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Chapter 21

Charlie sat in a chair by the fireplace in Alex's office, along with Sin and Gabriel.

"You say you finished the print," Alex said, eyeing Sin speculatively as he leaned casually against the mantel on the fireplace.

"Aye." Sin put on a pair of gloves and opened the lid of the box, setting the top on the couch. He pulled out both prints and laid them side by side on the coffee table.

Alex walked over to get a better look. "I can't tell one from the other."

Charlie looked over curiously. It was the first time she had seen them, and she could feel Sin's eyes studying her. "You've done a fine job," she agreed. He had captured the essence of the Woman in Transparent Drapery, from the rise of her breasts to the arch of her lower back, matching stroke for stroke perfectly in depth and shade.

"Can you tell the difference?" Sin asked her directly.

"Yes, but you have to remember I studied Klimt," she warned.

"Well, which is which because they look the same to me?" Alex said, enthralled.

"It has to do with the eyes. In this one, the woman looks seductive but there is a contemplativeness hidden in the depths like she knows she has a job to do." She glanced up at Sin. "This one, however, has the same seductive look, but it comes from pure adoration."

Alex and Gabriel both looked closer, shaking their heads. "I can't see a difference."

"Art is never created from the eyes, it comes from the soul. You're seeing it wrong. You must look with your heart not with your head."

"So, which one is the original?" the colonel asked.

"This is Klimt's," she said, pointing to the one on the right. "He loved women, loved their sexuality but wouldn't have thought he was worthy of it. No matter how well the woman faked it, in the end, he would have believed she was only pretending to look at him so alluringly." She turned to the other one. "This one is Sin's. He, on the other hand, thinks all women adore and want him."

Alex and Gabriel laughed. "Is she right?" Gabriel asked Sin once he recovered.

He had turned a deep shade of red but managed a sly smile. "Clever lass. She's right."

"Do you think Sokolov will be able to tell?" Alex looked at Charlie.

She tried to hide the look of fear that grew in her at mention of his name. "No. He sees with his eyes," she said, her voice shaking slightly. "He has no soul."

Alex patted her on the knee, sensing her unease. "You're right about that."

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Sin asked, rolling up the fake print and putting the original back in the box. "We need to get it back to the Gallery," he added softly to the ex-priest as he took the gloves off.

Gabriel nodded. "I'll handle it tomorrow."

"Dougie, Gabriel and I have been working on deciphering the crest. There are hidden messages in it and we've narrowed down a location and time," Alex said, returning to his spot by the mantel.

"What have you got?"

Gabriel retrieved a folder from Alex's desk, taking out a photograph of Charlie's stomach. It had been enlarged in order to see the fine details. "Dougie cleaned up the edges, making it more defined. See here," he said, pointing to a small portion. "Instead of the head of the sphynx, it's been replaced with the head of a stag with a cross between its antlers."

Charlie couldn't bring herself to look. She stood up and moved to the window. A light rain had started to fall.

"And?" Sin asked.

"It's from the legend of King David the first," Gabriel explained. "It's said that he was hunting one day below Arthur's Seat and saw a white stag with a glowing cross between its antlers. He was inspired to build an abbey in the place where he had the vision."

"Holyrood Abbey," Sin said.

"Aye," Gabriel agreed.

Charlie stayed at the window but turned to face the men. "Why there? It's open to the public. That would be taking a risk."

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