'Hope you know what you're doin' boss.' TJ's not looking too comfortable.
I find a recent number added to my phone and press dial. 'Simmons speaking.'
'Bob, I think the time has come to ask for your help.' I filled the Interpol agent in on what had just transpired and told him about what I had in mind.
'Sounds risky Picker. To be perfectly honest, I can't come up with anything better.'
'Stay to close to your phone. We'll meet up tomorrow before my meeting with Gambelli and Morelli.'
Caught in a crossfire
Danny Morelli was pointing a gun directly at Kelly's chest.
We were standing in a 20' x 40' basement below Gambelli's art gallery on 2nd Street just above Market. When I say we, I mean Kelly, TJ and myself and of course, Danny.
Two significant events occurred the following day. Here is what happened.
First thing in the morning, Connor, unaware of what had transpired the previous day, sent an email with the following message:
'Check wall.'
The anon site had a link sending me to the following article appearing in the online edition of ArtCult: Le Journal Du Marche De L'art. This reproduction of the news brief is translated faithfully from the French:
New Details about Vermeer Find
The now famous controversy surrounding the research of Professor James Thomas Middletown appears to be moving forward. The respected Oxford University professor has provided more documents lending credibility to his claim of a previously unknown work by Johannes Vermeer.
Earlier this week facsimiles of historical documents were forwarded to several institutions including selected museums, universities and a handful of art publications.
This material outlines the timeline of what is being referred to as 'Mother and Child' from when it was gifted to Vermeer’s sister until it ended up in the hands of the German Gestapo with the occupation of France.
This body of material includes original receipts, relevant inventories and thoroughly documented family histories. One black and white photograph depicts the painting in the family’s suites in France prior to the German occupation.
Researchers throughout Europe are poring over the material in an attempt to track down the painting itself.
We will report further developments as they become known.
At this point events began to unfold very quickly. Nathan walked in the door. 'The painting's ready.'
Last evening Nate had rigged the painting with an SZA transmitter. This is an exceptional piece of equipment. The SZA-18 is an ultra-miniature UHF transmitter equipped with a prolonged battery life. Basically, it serves two purposes. One is that it will transmit sounds and conversations to a remote receiver. The other is that it acts as a location beacon.
Remarkably, it is small enough to be concealed just about anywhere. It's most impressive feature is that it is really powerful. In addition, it is voice activated which preserves battery life and makes it virtually undetectable from anti-bugging devices.
'Got the receiver?'
'Right here.'
'Nate, the bad guys don't know you. I need you to come with us and pass the receiver to Special Agent Simmons.'
'Not a problem. When do we saddle up?'
'Any minute now. Put the painting in the back of the car. Where's TJ?'
'Be here any minute.'
The cell rang. It was Gambelli. 'Omni Hotel, 4th and Chestnut, room 404. Twelve noon. Bring the Negro. No dogs!'
I called Bob Simmons and brought him up to date.
TJ showed up and we got into the Morgan. “Kato, backseat.” Nate took his car. Time for the showdown at the O.K. Corral.
Once in town, I parked the car. We entered the hotel lobby and took the elevator to the fourth floor.
'Where's the painting?' Gambelli.
'Close by. Where's Kelly?'
'Close by. Take off all your clothes. Put these on.' TJ and I stripped and put on the green hospital scrubs and booties that Nick Gambelli handed us. Our clothes, cell phones and wallets went into a brown paper bag.
He led us down the hotel's back stairway into a service area and onto a loading dock. We were ushered into a white windowless van. Gambelli turns around from the front seat, 'Painting?'
'In the car, parked on Fourth Street.' The alley is a one way street heading the wrong way. Nick heads west for two blocks, makes a left on 6th, then on Chestnut and finally onto 4th Street. He pulls over in front of the Morgan, pulls my keys from the paper bag and goes to retrieve the painting.
Nick opens the back door of the van and loses his composure for the first time. 'I thought I told you no dogs.'
'Just trying to keep you honest Nicky.' I hop from the back of the truck, take the keys from him and fetch the painting. 'Kato, come.' The monster bounds from the car and follows me into the back of the van.
Before closing the back door Nick said, 'One false move Picker and I'll shoot that dog.'
'Not if he kills you first Nicky. Don't worry; the only thing that I want is to get Kelly back in one piece. The painting is all yours.'
At this point, I don't know where we're going but it can't be too far. Less than five minutes later the van pulls over and Nick turns the engine off.
What happens next is not my fault. Honest.
Once outside the van Nick has us open the storm doors to the basement. From where I am standing I can see the end of the SEPTA line on Market Street. I assume that we're behind Gambelli's gallery on 2nd Street.
'Into the basement, both of you. Grab the painting. Leave the dog outside.'
'Kato, stay.' TJ goes down the stairs into the basement first, followed by me and then Nicky. At the other end of the room Danny Morelli is pointing a gun directly at Kelly's chest.
From where I'm standing Kelly appears to be unharmed. TJ whispers to me, 'Hey, man, we gonna die?'
Why does everyone ask me that? At the risk of being redundant I tell him, 'Yes. But… Not… Today!'
Nicky raises his voice ever so slightly. 'Shut up, both of you.' At this point, he is standing directly behind us. Out of the corner of my eye I see him pull an automatic weapon from behind his back. Shouldn't have done that…
'Let me see the painting,' Nicky said.
It's now or never. I slowly begin to pull the butcher paper off the frame. 'Nicky, this is as good a time as any, considering that you're about to shoot me in the back. Why did they have to kill Doo Wop?'
'I guess it doesn't hurt to tell you now. Those two idiots were going to buy the picture. No one was supposed to get hurt. But the old man was stubborn, wouldn't give it up. They just meant to give the old guy some encouragement. Turns out he wasn't strong enough to take it.'
'Which two idiots, Nicky.'
'That moron Tommy and this one here, Danny.'
Well, that clears that up. 'And Joey?'
'That was me. He was crying like a baby, wanted to go to the cops. Said no one was supposed to get hurt. Loose ends and all that, you know.'
'Yeah, I know. How did you hook up with LaVache?'
He chuckles. 'You know about that, huh? I told them that you weren't stupid. From what I figured out, the value of the painting was more than I could handle. No way I could explain where it came from. Uncle Carmine put me on to LaVache. Anything else, smart boy?'
