Page 151 of Stuart Woods' Smolder

“I’m Rudy’s girlfriend. Come in. He’s expecting you.”

There was something vaguely familiar about her, but he couldn’t place it. Maybe he had seen her with Rudy in the past. Whatever the case, he didn’t have time to worry about it. He stepped inside. “Where is he?”

“Downstairs.”

The woman didn’t follow him, for which he was glad. He’d much rather keep the business between him and Rudy.

The forger scowled as Simon entered the studio. “You’re early.”

“Are you done?”

“Yeah.”

“Then what does it matter?”

“Whatever.”

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.”

Something passed through Rudy’s eyes too quickly for Simon to decipher.

Rudy picked up a piece of wood that would fit over the open end of the box that sat in the middle of the room. “And I don’t know anything about your personal life, either. So, what does it matter?”

“Do you trust her?”

“That’s a stupid question.” Rudy gestured to the box. “You want me to close it, or do you need to see the paintings first?”

“That’s them?”

“Why in the hell would I ask you that question if it wasn’t?”

“Yes, I would like to see them first, please.”

Rudy swept a hand toward the box and stepped away. “Be my guest.”

Simon slipped the first painting out enough to see it and frowned. “I guess this is the best I could expect from you given the time restraints.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Simon pushed the painting back into the box, then repeated the process with the other two. Even a halfway competent expert would be able to tell they were forgeries, especially the last, but there was nothing to be done about it. But it really didn’t matter. No expert would ever see them.

He stepped back from the box. “Nowyou can close it.”

Ruby nailed the cover in place, then the two of them carried it upstairs.

When the girlfriend saw them, she jumped off the couch and said, “I’ll get the door, honey.”

“Thanks, uh, sweetheart,” Rudy said.

Outside, there was a couple engrossed in conversation in front of the neighboring townhouse. They hadn’t been there when Simon arrived, but neither seemed to take any notice of him or Rudy.

Simon and the forger slipped the container in the back door of the van and secured it to the wall with some rope.

As Simon was climbing into the driver’s seat, Rudy said, “Next time find someone else.”

Simon flashed a smile. “You’re in luck, Rudy. There’s not going to be a next time.” He shut the door, started the engine, and drove off.

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