‘I do insist.’
Evelyn shrugged her shoulders and walked across to the bedroom door. She opened it, looked up and down the corridor, and beckoned to Alex to join her. She pointed to a staircase at the far end of the corridor. ‘Don’t forget the painting,’ she said, handing over the Warhol.
He reluctantly took it, and headed to the far end of the corridor.
‘Look forward to seeing you next weekend then, darling,’ Evelyn said as they went in opposite directions.
Once he was out of sight, Evelyn strolled down the broad staircase to the dining room and joined Lawrence for breakfast.
‘Good morning, Evelyn,’ he said as she walked in. ‘I hope you slept well.’
On the train back to New York, Alex couldn’t resist the occasional glance at the painting. Of course he’d heard of Warhol, but he’d never imagined he would ever own one, even if it was only for a short time. He already felt guilty about holding on to a picture that Evelyn’s grandfather had left her in his will. He couldn’t wait to give it back once she returned his half a million.
When he arrived at Penn station, he took a cab to Brighton Beach, as he certainly wasn’t going to travel on the subway with a Warhol. Even before he showed his mother the painting, he told her, ‘I’ve met the woman I’m going to marry.’
Evelyn arrived at the Mayflower Hotel just after eleven. Todd immediately rose from his place in the alcove and waved. She walked quickly across to join him. Like the Cheshire Cat, she couldn’t stop grinning.
‘From the expression on your face, my darling, I assume you’ve sampled the cream,’ said Todd as she sat down opposite him.
‘A large dollop,’ said Evelyn, handing him a cheque for $500,000.
‘Bravo,’ he said after pocketing it. ‘Any problems?’
‘None. You’d set him up perfectly. But we can’t hang about, because if my brother were to find out...’
‘I’m booked onto a two forty-five flight out of Logan that lands in Geneva just before seven tomorrow morning. I’ll present the cheque the moment the bank opens its doors.’
‘Just be sure you ask for immediate clearance, and call me the moment the money’s been transferred into my account. Then I’ll fly over and join you in Monte Carlo, and we can celebrate.’
‘What are you going to do for the next couple of days while I’m away?’
‘Make sure I’m available whenever Alex calls. At least until the cheque’s cleared.’
Todd leant over and kissed his wife. ‘You’re so clever,’ he said.
That afternoon, Alex phoned Evelyn, and they chatted for nearly an hour. He had to assure her several times that nothing would stop him joining her in Boston for the weekend.
On Tuesday morning, he caught her just before she left the house to go shopping. She promised to call back, and it was only later that he remembered she didn’t have his number. On Wednesday he rang her first thing in the morning — first thing in the morning for her, at least, because he’d already been to the market and selected the freshest vegetables and the finest cuts of meat before delivering them to Elena’s.
She was full of news. Todd was thinking of investing at least ten million, possibly fifteen, in his company, and would be in touch with him later in the week. Evelyn wondered if he’d like to go sailing at the weekend. ‘We could visit my uncle Nelson in Chappaquiddick, and enjoy the finest clam chowder on earth.’
‘Sounds great. What should I wear?’ he asked, not wanting to admit that he’d never been on a yacht.
‘Don’t worry, I’ve already been shopping and picked out a couple of outfits for you.’
Later that morning, Alex’s bank manager called to say they’d received a cheque made payable to cash for $500,000, with a request for immediate transfer. As it was such a large amount, the manager said, he was checking to make sure Alex wanted it cleared.
‘Immediately,’ said Alex without hesitation.
‘It will leave your current account with a balance of $17,269,’ said the manager.
Which will soon be several million, Alex wanted to tell him, but he satisfied himself with, ‘Please clear the cheque immediately.’
Evelyn picked up the phone.
‘The money has been transferred and I’ll be taking the next plane down to Nice. When do you think you’ll be able to join me?’
‘With a bit of luck I’ll be in Monte Carlo in time for dinner tomorrow evening,’ said Evelyn. ‘But first I have to let my brother know the sad news.’
‘One does have to feel a little sorry for Mr Karpenko,’ said Todd.
‘But not too sorry. I have a feeling he’ll cope just fine in jail, and then we can forget all about him. By the way, Todd, don’t forget to book our usual table.’
The butler hadn’t seen Evelyn running down the stairs since she was a small child.
‘Have you seen my brother?’ she shouted long before she’d reached the bottom step.
‘He’s just gone in to breakfast, Miss Evelyn,’ Caxton said, hurrying across the hall to open the dining room door for her.
‘Whatever’s the matter, Eve?’ asked Lawrence as his sister burst into the room.
‘Have you moved the Warhol from the Jefferson bedroom?’ she asked, still out of breath.
‘What are you talking about?’ said Lawrence, putting down his coffee.
‘The Warhol, it’s gone. It’s not there.’
Lawrence leapt up from his place and walked quickly out of the room. He took the stairs up to the first floor two at a time, before making his way along the landing and into the Jefferson room. He found a bare hook on the wall where the Warhol had once hung.
‘When did you last see it?’ he asked as Evelyn stared at the faint outline of where the picture had been.
‘I can’t be sure. I’ve just got so used to it being there. But I do recall seeing it on the night of your party.’ A long silence followed before she added, ‘I feel ashamed, Lawrence, because I think it could be my fault.’
‘I’m not sure I understand.’
‘I got a little drunk on the night of your party, and allowed someone to join me in my room.’
‘Who?’
‘Your friend Alex Karpenko.’
‘Did he stay the night?’
‘Certainly not. He’d left by the time I woke in the morning. I just didn’t think...’
‘You never do,’ said Lawrence. ‘But if anyone’s to blame, it’s me.’
‘Perhaps I should try and contact him, and see if I can get the picture back?’
‘That’s the last thing you should do. If anyone’s going to speak to Alex, it will be me.’
‘Will you have to inform the police?’
‘I don’t have any choice,’ said Lawrence. ‘As you well know, the picture doesn’t belong to me, it’s part of our grandfather’s bequest, and as it’s worth a million, possibly more, I’ll have to report the theft to the police, as well as to the insurance company.’
‘But he saved your life.’
‘Yes, he did. So if he returns the painting immediately, perhaps I won’t press charges.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ said Evelyn. ‘He seemed such a nice guy.’
‘You never can tell about anyone, can you?’ said Lawrence.
That afternoon, Alex called Evelyn, and the phone was picked up by the butler, who told him Miss Lowell had left the house around eleven, and he couldn’t be sure when she would be returning. She didn’t call back, so Alex rang again in the evening. This time Lawrence answered the phone.
‘What a wonderful party, Lawrence. You’re a great host, and I’m looking forward to seeing you and Evelyn tomorrow.’
‘I didn’t know you were coming to Boston for the weekend.’