Manof Chpt 59

Chapter 59

At the hospital, everything was quiet. Bruce went to Biot's room. The door was open and Raymond was propped up in bed. His tubes were disconnected. He smiled.

"Good morning, my friend. I'm glad you came so early, and alone."

"It's good to see you, Raymond. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes. Last night I made a decision. That's why I asked you to come and that's why I slept so well. There's something I have to discuss with you."

"Go ahead," said Bruce. He pulled a chair up close to the bed."

Not Quite a Confession

Raymond took Bruce's hand. "What I have to tell you is to be taken, not as a confession, as much as a chance for me to rid myself of a terrible secret. I know you will not use this information against me as I tell it to you so that you might locate the painting you are trying to find."

"Go ahead, my friend. I will keep your secret if it will help me find the picture I seek."

"It will." Raymond leaned forward and talked in a whisper.

"Some years ago, during the war, I worked for the Vichy Government. That is not a secret. I was involved in the authentication and listing of French works of art. Art has been my life and I knew every painting or sculpture that existed in the area. I even knew of the da Vinci you seek. But I never listed that work as I wasn't sure of the provenance. It might have been old but there was no proof of who the artist was. I was also a friend of Countess Marie-Claude's father and I wouldn't have put him or any of his work in jeopardy. I knew that anything being listed during the war might disappear at any time."

He paused and drank some water.

The Nazis 'Appropriated' Art

"I also became aware that the Nazis were 'appropriating' art that they wanted to take back to Germany after the war. They thought it was their right to claim what they called, the spoils of war. In a sense, what I did by identifying certain masterpieces was a form of collaboration that I felt necessary to my survival during a time when people around me were being arrested and deported. I became a necessary tool of the German greed. Yes, I worked for them."

Bruce felt the impact of his friend's confession. He pursed his lips and shook his head. Biot continued.

"Years later, I was involved in a discussion with 'certain people' about that da Vinci. I was asked to create a provenance for the work that would establish its authenticity. Little did I know where that would take me. Now, without naming names or pointing a finger, I have been turned on, by one of the people in that group. I am certain that the person or persons who stole that painting are the same people who beat me the other day.

"There was no robbery. They vandalized a few works to cover their motive. They visited me because I had said that we were all in too deep. I said that the painting was not certain to be authentic
and I didn't want to lie about it. As a memory to my friend who was shot during that terrible war, I refused to lie."

He paused while Bruce thought of a way to find out more. Biot continued.

Briot Says He Was Blackmailed

"I became involved in this plot because I was blackmailed. I
was asked to join this group because of what I had done during
the war. I would keep my silence or they would tell of my wartime activities. Then, one of them turned against me. It was Carlo di
Palma a devious man who became very nervous as he thought
I would call in the authorities. He's a nervous type. It was he and
his son Stefan who visited me the other day. Carlos stood by and grinned like the evil monster he is while his son hit me with a piece of wood. Then they slashed two paintings that were important to me."

Bruce whispered, "Those bastards. They should be punished. They are monsters."

"Bruce," said Raymond, there is more. It was Carlos and his son who stole the da Vinci. One night during a violent rain storm, Stefan entered the house through an unlocked window and using the clatter of thunder as a sound-screen, he stole the picture and replaced it with a poor copy. It wasn't discovered for many days. Now, it is in Carlos's hands. The group is waiting for the right moment to sell it to the right buyer. With my authentification it might be worth a fortune. Without it, it has value only as a curiosity."

Bruce inhaled. "Where is the drawing now?"

"I'm not sure. It's possibly with Carlo or one of the others."

"The others, Bruce said, with eyes wide open. "There are others?"

"Yes, of course. Carlos and his son are too stupid to mastermind such a scheme. There are others but that, I'm afraid, I cannot divulge to you. I am saddened by what has taken place. All my life I tried to do what I felt was my calling. I am not proud of my wartime collaboration but I tell you this as my confession and am willing to let the powers that be decide my fate. I am almost ninety years old. I am weak, afraid and, in a sense, defeated. Now I want to help put things right."

"I will do what I can to help you. I think what you told me can be used to get the drawing back. As far as the others are concerned, perhaps like a wall badly built, the stones will begin to tumble one at a time."

Bruce Leaves the Hospital with a Feeling of Sadness

Bruce left the hospital with a feeling of sadness and a sense of euphoria. There could now be an end of his quest but it might cost his friend dearly. Someone had to pay for the robbery,
the attack on Biot and the plot to steal what might or might not be a national treasure.

He went to a telephone and called Drollet. He was told to wait. Drollet was on his way. He would meet him at the police station in about two hours.

He then called Contantin and said he had learned some valuable information but he didn't say more. He would be back later in the day.

Bruce walked to the small bridge near the abbey. He went back
into the Vieux Moulin and ordered lunch at the water's edge.
His mind raced with what he heard. He might have received information that was key to the entire scam. He was sure that
once they found the missing picture they would uncover the
entire plot.

But now it was time for a good cigar, a double cognac and a
special Brantome lunch. He drank and ate slowly. Suddenly
he had only time on his hands. It was time to eat well and time
to put another conundrum at rest.

(Click here for Chapter 60)


	Chapter 59 At the hospital, everything was quiet. Bruce went to Biot's room. The door was open and Raymond was propped up in bed. His tubes were disconnected. He smiled. "Good morning, my friend. I'm glad you came so early, and alone." "It's good to see you, Raymond. Are you feeling better?" "Yes. Last night I made a decision. That's why I asked you to come and that's why I slept so well. There's something I have to discuss with you." "Go ahead," said Bruce. He pulled a chair up close to the bed." Not Quite a Confession Raymond took Bruce's hand. "What I have to tell you is to be taken, not as a confession, as much as a chance for me to rid myself of a terrible secret. I know you will not use this information against me as I tell it to you so that you might locate the painting you are trying to find." "Go ahead, my friend. I will keep your secret if it will help me find the picture I seek." "It will." Raymond leaned forward and talked in a whisper. "Some years ago, during the war, I worked for the Vichy Government. That is not a secret. I was involved in the authentication and listing of French works of art. Art has been my life and I knew every painting or sculpture that existed in the area. I even knew of the da Vinci you seek. But I never listed that work as I wasn't sure of the provenance. It might have been old but there was no proof of who the artist was. I was also a friend of Countess Marie-Claude's father and I wouldn't have put him or any of his work in jeopardy. I knew that anything being listed during the war might disappear at any time." He paused and drank some water. The Nazis 'Appropriated' Art "I also became aware that the Nazis were 'appropriating' art that they wanted to take back to Germany after the war. They thought it was their right to claim what they called, the spoils of war. In a sense, what I did by identifying certain masterpieces was a form of collaboration that I felt necessary to my survival during a time when people around me were being arrested and deported. I became a necessary tool of the German greed. Yes, I worked for them." Bruce felt the impact of his friend's confession. He pursed his lips and shook his head. Biot continued. "Years later, I was involved in a discussion with 'certain people' about that da Vinci. I was asked to create a provenance for the work that would establish its authenticity. Little did I know where that would take me. Now, without naming names or pointing a finger, I have been turned on, by one of the people in that group. I am certain that the person or persons who stole that painting are the same people who beat me the other day. "There was no robbery. They vandalized a few works to cover their motive. They visited me because I had said that we were all in too deep. I said that the painting was not certain to be authentic and I didn't want to lie about it. As a memory to my friend who was shot during that terrible war, I refused to lie." He paused while Bruce thought of a way to find out more. Biot continued. Briot Says He Was Blackmailed "I became involved in this plot because I was blackmailed. I was asked to join this group because of what I had done during the war. I would keep my silence or they would tell of my wartime activities. Then, one of them turned against me. It was Carlo di Palma a devious man who became very nervous as he thought I would call in the authorities. He's a nervous type. It was he and his son Stefan who visited me the other day. Carlos stood by and grinned like the evil monster he is while his son hit me with a piece of wood. Then they slashed two paintings that were important to me." Bruce whispered, "Those bastards. They should be punished. They are monsters." "Bruce," said Raymond, there is more. It was Carlos and his son who stole the da Vinci. One night during a violent rain storm, Stefan entered the house through an unlocked window and using the clatter of thunder as a sound-screen, he stole the picture and replaced it with a poor copy. It wasn't discovered for many days. Now, it is in Carlos's hands. The group is waiting for the right moment to sell it to the right buyer. With my authentification it might be worth a fortune. Without it, it has value only as a curiosity." Bruce inhaled. "Where is the drawing now?" "I'm not sure. It's possibly with Carlo or one of the others." "The others, Bruce said, with eyes wide open. "There are others?" "Yes, of course. Carlos and his son are too stupid to mastermind such a scheme. There are others but that, I'm afraid, I cannot divulge to you. I am saddened by what has taken place. All my life I tried to do what I felt was my calling. I am not proud of my wartime collaboration but I tell you this as my confession and am willing to let the powers that be decide my fate. I am almost ninety years old. I am weak, afraid and, in a sense, defeated. Now I want to help put things right." "I will do what I can to help you. I think what you told me can be used to get the drawing back. As far as the others are concerned, perhaps like a wall badly built, the stones will begin to tumble one at a time." Bruce Leaves the Hospital with a Feeling of Sadness Bruce left the hospital with a feeling of sadness and a sense of euphoria. There could now be an end of his quest but it might cost his friend dearly. Someone had to pay for the robbery, the attack on Biot and the plot to steal what might or might not be a national treasure. He went to a telephone and called Drollet. He was told to wait. Drollet was on his way. He would meet him at the police station in about two hours. He then called Contantin and said he had learned some valuable information but he didn't say more. He would be back later in the day. Bruce walked to the small bridge near the abbey. He went back into the Vieux Moulin and ordered lunch at the water's edge. His mind raced with what he heard. He might have received information that was key to the entire scam. He was sure that once they found the missing picture they would uncover the entire plot. But now it was time for a good cigar, a double cognac and a special Brantome lunch. He drank and ate slowly. Suddenly he had only time on his hands. It was time to eat well and time to put another conundrum at rest. (Click here for Chapter 60)