Page 96 of Savage Justice

“Nothing that a well-timed power cut couldn’t fix. It helped that they agreed to meet us at Kbely. Frankie was able to hack into the supply and turn it off for a couple of minutes.”

“What’s Kbely?” I whisper.

“It’s a private airport near Prague. Sounds like they made the switch while the lights were out.”

“Shit. Is there nothing that lad can’t do?”

“He was trained by the best.”

“You mean Casey?” I’ve never actually met Ethan Savage’s sister, the renowned hacker, but her fame precedes her.

“I do.” He checks his watch. “It’ll be a couple of hours until they’re back in Glasgow, then they have to fly over here. We might as well get some sleep.”

“I don’t believe you. You just helped orchestrate the theft of a ten million euro artwork, and now you want to sleep?”

He shrugs. “It’s tiring work, art theft. Anyway, is it theft, technically? The picture was already stolen, we’re just helping it to find its way home again.”

“Are you sure that’s what Ethan will do? Will he actually give it back? I mean, it’s worth a fortune.”

Nico shrugs again. “He said he would.”

“I know, but…”

“Don’t let’s worry about that yet. Our task now is to make sure the deal goes through and the sheikh ends up buying a forged painting. That’ll be when the shit’ll hit the fan.”

Marlowe and I view the masterpiece in silent awe. His version was beautiful, but this, this is beyond exquisite.

Death of Atalanta now hangs on the wall in the great hall at Caraksay. Majestic, serene, atmospheric, a centuries-old wonder.

It’s the first time either of us has actually seen the original. It’s breathtaking.

“I did a fine job,” Marlowe murmurs, “but Dürer did better.”

I can’t disagree, though it’s a close-run thing.

“What happens now?” he asks.

“I’m not sure of the exact sequence of events, but I gather Frankie is monitoring the negotiations. He has to keep intercepting the communications to erase any mention of the viewing.”

“Right. And…?”

“As soon as the deal is struck, the money is to be lodged in a Swiss bank account. I understand Frankie has one set up already. And the picture is to be transported to a place of the purchaser’s choosing for final exchange.”

“So, in the end, Ethan gets the cash, and he already has the genuine picture. The sheikh gets his forgery, and Borys gets outed as a thief and a fraud.”

“Something like that, I think.” I’ve purposefully stayed out of the finer details.

“The Saudis will be furious. The sheikh will want blood. And his money back.”

“I expect so. But he’ll blame Borys. The Kaminskis’ reputation will be ruined, they won’t be able to trade in stolen art anymore. And Kristian won’t have the money to be able to refund it, even if he wanted to.”

Marlowe grins at me. “Neat.”

“Ethan said he’d return Death of Atalanta to Nuremberg, where it belongs. Eventually, once all this is over. Quietly, of course. It must never come out who was behind all this.”

“Do you believe him?” Marlowe wonders.

I nod, slowly. “Yes, I think I do.”

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