tube to Simon; the two men shook hands and went their separate ways.
Keller observed the entire transaction from down the block; across the street from a parked car. He lifted his camera, fitted with a telephoto lens and snapped off several shots.
Simon drove back to Philadelphia and met DeAngelo at the studio on Pine.
Anthony inquired, "How should I break up the shipment?"
"Send the first dozen with the copy to the shop in St. Moritz. Mark the shipping forms 'copies of master works' and insure them for ten thousand. Send the second dozen with the original to my home in London. Same thing on that set of forms. By the way Anthony, how can I tell the difference between Van Gogh's painting and yours?"
DeAngelo beckoned him over to the painting. "Look closely at the signature. The 'T' contains a small dot of pink paint. It's acrylic. Visible to the naked eye, but not obvious. An expert would consider it an accident."
Simon walked down the back stairway to the shop. He sat in a large antique wingchair; propped his feet on the ottoman and lit a fresh cigar.
Events were racing down to the wire. For better or worse this episode of his life would soon be over. He sat with his head back blowing smoke rings towards the ceiling. In his mind, moving the pieces around the board; anticipating his opponent’s moves.
That morning, a telegram arrived at his hoteclass="underline"
Won auction for antique cane at Christie's London.
Hammer price of eight thousand pounds.
Forwarded to your shop St. Moritz.
Good luck.
Your brother,
Jean Pierre
After an hour or so, Simon reached a conclusion. By nature, he was a peaceful man. Live and let live would be one of his guiding principles if he stopped to list them at all. But men have always been at war; either in large numbers or one on one. In this instance, Simon Jones; the son of poor Irish Jews, found himself in an untenable situation. He would not lie down; would not roll over; there would be no concession. Simon Jones would fight to the end and let the cards fall where they may.
At last, satisfied with his plan, a realization of peace arose within him.
"Let's do this."
We have a pow wow
Pizza boxes were stacked on the kitchen table.
Mrs. Murphy turned from the sink and said, "They're expecting you, dearie."
I grabbed a beer from the fridge and a slice of pizza. Walked down the hall to the den. Nathan Berkowitz, aka, Nate Burke, stood up, walked over and gave me a hug.
"TJ has just been filling me in on your adventure. How're holding up, dude?"
Nate stands at six foot two, has blond hair with hazel eyes, a high intelligent forehead and keeps in good shape. He did his masters at M.I.T. and immediately after graduation went into business for himself.
"Dude? What are you, like sixteen? Tell me what you've been up to. After that I'll tell you what's happening."
TJ, ever the quiet one, is sitting there consuming his pizza and beer. The room is set up very much like an old world men's club. Leather chairs, floor to ceiling book cases and lots of quality art. The rugs are old and expensive, the fireplace a walk-in.
Nate gets right into it. "Just got back from Ireland. We're in full production mode. The programmers and game artists are putting on the final touches right now."
Nate's company creates, manufactures and distributes video games. The business has been very good to him.
"What type of game?" Naturally, I'm curious.
TJ pipes up, "Very cool, man. A murder mystery takes place in some location and the players have to solve the murder. It can be a castle in Scotland, a home in Beverly Hills, a plantation in New Orleans, a palace in India, whatever. Players select their characters. Sort of like Clue, man, only with lots more options. Burke here is calling it 'Who Done It?"
Thomas Jefferson Smith is unusually excited. For some reason the idea of this game appeals to him.
I ask Nate, "When will it be completed?"
"About a month. We'll introduce it at the E3 convention at the Los Angeles Convention Center in June. TJ is coming, you should come too."
The Electronic Entertainment Expo is the gaming industry's annual video game conference and show. It's where all the cool new stuff is unveiled.
I drained my Grolsch and devoured the pizza. On the way to the kitchen for seconds Uncle Moe steps in beside me.
"Ask the president to check the computer." Moe means TJ.
Back in the den, TJ opens the laptop. Posted on the anonymous wall is a link to the BBC. An mp3 file opens in a new window.
It turns out to be an interview on the British Broadcasting Company radio network. The following is exactly what we heard:
BBC: "Joining us today is the renowned researcher and art historian, Professor James
Thomas Middleton of Oxford University to talk with us about his recent discovery of an unknown Vermeer. Welcome Professor and thank you for joining us."
JTM: "The pleasure is mine. Thank you for inviting me."
BBC: "Well, Professor, let's get right down to it, shall we? Please, if you would be so kind, tell us about your research and what you have uncovered."
JTM: "It's quite embarrassing, really. The discovery of a previously unknown Vermeer was really a coincidence. In the course of researching the provenance of an entirely unrelated work of art I unearthed some previously overlooked documents."
BBC: "And, what were these documents Professor?"
JTM: "An inventory of the effects of Vermeer's sister, Gertruy. She was married to Antony van der Wiel, himself a frame maker. The inventory was prepared in conjunction with the preparation of her will in 1670. There is listed, as part of her personal belongings, a painting of a "moeder en kind" that was a "gift van mijn broer" which was signed 'Vermeer' and dated 1653. The measurements provided are 98.5 x 105 cm. If this information is to be believed, and there is no reason why it should not, this would be one of Johannes Vermeer's earliest works."
BBC: "In that case, Professor, what do you suppose happened to this painting?"
JTM: "Under normal circumstances, according to the terms of the will, if Vermeer's sister, Gertruy were to die before her husband, he would be required to turn over to her relatives and heirs all her personal effects."
BBC: "And, was this the case?"
JTM: "Not exactly. Gertruy did predecease her husband; however, the painting in question did not turn up in the inventory of items passed onto her family."
BBC: "Did the painting disappear?"
JTM: "No, not even close. It is, however, easy to see how it vanished in the historical sense. We have found a receipt in the effects of Antony van der Wiel that indicate that this painting, “Mother and Child" was sold to a traveling Jewish merchant from Budapest. The measurements in the sold painting are identical to Vermeer's gift as well as the subject matter. Since the painting did not turn up when her effects were returned to the family, it is probably safe to assume that it was the painting gifted to her from her brother. At this time we are withholding the name of the merchant in an attempt to track down the painting."
BBC: "What would you estimate that such a find would be worth in today's market?"
JTM: "It is difficult to predict an actual amount; however, I can honestly predict that it would fetch what most would consider to be a king's ransom."
BBC: "Well, well Professor, what an intriguing tale you have shared with us today. We do hope that you will join us again to keep us up to date with this story."
JTM: "Of course. I look forward it."
At which point we all sat around with our mouths open. TJ was the first to speak. "Man, Connor really came through. That was so cool."