Page 50 of Traitors Gate

‘I’d be willing to risk seven-fifty,’ said Christina as she took a cheque book out of her handbag.

‘I don’t do cheques,’ said Percy. ‘All too easy for the taxman to trace.’

‘Then let’s meet again after I’ve picked up some cash from my bank.’

‘Fine by me,’ said Percy as he handed Christina his card, ‘especially if it means I get to see you again.’

‘Sir Percy Singleton Bart, no less,’ said Christina, sounding impressed.

‘Just something else I inherited from my father,’ said Percy. ‘It guarantees you a table in a packed restaurant, but what’s the point if you can’t afford to pay the bill?’

‘Same time tomorrow suit you?’ asked Christina.

‘Fine. But why don’t you take this one and have it checkedout by a dealer. After all, I could be a con man preying on an impressionable young woman.’

‘That’s a risk you’d be willing to take?’ asked Christina as he took the coin back out of his pocket and handed it to her.

‘Why not? I know where to find you. That’s assuming you really are on the board of the Fitzmolean. But as you were having coffee with the director, I’ll take my chances.’

‘Thank you,’ said Christina as she slipped the coin into her handbag and called for the bill.

A waiter appeared moments later. Percy handed him a ten-pound note and said, ‘Keep the change.’

• • •

The two men met outside the Churchill War Rooms but didn’t join the queue.

Booth Watson had arrived on time and was already waiting for his client, which didn’t surprise Miles as he was paid by the hour.

The two men crossed the road and joined one of the many winding paths that criss-cross St James’s Park, with only tourists, dog walkers and women pushing prams joining them.

‘There are a couple of urgent problems I need your advice on, BW,’ said Miles as they began to stroll around a lake with Buckingham Palace in the background. ‘I have reason to believe,’ he continued, ‘that Christina, aided and abetted by Warwick and Hogan, recently took a trip to New York, when they managed to switch my Rubens for the Fitzmolean’s worthless copy.’

‘How can that be possible?’ asked Booth Watson. ‘Houdini wouldn’t have been able to break into your apartment.’

‘He could have done if he’d read theNew York Timesproperty section. As you know, it’s currently on the market and one of the interested parties was an FBI agent called James Buchanan. But more important, he turns out to be a close friend of the Warwicks.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘It’s a long story, but all that matters is that the Fitzmolean are now in possession of my Rubens, while I’ve ended up with the counterfeit I commissioned several years ago because Christina double-crossed me at the last minute.’ Booth Watson didn’t comment. ‘What I want to know is if there is anything I can do about it.’

Booth Watson continued walking for some time before he passed judgement. ‘Not a thing, I’m afraid. When you gifted the painting to the Fitzmolean some years ago, you not only assured them it was the original but presented the director with the provenance and paperwork to prove it. I don’t have to remind you, Miles, your singular act of generosity, if I recall the judge’s exact words, unquestionably influenced His Lordship’s decision to give you a suspended sentence. Remorse was the word he kept repeating during his summing up.’

‘So you’re telling me there’s no way I can get my painting back?’ said Miles, unable to hide his frustration.

‘No way,’ Booth Watson repeated. ‘Short of stealing it, which I wouldn’t recommend unless of course you want to go back to prison for an even longer spell.’

‘Not a chance,’ said Miles with some feeling. ‘However, I have come up with a plan that will not only prevent Warwick from eventually taking Commander Hawksby’s place but could well see him back on the beat.’

‘Amen to that,’ said Booth Watson. ‘But what about Christina?’

‘She’s just about to get her two pennies’ worth.’

‘Should I presume that’s the other reason you wanted to see me?’

‘No,’ said Miles as they lingered by the side of the lake and watched two ducks scrabble over a piece of bread. ‘I need to ask you a couple of personal questions before we discuss the real reason I wanted to see you.’ Booth Watson nodded and was once again wrong-footed. ‘How’s business been lately?’

‘Up and down, like Tower Bridge. Why do you ask?’

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