Hughes pursed his lips. “I hear things, of course. It seems he’s doing famously. I’m not sure how much of it I actually believe, though. Glen has always been able to impart that aura of success.”
“Maybe he’s gone back to selling forgeries. Maybe he’s found some dumb Russian instead of a dumb Chinese.”
“Who knows? And except for you, who really cares?” Hughes said. “I’m more concerned about the three paintings in these files on my desk. Where are we going with this?”
Ava leafed through her notebook. “Before we discuss that, I’m curious about the painting you sold through Harrington’s. It had to be authenticated by them, didn’t it? Wasn’t that a worry for you?”
“We paid Sam Rice fifty thousand pounds to sign off on it.”
“He worked for Harrington’s?”
“Still does. He runs the whole bloody place now.”
That’s a twist, Ava thought.
Hughes patted the files. “So, what are your plans for these?”
“I’m going to go after your brother,” Ava said.
“For the Fauvist scheme?”
“Yes, of course.”
Hughes said, “O’Toole’s files should help you in that regard. I’m assuming Maurice kept as careful a record of them as he did of these. The Sorensen paperwork, I have to tell you, was a bit sketchy.”
“I’m not going to use the O’Toole files other than as a way of keeping score.”
“I don’t understand.”
“All they prove is that your brother hired O’Toole to paint them. They dead-end with Kwong. Your brother could take the same position with me that you did: ‘The Chinese can sue.’”
“And why wouldn’t they?”
“I had this same conversation yesterday with a consultant I’m using,” Ava said. “In a nutshell, my client doesn’t want to look foolish. He would never expose himself to the kind of public ridicule a lawsuit of this nature would invite. Glen referred to him as, what, ignorant? Why would he want the rest of the world to think the same?”
Hughes looked down at the files on his desk. Ava reached into her bag and pulled out an additional one. “There are four letters in here, addressed to the Earl of Moncrieff, Harold Holmes, and Jonathan Reiner, and to Frederick Locke at Harrington’s. The letters explain in detail how they came to be in possession of forged paintings. Accompanying each letter will be a complete file, just like those you have in front of you,” Ava said. “Here, you can read the letters if you want.”
She was pleased with them. Each addressed the single painting that related to the letter’s recipient. They were short and to the point — no hint of hysteria, nothing overstated, just a chronological statement of the facts with appendices noted and a line that said the original invoices, photos, etc. were available for viewing if necessary. The letter was signed by Ava. In a postscript she added that she had come across the painting in question as part of a broader investigation. She was passing along the information in the interests of art scholarship and wasn’t seeking any compensation or acknowledgement.
The colour that had re-emerged in Hughes’ face as he was talking to Ava visibly began to drain. His right eye began to flicker again.
“This would destroy me,” he said.
“That is the intent.”
“You said — ”
“The question is, how is your brother going to react to the same threat?”
“He would go mad.”
“I don’t want mad. I want fear. Fear of complete destruction of his professional reputation, of public disgrace, of having to defend himself against three powerful, angry, rich, vindictive men. And I’d like to think he couldn’t sleep at night for worrying about going to prison.”
Whatever comfort Edwin Hughes was feeling about the direction of their conversation seemed to vanish at the mention of the word prison. Ava could see his body tense. He swallowed, and then took two deep breaths.
“I think — actually no, I’m certain — you would achieve that reaction. I am, I think, in some ways braver than my brother, and you’ve certainly had that effect — and more — on me,” he said slowly.
“Good. That’s what I was hoping to hear.”
“So that’s the plan, is it? To use the threat of exposing these three paintings to get him to pay back for the Fauvist works?”
“It’s the leverage I have at hand,” she said.
“And if it works?”
“Those letters go back into my bag.”
“What else can I do to help?” he said.
Ava smiled. “I want you to start by writing down everything you told me today — everything, every detail about the Fauvists. Do it on gallery stationery. Take your time; be thorough. Implicate your brother in every imaginable way you can. Be specific about Nancy O’Toole and Helga Sorensen. Mention the Liechtenstein account. Describe his relationship with Kwong — but leave out any remarks about ignorant Chinese.”
“You don’t want anything about the three earlier forgeries?”
“Of course I do. That will be your second document: a complete and frank confession. And don’t bother with the rationalizations — no one will care. And I’d like you to make mention of our meeting and that you’ve reviewed my paperwork and judge it to be genuine, and that I have my bases covered.”
He shuddered. “Yes, you do.”
“When you’re finished, date both of the documents and have them witnessed. Lisa will do.”
“Is that all?”
“No, I want all the information you have on your brother: addresses, phone numbers, email, and so on. What you don’t have, get.”
“And then?”
“Contact him. Phone is best.”
Hughes looked worried. “We haven’t spoken in two years. I’m not sure he would even take my call.”
“That’s your problem. You need to talk to him.”
“To say what?”
“He’s about to hit a bump in the road.”
“You actually want me to tell him about you?”
“Yes. I want you to set up a meeting between me and him.”
“You want me to talk about the paintings?”
“Yes, but I don’t want you to mention the Fauvists. Let’s keep the focus strictly on the other three. Tell him that I’ve unearthed Maurice O’Toole’s files and that I have a suspicion, borne out by some documentation, that the Hughes Gallery was involved in financing and selling forgeries. Tell him that for a million dollars I’ll go away, and that you’ve already agreed to pay half.”
“What if he doesn’t want to pay?”
“You need to convince him. Tell him that if he saw the documentation I have, he would agree immediately that a million dollars is getting off cheap. And if you think it would be effective, describe the letters I’ve drafted to the Earl and the others.”
“What if he wants to see the documentation?”
“Then he has to see me with it. I won’t let it out of my possession, out of my sight.”
“He can be stubborn.”
“Mr. Hughes, you’re approaching this from the wrong direction. You have an opportunity here to do something quite remarkable. You should be relishing it, not nitpicking the challenges. Your brother is going to be paying a very heavy price for his stupidity. He owes my client more than seventy million dollars, and one way or another, I’m going to collect it. Whatever hurt he caused you and this business is nothing compared to the hurt he’s going to be feeling. So whatever you have to say, say it.”
“I understand that,” he said deliberately. “I also understand only too well the other implications if he doesn’t co-operate. I just need to talk this through a bit.” He paused. “What if, on the other hand, he is immediately agreeable? What if he says he’ll pay the half-million and he doesn’t need to see you or the paperwork?”
“Slim chance. But if it does happen, bluff. Tell him I’m quite insistent on doing the transaction in person.”
She could see he wasn’t convinced. “Are you scared?” she asked, pointing to the files.
“You know I am.”
“Then impart your concerns to your brother. That’s all you really have to do.”
She stood up and he flinched. What does he think I’m going to do? she thought. She picked up the files, secured them with the rubber band, and held them in her lap. “I know I don’t have to say this, but I don’t like to take things for granted. These files aren’t my only copy. My colleague in Hong Kong has a set, and he’s also aware of you and your brother and what role you’ve played in this situation. So if anyone got any ideas about trying to take me out of the equation, it wouldn’t make any difference. In fact, it would probably make things worse. I think that’s a message that might be worth passing along to your brother as well.”