Manof Chpt9

Chapter 9

"How much do you trust Marcel"?

"I'd trust him with my life."

"So would I," said Marie-Claude, immediately. He's like family. When his family was killed during the war, Constantin and I decided he would live with us. We grew up together. He's a paragon of virtue."

"Hmm," from Bruce. "That's saying a lot."

"Yes," said Constantin as he poured them each a brandy. "First of all, he does not have the knowledge of Art and History as we do. He was a boy from a hard working family who we literally took in as a member of the family. He would have more to lose if he was involved in a nefarious scheme than he would gain. I would trust him. No. I would dismiss the thought. It is not possible."

"Good," Bruce replied. "I knew you'd say that. I sensed it. As a matter of fact, I asked him a few questions already. He agreed to list all those who have been in the chateau before the sketch was found missing. He agreed and now I'd like to ask the two of you to do the same."

After much discussion of how long they would have to go back, they agreed to do it, reluctantly."

"What will it prove?" asked Constantin.

"Nothing," Bruce replied but it will tell me something about the day to day workings of the chateau. I have to see patterns, security and so on."

"Well. I'll gladly list the companies and workers who are here on a regular basis and of course the people we hire every day. I doubt if it will tell you much, but I'm ready to cooperate."

"So am I," said Marie-Claude but I'm away often and there may be duplications."

"No problem," said Bruce. "Let's see what happens. There's no rush. In the meantime
I'm going to look around the town for a day or two."

"Would you like to go anywhere? I can take you in the car. I'm not doing much these
days." Marie- Claude was anxious to get involved.

"I'm sure there are many places to visit. I'll study a map tonight and let you know in a
day or so. But for the time being, I'd like you to tell me as much as you know about the history of the drawing if you would and I'd like to see the drawing that the culprit took."

Constantin rose. "Follow me," he said. "Marie-Claude and Bruce followed.

They were in Constantin's private library. Many of the books were leather bound and behind glass. The count unlocked a large drawer and withdrew a framed picture. He put
on a desk lamp and withdrew the drawing. It had a new look about it which immediately struck Bruce with the crude plan of the culprits.

"They certainly didn't take many pains to disguise their work. One look would tell the uninformed that this was a new drawing."

"Yes, it was obvious said Constantin, but I hadn't looked at it in months. I'm not certain when it was taken. That's why a list of those who may have seen it will be so difficult to construct."

"Yes," Marie-Claude agreed. "I don't remember the last time I looked closely at it. It
hung in a room with large furniture and plants. It was not a room I entered often."

"Well," said Bruce, "that may make our task harder, but we must begin somewhere."

"Yes," Conn agreed, let's begin with our examination of the sketch."

Bruce adjusted his reading glasses.

"As you can see, it is a simple sketch, easy to duplicate. It is black on white although the original seemed to be lighter black on yellowing paper. It was framed under glare-proof glass to preserve it and only hung in the chateau since the war. Before that it had been stored. On the back of the original drawing there were a few words of description written
in mirror image. It was signed by the artist. On this recent forgery there is nothing on the back."

Bruce held a magnified glass to the sketch. The hand was fairly steady. The lines were bold the paper was obviously new. There was no serious attempt to make the sketch look old and yet, for some time it fooled the viewers… if, as Constintin suggested, there were viewers at all. Bruce was surprised that something this important and this old would have been hung in a rather obscure place. Yet someone found it, knew its value and had stolen it. The police report was vague and hastily scribbled. He noted the name of the investigating officer and wrote it in his memo book.

"I'd like to talk with the police about their investigation," he said.
Constantin gave him the address in Montignac.

"Can we go to Montignac?" he asked.
Marie Claude replied. "I wanted to go there next week to attend the master brotherhood of pastry chef's meetings. Perhaps we can go together."

"Good idea," Constantin added. "I'll stay here but I would like to show you the town and the countryside this weekend. Perhaps you are free to do so tomorrow?"

"Yes," Bruce replied, replacing his glasses. "I'd like that."

Click here for Chapter 10.


	Chapter 9 "How much do you trust Marcel"? "I'd trust him with my life." "So would I," said Marie-Claude, immediately. He's like family. When his family was killed during the war, Constantin and I decided he would live with us. We grew up together. He's a paragon of virtue." "Hmm," from Bruce. "That's saying a lot." "Yes," said Constantin as he poured them each a brandy. "First of all, he does not have the knowledge of Art and History as we do. He was a boy from a hard working family who we literally took in as a member of the family. He would have more to lose if he was involved in a nefarious scheme than he would gain. I would trust him. No. I would dismiss the thought. It is not possible." "Good," Bruce replied. "I knew you'd say that. I sensed it. As a matter of fact, I asked him a few questions already. He agreed to list all those who have been in the chateau before the sketch was found missing. He agreed and now I'd like to ask the two of you to do the same." After much discussion of how long they would have to go back, they agreed to do it, reluctantly." "What will it prove?" asked Constantin. "Nothing," Bruce replied but it will tell me something about the day to day workings of the chateau. I have to see patterns, security and so on." "Well. I'll gladly list the companies and workers who are here on a regular basis and of course the people we hire every day. I doubt if it will tell you much, but I'm ready to cooperate." "So am I," said Marie-Claude but I'm away often and there may be duplications." "No problem," said Bruce. "Let's see what happens. There's no rush. In the meantime I'm going to look around the town for a day or two." "Would you like to go anywhere? I can take you in the car. I'm not doing much these days." Marie- Claude was anxious to get involved. "I'm sure there are many places to visit. I'll study a map tonight and let you know in a day or so. But for the time being, I'd like you to tell me as much as you know about the history of the drawing if you would and I'd like to see the drawing that the culprit took." Constantin rose. "Follow me," he said. "Marie-Claude and Bruce followed. They were in Constantin's private library. Many of the books were leather bound and behind glass. The count unlocked a large drawer and withdrew a framed picture. He put on a desk lamp and withdrew the drawing. It had a new look about it which immediately struck Bruce with the crude plan of the culprits. "They certainly didn't take many pains to disguise their work. One look would tell the uninformed that this was a new drawing." "Yes, it was obvious said Constantin, but I hadn't looked at it in months. I'm not certain when it was taken. That's why a list of those who may have seen it will be so difficult to construct." "Yes," Marie-Claude agreed. "I don't remember the last time I looked closely at it. It hung in a room with large furniture and plants. It was not a room I entered often." "Well," said Bruce, "that may make our task harder, but we must begin somewhere." "Yes," Conn agreed, let's begin with our examination of the sketch." Bruce adjusted his reading glasses. "As you can see, it is a simple sketch, easy to duplicate. It is black on white although the original seemed to be lighter black on yellowing paper. It was framed under glare-proof glass to preserve it and only hung in the chateau since the war. Before that it had been stored. On the back of the original drawing there were a few words of description written in mirror image. It was signed by the artist. On this recent forgery there is nothing on the back." Bruce held a magnified glass to the sketch. The hand was fairly steady. The lines were bold the paper was obviously new. There was no serious attempt to make the sketch look old and yet, for some time it fooled the viewers… if, as Constintin suggested, there were viewers at all. Bruce was surprised that something this important and this old would have been hung in a rather obscure place. Yet someone found it, knew its value and had stolen it. The police report was vague and hastily scribbled. He noted the name of the investigating officer and wrote it in his memo book. "I'd like to talk with the police about their investigation," he said. Constantin gave him the address in Montignac. "Can we go to Montignac?" he asked. Marie Claude replied. "I wanted to go there next week to attend the master brotherhood of pastry chef's meetings. Perhaps we can go together." "Good idea," Constantin added. "I'll stay here but I would like to show you the town and the countryside this weekend. Perhaps you are free to do so tomorrow?" "Yes," Bruce replied, replacing his glasses. "I'd like that." Click here for Chapter 10.