Chapter 55

Without visiting Dr Biot, Drollet had some time on his hands. He headed for Hautefort. He wanted to go over a few things with Kellner and the family.

Bruce was surprised to see the white haired detective. They sat alone in a small living room and Drollet consulted his notes.

"This morning I interviewed the people who repaired the window. The man who actually did the work said he worked from the outside only. He never entered the house. If it was locked, it would have to have been from the inside."

Not the Room in Question, Says Bruce

Bruce rose and walked to the window. "This is not the room in question, but it is the same type of window. Look. They really don't lock. If you turn the handle it grips on to the other frame. It's secured and tight but it does not lock."

"So what the installer said was probably correct. Besides, he surely wouldn't have left it open."

Bruce thought. "No, not open but if the handle wasn't turned, it would open easily from the outside."

Drollet examined the window opened and closed it a few times then made a note. Bruce leaned over and said, "I have interviewed a number of people. Most of them have been here and have knowledge of the picture in question. I think we have to put our heads together. Let me tell you what I know to this point."

Drollet gestured that he would like to smoke his pipe. Bruce smiled and lit a cigar.

Bruce spoke first. "I went to Barcelona to meet Marie Claude d'Autafort's ex wife. He knew about the picture, had been there and was in the antique furniture business. He seemed very cooperative but added nothing to what we already knew. While I was there I met his business partner. Her name is Marina Alvarez. She was more helpful. She gave me the names of people who were expert in the work of da Vinci or they knew people in the art world who might know if such a picture was ever put on the market. One of the people I met was a Finnish art dealer from Amboise, the city where da Vinci died."

Drollet exhaled. "You mean Karl Hellstrom," he said. "His name has come up many times in questionable art dealings. I know of the man. We have a growing file on him at headquarters. But so far we cannot pinpoint any wrongdoings."

Hellstrom Devotes Many Hours to the Museum

"Actually, "added Bruce, "he's a big help to the da Vinci museum at the Clos Luce. He devotes many hours to the museum."

"Yes, said Drollet. We know all about the man, what he does and how he came to France. He's Swedish."

"No, no. You must be mistaken. He's Finnish, from Helsinki."

"I think not, "said Drollet. We have proof that he came to France from Sweden. He carries Swedish papers. He came here after the Germans left. He lived in Alsace for a while. Then he moved to Amboise."

"Why would he lie to me?" Bruce was genually perplexed. He rose and walked to the window. "He was so nice to us when we met. We were at his home. I saw his wonderful automobile collection."

"Did he tell you how he made enough money to buy those cars and that villa?"

"Yes, he said that he bought paintings from German officers who were trying to flee Europe. He then sold them at a profit."

Drollet shook is head and pursed his lips. "He's a slippery one that Hellstrom. He lives too high for a man selling inexpensive paintings in a Loire town. I think he's involved with more than that. His taste for old cars implies a fortune which continues to grow. We still have an open file on him. We're trying to discover more about his dealings in Sweden before he came to France."

Why in Finland?

"Why would he say he was in Finland during the last days of the war?"

"He's covering his tracks. Karl Hellstrom was nowhere near Finland after 1940. He was in Sweden and he was making huge sums of money while thousands starved."

Marie Claude entered. She asked the detective if he wanted to stay for dinner or perhaps for the night. He accepted the dinner invitation and said he would call his office. If he wasn't needed there he would return to Brantome and visit Biot in the morning.

During dinner, they chatted about the reconstruction of the region.
"This will, one day become a major tourist area. This chateau, Brantome, Sarlat and Montignac, and Lascaux if they reconstruct it as Lascaux II will become popular. It is very beautiful, as most of France is and there is talk of big hotel investments in central France. I was born here and wouldn't trade it for any town." Then he added, "Have you visited Rocamadour?"

"Not yet," said Bruce but I will before I return to Nice."

Drollet excused himself to call his office again. He was gone for a long time.

Bruce and Marie Claude discussed Karl Hellstrom.
It was apparent that the Amboise dealer was not who he appeared to be.

(Click here for Chapter 56)