“But surely he will wish to talk mainly of our service in Afghanistan.”
“And so you should. During your visit with Albert Dubose, you will naturally show a deep interest in his days during the Second Afghan War. Then be good enough to demonstrate a similar interest in the Cézanne painting and, using your knowledge of Paris, have him account for every moment the canvas was in his hands. Gently persuade him to inform you on the details of the journey, from the purchasing to the transport to the giving of the gift, all the while searching for an event, however trivial, that will connect the Cézanne to the art galleries of West London.”
“Which will clearly establish the common denominator.”
“Precisely,” said Joanna, and signaled to a passing four-wheeler.
4Johnny
“We are at a disadvantage,” said Joanna as we gathered around a flickering fire. Outside, the weather had turned cruel, with a most heavy snowfall and an arctic wind that howled down Baker Street in powerful gusts. Even the three logs in the fireplace had difficulty overcoming the chilled air in our parlor. “The vandal has knowledge that we lack and without which this case cannot be brought to resolution.”
“You do not appear to be convinced that our vandal is simply a crazed individual who searches out portraits of women,” my father surmised. “Which of course is the opinion of Scotland Yard.”
“That conclusion does not fit the facts, Watson.” Joanna reached for a metal poker and stoked the logs, causing them to blaze up anew. “An unbalanced person could certainly know of paintings in various art galleries, either by advertisements or by actually visiting the establishments. But he would not be aware of their restoration sections, such as was the site of vandalism at Hawke and Evans. These areas are closed off and restricted, and a casual visitor would never be allowed in. Then your crazed individual would have to somehow gain knowledge of the Dubose home and the Cézanne painting in its parlor. But it is the technique of his vandalism that draws my attention. You will recall he carefully slices into the canvas to make certain its backing remains pristine and free of any cuts or scratches. What do you make of that?”
“Perhaps he used a razor which would not penetrate deeply,” I suggested. “This is particularly so if the sharp point alone did the damage.”
“The slashes are too wide for a thin razor,” Joanna countered. “At the end of the cuts, the width is broad and somewhat uneven, indicating a large, sturdy knife was used. In other words, I am of the opinion that he intentionally did not go deep, as would be expected if his singular goal was the destruction of the painting.”
“But why not go deep?” I asked at once.
“Think back, John, to each of the defaced portraits, and recall how they were torn in a most unusual fashion,” Joanna prompted.
“The edge was lifted and appeared to be partially folded back.”
“To what end?”
The answer came in an instant. Both my father and I cried out together, “He was looking for something!”
“But what?” Joanna answered back. “And here is where we require an expert in the works of the great artists. We need someone who is an acknowledged authority in the paintings from the Italian Renaissance as well as those of the French impressionists. He should be able to speak of either Raphael or Renoir without skipping a beat.”
“What would you expect to learn from him?” I asked.
“If my assumptions are correct, and I believe they are, there is something of great value hidden beneath the canvas,” Joanna replied. “But here is where I stumble, for the list is long.”
“Another painting?” I ventured.
“Possibly, but how would the vandal know this?” Joanna lighted a Turkish cigarette and began pacing, no doubt assembling the possibilities in her mind. At times she muttered to herself, nodding at one thought and shaking her head at another. “There is quite a list of items which might be hidden behind a valuable painting. You mentioned it might be a second painting, but consider the fact that these works of art may well have been framed and reframed on a number of occasions, and anything concealed behind the canvas would have certainly been seen. Moreover, what does the portrait of a woman have to do with the hidden item? Is it a marker or a telltale sign? Here, an expert in the history of art could prove most helpful.”
“I would cast my vote for it being yet another painting,” my father asserted. “It would surely explain why the vandal made his cut in such a superficial fashion.”
“But why a painting, Watson?” Joanna argued mildly. “Could it not be an ancient historical document of immense value, such as a copy of the Magna Carta, which would be worth untold millions? Or perhaps it holds old currency. The King Edward the Third florin is the most valuable coin in the world. Only three are known to be in existence and all would easily fit behind a canvas. So, at this point we have an extensive list of possibilities, and we have no way of ranking them in order of probability.”
“How could an art historian be of help in this matter?” I asked.
“He could tell us how often this type of vandalism has occurred in the past and describe all the circumstances that surrounded those events,” Joanna replied. “Please recall what I mentioned to Lestrade earlier in this case. There are no truly unique crimes—all have been committed before.”
“Are you saying we are dealing with a copycat crime?”
“That possibility has crossed my mind.”
“But where should we look for a noted art historian?” I asked.
“In an old case of Sherlock Holmes’s.” My father arose and went to a large shelf that held the files of the great detective’s cases. While rummaging through a box marked with the date 1885, he
