Chapter 18

Hours later they were sitting around the dining room table with Constantin, discussing their findings. Marie-Claude kept harping on Carlos's personality, his background, his family history.

Bruce couldn't help interrupting her. "But, my dear, he is not an honest man."

She recoiled. "But he is. He would never steal…"

"But he would cheat. He cheated on you."

Marie Claude's shoulders sunk. She sipped her Sherry. "Yes, you are right. I suppose, if a man can cheat on me, he can steal from me too."

Bruce was curious. "Has his business failed? Is he going through hard times. What has become of him since you left him?"

Constantin intervened. "Au contraire. He has done very well, I am told. Even under Franco, he has managed to expand his business. He doesn't seem to want for money and the jewels we returned to him have a certain value, no doubt, even if he probably won't sell them. No. I agree with my sister. He is a very unlikely suspect. It is just a coincidence that he saw the drawing just before it disappeared. And if I am wrong, what do we do next?"

Marie-Claude stirred her coffee and said, "Carlos deals in furniture. His partner takes care of the art. If he told her or anyone else about the Leonardo drawing, I wouldn't know."

Bruce raised his glass. "That's were I come in. I think its time for me to visit Carlos Diaz in Barcelona. Perhaps I can go by train on Monday."

"You decide," Constantin smiled.

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