‘Perhaps the Ministry of Justice is like school - they’re all allowed to do sports on Wednesday afternoons,’ Olivia said.
Nancy had excused herself from the café as soon as she’d finished eating. ‘If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to do something more cultural this afternoon,’ she said to Olivia. ‘You can go shoe shopping while I head to the Louvre.’
Nancy stood in the foyer of the Louvre studying the visitor’s guide. She hadn’t appreciated how large the museum was until she saw the layout printed on the back. She’d promised to meet Olivia outside in an hour’s time but it was going to take a lot longer than that to do it justice. Shedecided to concentrate on the most famous exhibits and come back another day to look at the rest.
The Mona Lisa would be a good place to start. She worked out the most efficient route to get to it: up a large stone staircase, then turn right at the top. That brought her out into a long gallery full of enormous oil paintings as well as lots of people. She checked the map again. She needed to turn right at the far end of the gallery but it wasn’t going to be easy getting through the crowd. She’d try an alternative route.
She walked into a smaller gallery which was much quieter. As she set off towards the far end, she noticed a man sitting on a bench, entranced by a large landscape. He looked just like Hans. But Hans didn’t like art. He’d said that in the café last week when she’d floated the idea of them going to a gallery together for a change.
A woman walked in from the opposite end of the gallery and sat close to the man - so close that if they weren’t close friends already, they soon would be. She was smartly dressed with dark hair in a short pixie cut and a distinctive white streak in her fringe. Nancy couldn’t decide if it was dyed or natural.
The man turned his head, scanning the room. There was no doubt about it - it was definitely Hans. Nancy quickly turned away so he wouldn’t see her face. When she risked turning back, Hans was whispering something in the woman’s ear. Nancy felt a pang of jealousy.You aren’t going out with him. He can see other people. You’ve assumed he’s single, but he’s never actually said that.Or perhaps it wasn’t jealousy but annoyance that he’d lied to her about not liking art galleries.
No point shilly-shallying, Nancy. Get him to introduce you to her.She marched up to them. The woman got up immediately and left the gallery without even acknowledging Nancy’s presence. How bloody rude!
‘What a lovely surprise,’ Hans said, but his expression said otherwise.
‘I thought you didn’t like art galleries.’
‘I had to meet someone. She suggested here.’
‘Who is she?’
‘Someone I know from Berlin. It’s for work.’
Nancy didn’t believe that for a minute. ‘Working on a Saturday? That’s a bit much, isn’t it? She’s left her newspaper behind.’ Nancy nodded to the folded-up newspaper that was lying next to Hans’s thigh, right where the woman had been sitting. It was the same one that Olivia had purchased earlier with Monsieur Lambert on the front.
He grabbed the newspaper and hastily shoved it into his coat pocket. ‘She thought I would be interested in one of the articles. Shall we look around the rest of the gallery together while we’re both here?’ he asked, getting up.
Nancy was still annoyed with him. ‘No, I’d prefer to look round alone, thanks.’
He nodded. ‘See you after work on Tuesday?’
‘I guess so,’ she said, walking away.
Olivia was standing outside the main entrance to the Louvre when Nancy emerged.
‘Have you been waiting long?’ Nancy asked
‘I only just got here.’ Olivia said ‘Mission accomplished,’ she said, proudly holding up her haul of shopping bags.
Nancy guessed there were at least three shoe boxes in there.
Olivia must have read her mind. ‘There was a sale on. They were bargains. How was your cultural interlude?’
‘Even more interesting than I expected.’
‘Why?’
‘I bumped into Hans.’
‘That’s nice.’ Olivia looked delighted.
‘And a woman.’
Olivia’s face fell. ‘What woman?’
Nancy filled her in on what had happened.