Chapter 54

Gilles Drollet drove carefully as he always did. He would stop in Brantome to talk to the man who had been beaten and robbed. He had the Brantome detective's report in his briefcase. All the way he kept thinking of Stefan Di Palma. There was something gnawing at him. Where had he heard that name before? What was there about the man that was so unsettling?

He sat in the hospital parking lot and read the report. Dr. Raymond Biot was an art restorer and expert in many facets of his craft. In broad daylight one or more persons had entered his shop, hit him on the head and ripped two large paintings. He had called the police and then passed out.

He went to the hospital office, showed his credentials and used their telephone. He asked a fellow officer in his office to check on the name Stefan Di Palma. He said he'd call back.

Dr. Biot Is Heavily Sedated

Upstairs, he was told that Dr Biot was asleep. He was heavily sedated and Drollet would have to come back. He decided to have a light lunch. Meanwhile, Picard and Hellstrom chatted.

"I don't think we should panic but Biot, I'm afraid is in a bad state. He's old and fragile. Yet, I wanted you to be with me when I visited him. We can go over in a while. Whoever did this should be…""

"Maybe Biot knows who it was," Hellstrom said. He showed no signs of nervousness. It was possible that Biot was robbed and there was no connection to what was happening. "Perhaps", he said, "we're over reacting."

"We'll see," said Picard.

Hellstrom Acquires a Rubens

Then the conversation turned to another topic. Hellstrom said he recently acquired a Rubens figure. He quoted a price that Picard thought reasonable. Of course, he'd have to drive to Amboise to see it."

Picard mused. "There seem to be many great works showing up in France these days."

"Yes, Hellstrom smiled." There seems no end. I have other things I can show you."

After a while they left for Brantome. They entered the hospital
just after Drollet left. The detective had failed to talk to Biot but he had telephoned is office again. There was no trace of the name Stefan Di Palma on record. Drollet asked his colleague to keep checking. He thanked the hospital staff and left.

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