Chapter 59 – The Double Agent
A year earlier, when the Junes had been approached by a Russian gangster with a proposal to steal Grade C artifacts from the warehouses of the Hermitage Museum, and despite their adventurous natures, they had been dubious, to say the least. It had taken a master salesman to convince them it could be done, and would provide them with both psychological and financial benefits. In other words, would nourish both their spirits and their pocketbooks. They had decided to plunge into the caper, and they had pulled it off. Even with that accomplishment on their resume, Roger was shocked at his wife’s idea. Kidnap the entire Mariinsky ballet corps, and bring it to Charleston to perform. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Most husbands, at this point, would ask their wives, umm, how, exactly, are you going to do that? Roger knew better. He knew his wife had a plan. And, he knew Gale, the mouth, would do the asking for him.
Gale said, “Kidnap the Russian dancers? Kidnap them, as in throw a coat over their heads and push them into the back seat of a car and drive off with squealing tires? How are we going to do that?”
Gwen waited to see if anyone else wanted to add their indignation or dubiety to Gale’s indignation and dubiety. They knew better, and kept neutral looks on their faces. She said, “We’re not going to kidnap them; someone else will do that for us. We just have to be ready to receive them here, and get them into dance mode. Our dance mode, with our music and choreography. That will be challenge enough. The kidnapping will be done by others.”
Roger cast his mind back over the last week or so, examining the behavior of his wife. Had she acted differently than normal? No. Had she taken an inordinate number of long walks on the beach, deep in thought? No. Had she spent hours alone in the study, talking to unknown people on the telephone, or exchanging dozens of encrypted emails with strange correspondents? No. So where and when had she cooked up this wild idea? While drinking her orange juice and coffee every morning in the kitchen, with him sitting across the breakfast table?
Gale ratcheted back her naturally aggressive tone, and asked, “Care to share?”
“Who is the most famous male ballet dancer in the world?” Gwen said. Then looking at Bart, “Not necessarily the best, but the most famous?”
Bart said, “Baryshnikov, of course.”
Gwen nodded, and said, “Well, he is going to kidnap the dancers for us.”
Pater and Peter were so startled that instinctively and simultaneously they arose from their chairs. “What?”
Selgey and Bart looked at each other. Helstof looked at Gale, who kept staring at Gwen. Roger looked at the floor, and smiled. God, he loved his wife.
Gwen sat down, which prompted the Ps to sit down. In a calm and confident voice she described her plan. “Do you know how old Baryshnikov is? Sixty-four. Who else do we know that is about that age, who has been involved in our project?”
Roger said, “Catherine.”
“Yes. Catherine Deneuve, the most famous actress in the world.” Now she looked at The Whosey, who had remained quiet, listening. “You aren’t the only one who had a fling with Catherine, years ago.” She smiled at him, then looked at the rest of the group. “She and Baryshnikov also had a special friendship. For over a year. And neither of them has forgotten that, take my word for it.” She let it settle in.
Roger waited a moment, said, “What’s the plan, Gwenny?”
She got a look on her face the others had come to know; a look that portended wild things to come. She said, “Catherine already has contacted Baryshnikov. They had a face to face meeting, in Paris.” She let that sink in. “He is going to go to the Mariinsky, tell them he knows about our production here, he knows about Stirg’s production in Saint Petersburg, and wants to offer his services to them as choreographer. He’s going to join their team. There is no way in the world they will turn him down, and it will be a huge coup for them. He hasn’t been back to Russia in twenty years.” She paused. “Then, when the time is right, he will get the dancers on a plane to Paris, for a short visit. He and Catherine have a plan I think will work. He will tell the Mariinsky management, and Stirg, that the Paris trip is part of his research for the choreography, that the whole troupe has to go. “He told Catherine he’s sure he can convince them it’s necessary. Only, the dancers won’t go to Paris, they will end up in Charleston, where they will perform for us. Stirg will be high and dry in Saint Petersburg.”
Roger, looking around at the circle of chairs, saw several open mouths, including that of The Whosey. He wasn’t sure if this was from hearing Gwen’s audacious plan, or from hearing that he wasn’t the only one who had slept with Catherine Deneuve back in the good old days. In any case, the others all were quiet, even Gale, absorbing the implications of what they just had heard. Roger, more used to this sort of thing coming from Gwen, was past it quickly, and into the details of the caper. He said, “Baryshnikov, the double agent.”
The Lost Ballet Page 59