Page 64 of Savage Justice

We make our way back to the castle in time to greet Tony and Aaron as they alight from yet another incoming helicopter. Together, the four of us enter the great hall of Caraksay Castle.

Marlowe’s reaction is exactly the same as mine was a few days ago when I first saw this space.

“Holy shit!” He gazes around, taking in the medieval carved fireplace, the huge solid oak table and benches, the tapestries adorning the walls, and the genuine sixteenth-century dresser which houses a cunningly disguised twenty-first century sound and communications system. The restoration works have been subtle to say the least, retaining and enhancing all the period features but somehow managing not to compromise even slightly on comfort and modern convenience.

The Savages run a state-of-the-art global empire from an ancient fortress perched on a Hebridean lump of rock.

But this is a home, too. A place for kids to play and lives to be led. At the far end of the huge hall stands a pair of basketball hoops, and someone has chalked goalposts onto the granite wall.

“The weather can be a bit fierce outside,” I explain. “The boys need somewhere to play…”

“Not to mention jobbing artists,” Marl replies. “Fancy shooting a few hoops?”

“Not right now, but I daresay you’ll have some takers later, when the boys get back from school. We ought to go and find Ethan.”

“Sure. His office, right?”

“It’s this way.” I cross the great hall and lead the way up the staircase at the far end, to reach the first floor.

This section has been mostly converted to offices, but Ethan and his immediate family have their apartment here, too. Aaron is one floor up, and that’s where the guest suites are, as well. One has been allocated for Marlow while he’s here. Nico and I are using another, and my children are next door.

The main office is at the end of the upstairs corridor. The door is standing open when we arrive. Ethan, Aaron, Tony, and Nico are already there, noisily discussing business.

“Olsen’s keen to get a quick sale. He’ll settle for ten million.” Tony’s voice.

“Probably. But I prefer to pay half that. Offer him five.” This from Ethan.

“It’s worth twelve. Fifteen at a push.”

“We can walk away. He can’t. My top offer is six. Tell him that. And tell him to make his fucking mind up. This deal is only on the table for twenty-four hours… Ah, you’re back.” He spots us hovering in the doorway. “Come in.”

We join them in the office-cum-conference room, and Ethan completes the introductions, then it’s straight down to business. He produces a rolled-up poster from his desk and unfurls it on the meeting table, using coffee mugs to anchor the corners.

“Death of Atalanta,” he announces, tilting his head to squint at the reprinted image. “Have you ever seen the original, Mr McGuinness?”

“It’s Marlowe. And yes, once. Not really my bag, if I’m honest.”

“Mine neither. Too much in the way of moody blues and greys,” Ethan agrees. “Give me a nice, airy Constable or Turner any day. Still, we must work with what we have. You know what we want?”

“A copy of this.”

“Right. But not just any copy. A good one. Excellent, in fact. Good enough to pass as the original, at least at first glance. And second, at a push.”

“You understand that forgeries rarely get past first base these days? Once the experts start examining it, they’ll be bringing in x-rays, forensic techniques, chemical analysis of the materials to date and authenticate the work. My replica won’t stand up to that sort of scrutiny. Nothing would.”

“We appreciate that. But it’s also true, is it not, that in the art world, reputation is everything? Once a dealer’s credentials and integrity are called into question, he’s ruined.”

“Yes. Pretty much. Trust is fragile. Once there’s a blemish…”

“And that’s true in the illicit art dealing world as well as the legit one?”

“Probably more so as those deals can’t usually rely on water-tight provenance. If there’s no paper trail, the buyer only has the dealer’s word for it that the work is the real thing.”

“So, our plan is to blemish Borys Glodowski’s reputation. We’ll put him, and his brother, out of business by exposing his so-called masterpiece as a cheap fraud.”

“When you say cheap…?”

Ethan slants him a sharp glance. “You want to renegotiate the fee?”

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