Chapter 56

After Drollet left Brantome, Picard and Hellsrom waited at the nurses' station. Biot was asleep. They decided to wait.
As luck would have it Raymond Biot awoke about half an hour later. The visitors entered the room.

Biot opened his eyes and frowned.

"How are you feeling, my friend?" Picard asked with a smile.

"Terrible," came the answer. You have involved me with desperate men. I should never have involved myself with you."

Picard Whispers...Is Someone Listening?

"Why?" Picard whispered for fear someone was listening. "What happened to you?"

"I was beaten," he replied. Suddenly I am suspected of deceiving you?"

"But I trust you. Who would say a thing like that?"

Biot closed his eyes and shook his head.

"We are friends, Hellstrom interjected. Why would you deceive us and who would utter such words?'

Biot stared at him for a long moment then whispered, 'Carlo. He's a mad man."

"What?" Picard cried. "He did this to you?"

"Yes. He and his idiotic son. He came to talk about the authenticity of the drawing. I told him I had doubts and would not tell a purchaser that I could vouch for it without question. I never said it was not real. I just said I had certain doubts."

"And for this, they beat you?" Picard was stunned.

"Mercilessly. It was the son. He hit me with a plank…"

Picard Will Speak to Carlos

Picard squeezed Biot's hand. "I am very sorry, my friend. Carlos is under a lot of pressure. I'll speak to him."

Biot took a deep breath. "Don't bother. It's too late."

Picard and Hellstrom looked at each other in disbelief. Hellstrom turned back to Biot but he was asleep again."

Picard jumped up. "We'd better leave. Biot has told someone about Carlos's attack. That's the second stupid thing that was done. Now attention has been drawn to Carlos. How long will it take for our names to be associated with him? I think you'd better get back to Amboise. I have some thinking to do."

"They left the city in separate cars.

(Click here for Chapter 57)