The Becić Connection

by Estelle Ryan

  I continued past the interview rooms, past the conference room and stopped at the door to the left. The technical room had impressed me the first time I’d been here. Even Francine had approved of the high-standard equipment in the room. She’d not approved of being in the police station though. Even though she wasn’t a black-hat hacker, she didn’t trust the police not to arrest her on sight.

  The door opened and a man in his early fifties stepped out into the hallway. His bushy eyebrows rose above his frameless glasses when he saw Vinnie, Manny, Colin, Pink and Daniel standing next to me. For a moment, his nonverbal cues strongly communicated his annoyance, but then he sighed. “What else did I expect?”

  “Captain Bouvier, thank you for letting us look at the footage.” Manny stepped forward and held out his hand.

  Captain Bouvier shook Manny’s hand. “I don’t know how you can help your girl. She stole that painting as clear as day.”

  “It can’t be true.” Pink shook his head, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Nikki would never steal.”

  “You shouldn’t even be here.” Captain Bouvier lowered his chin to look at Pink over his glasses. “This is far too personal for you. And a breach of protocol.”

  “Captain, please.” Pink swallowed hard. “You know me. I keep my cool. Always. I will keep my cool with this too.”

  “I’ve got him, Captain.” Daniel took a step to the side to place himself slightly between Pink and the captain. “I trust Pink with my life. He won’t screw up.”

  The captain pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily. “This is already screwed up all the way to Sunday, Cassel. I should have you out there arresting that girl, not in here looking for ways to help her.”

  “This will not be forgotten, Bouvier.” Manny’s tone and facial expression implied there was much more to his statement. I didn’t care to find out what. I needed to locate Nikki.

  “Hmph.” The captain waved us into the tech room. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Colin lifted my hand and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles. “Ready?”

  I looked at my white knuckles and realised I had to be hurting Colin with my tight grip. I nodded, closed my eyes and mentally wrote the first line of Mozart’s Piano Sonata. It helped.

  When I opened my eyes, Colin was glaring at Manny, who was glaring at me from inside the tech room. I pulled my shoulders back and entered the room. It was crowded and I was already receiving far too much emotional stimulation. But strangely enough, this time the small space didn’t bring on signs of a looming shutdown.

  That happened when I looked at the bank of monitors against the wall and saw Nikki staring straight at the camera. She was wearing her favourite green spring coat, jeans and colourful sneakers Roxy had given her for Christmas. Tendrils of hair were escaping the messy bun on her head and her mascara was smudged under her eyes.

  I gasped, my hand flying up to press against my chest. It felt like my heart was going to explode. Darkness entered my peripheral vision.

  “I’ll start the show from the beginning.” The captain sat down in one of the two chairs by the desk and pulled the keyboard and mouse closer. Nikki’s face disappeared from the screen to be replaced with a view of the back door of the gallery where she worked. I’d visited her a few times and entered through the back door only once.

  I focused on each breath I took so I could push away the shutdown and give the footage my undivided attention.

  The timestamp on the video was for nine-thirty in the evening. Nothing happened for three seconds and then the back door opened. Nikki entered the gallery alone, closed the door behind her and walked down the hallway that led to the restoration rooms. She swiped her employee card and opened the second door to the right.

  The captain grunted and pressed a few keys on the computer keyboard. The monitor now showed the inside of the restoration room Nikki shared with two colleagues. When she’d showed me around the first time, she’d boasted that it looked like an art laboratory. She’d been very close in her description.

  It was a large room, the walls covered with paintings hanging there as if on display. Numerous pipettes and glass beakers needed for the gentle chemicals the restorers used when they worked on a painting stood in neat groups on each of the four long stainless-steel tables. There was much chemistry involved when restoring a two- or three-hundred-year-old painting.

  Nikki walked right past all of that to the back of the room. The area resembled an artist’s studio. Paintings were resting on easels, some with cloths draped over them. Each one had a stool in front of it and a trolley next to the stool, loaded with brushes, steel tweezers, cotton swabs, and everything else the restorers would need.

  It always looked like Nikki bounced when she walked—her energy and zest for life manifesting itself. Not now. Her movements were stilted, her entire body stiff as she approached an easel with a cloth draped over the painting resting on it. She shook her head once and carefully lifted the cloth.

  “That’s Becić’s Landscape, Bosnia.” The surprise in Colin’s tone made me look at him. His eyes were stretched wide as he studied the monitor, his mouth slightly agape. “The last time I saw it was when...” He blinked, then smiled at Manny. “The last time I saw it was when I saw it the last time.”

  “Bloody hell, Frey.” Manny didn’t look away from the monitor. The combination of fear, anger and affection on his face fed my anxiety. I jerked my glance back to the monitor. I couldn’t afford to have a shutdown now.

  With the care and confidence of a professional who worked with priceless works of art every day, Nikki removed the painting from the easel and took it to one of the stainless-steel tables.

  “What the bleeding hell?”

  “Oh, little punk.” Vinnie crossed his arms, his frown deep.

  Nikki was removing the canvas from the frame. The captain was correct. There was no mistake. Nikki had stolen this painting. I studied it for a moment. The painting was a peaceful landscape. An arched bridge in the centre connected a house on the right to buildings on the left. Mountains rose from all sides and a river flowed from under the bridge to the front of the canvas. That was all I could see before her shoulders sagged and she lifted the canvas off the table.

  She sighed heavily and with reluctance clear in her nonverbal cues rolled up the canvas, then took a large black heavy-duty plastic tube from under the table and pushed it inside. I’d seen her use these tubes to transport her drawings or paintings when she was still studying. I frowned and took a step closer to the captain. “Can you zoom in on her?”

  “Hm-mm.” He tapped a few keys, then guided the mouse cursor to form a square around Nikki. She filled the monitor.

  It felt like someone had punched a hole in my chest. I couldn’t breathe. My heart was racing and it felt like the room’s walls were closing in on me.

  Nikki’s hands were shaking, her cheeks wet from silent tears running down her face. Her chin was quivering and she kept biting her bottom lip in a futile attempt to regain composure. Yet she continued her criminal act.

  She closed the tube and slipped the sling over her head so it would rest diagonally across her back. A quick glance at her neon-pink watch made her jerk and she rushed to the door. The captain switched cameras and we watched her run down the hallway towards the backdoor.

  She slowed down and stopped in front of the camera facing the back entrance. And just stood there.

  “What is she doing?” The captain turned to look at us.

  No one answered him for a few seconds. Then Manny cleared his throat. “She’s giving Doc time to read her.”

  I blocked out the conversation around me. If I had to hear the emotional turmoil in Manny’s voice again, I had no doubt that a shutdown would take me. So I did what I did best. I read Nikki.

  Arms. Face. Micro-expressions. Legs. Feet.

  “Jenny?” Colin rubbed my hand between his. “Love?”

  A shudder shook me and I looked at him, then aroun
d the tech room. All but one of the monitors were dark and everyone was watching me. The captain was the only one who looked worried and uncomfortable. Everyone else knew me well.

  “What did you see, Genevieve?” Pink moved to take a step closer to me, but stopped himself. “Is she in danger?”

  I nodded and looked at the image of Nikki filling the only active monitor. “She did not want to steal the painting, but something bad happened and she needed to do this. She’s displaying a lot of regret, fear and anger.”

  “She needs to get angrier.” Vinnie punched the palm of his hand. “Her anger will keep her strong. She can’t be scared.”

  I understood the need for denial, but there was no denying the fear I’d seen on her face. “She’s strong, Vinnie.”

  The captain looked from me to Daniel to Manny and raised both eyebrows.

  “Dammit.” Manny rubbed his hand hard over his face and turned to the captain. “We need time. I don’t know how much time. We need to find out what the hell happened before, during or after she met up with Martin.”

  “Martin?” Captain Bouvier asked.

  Pink briefed him on everything that had happened before he’d realised Nikki had disappeared.

  “And this Martin is on the up and up?” The captain tilted his head to the side. “Could he be the one who took Nikki and made her steal this painting?”

  The room turned into chaos. Manny sliced his hand through the air to get Vinnie, Pink and Colin to stop talking. “I checked him out the moment we learned he was the father of her child. I’ve known him for three years and”—he glanced at me—“I still check up on him every now and then to make sure he’s keeping on the straight and narrow. He is.”

  I didn’t waste time trying to decipher Manny’s euphemisms.

  “And you?” Captain Bouvier looked at me. “Aren’t you the brutally honest expert who can tell someone’s future by looking at them for three seconds? What do you think? Could Martin be behind this?”

  I closed my eyes and shook my head while Manny snorted and Colin chuckled. “She can’t read anyone’s future.”

  “I didn’t ask you.”

  I opened my eyes to see the captain staring at me. “I can’t read anyone’s future.”

  “What do you think?” He leaned closer, his eyes intent on me. “Is Martin coercing her?”

  “No.” I took a moment to think about this some more. “Not the Martin I’ve known for the last three years. I don’t believe he would be involved in any illegal activities. But that doesn’t mean that an extenuating circumstance wouldn’t drive him to do something completely out of character. It is such a circumstance that is making Nikki violate every value she holds dear.”

  “She hates art thieves.” Colin took my hand. “Nikki wouldn’t do this. Not without good reason.”

  “And what kind of dumbass criminal breaks in without a disguise and then goes and stands in front of a camera?” Vinnie grunted. “Our Nix is not a criminal and she’s definitely not a dumbass.”

  The captain nodded. “That’s what I figured. I know enough about you people to suspect Nikki would be able to steal that painting without leaving a trace. But I also think—well, I hope she wouldn’t do that.” He looked at Manny. “That’s why I called you. And that’s why I’m giving you forty-eight hours to sort this mess out.”

  “You won’t report her?” Pink sounded breathless from relief.

  “Forty-eight hours.” The captain looked at Daniel. “You keep these people in line, Cassel. Any funny business and your job is on the line.” He pointed at the monitor. “And that girl is in jail.”

  The men reassured the captain nothing untoward would take place. I turned to Colin. “Why would he think we are comedians?”

  Colin’s laughter stopped the ongoing conversation. He shook his head. “Funny business is an expression, love.”

  “It’s inane.” It took a lot of mental energy for me to decipher neurotypical euphemisms and expressions. Mental energy I would rather spend on something more worthwhile.

  Manny grunted. “Frey, what can you tell us about this painting? Why would Nikki need to steal it? Is it one of those paintings only billionaires can afford?”

  “Hardly.” Colin glanced at the dark monitors, then up at the ceiling for a few seconds. “Even though Becić’s paintings are masterpieces in their own right, they’re not worth millions.”

  “Is it maybe worth more on the black market?” Daniel asked.

  “I doubt it, but it’s not impossible.” Colin’s mouth twisted. “But Nikki walked past a painting that is worth at least three million euros on the black market. There was also a Degas on another easel. Easily worth one and a half to two million. That Becić was sold a few months ago for around forty thousand dollars.”

  “Okay, so this wasn’t about the value of the painting.” Manny scratched his stubbled chin. “Then why the hell did she take that ridiculous painting?”

  “You won’t find that answer standing in this room.” Captain Bouvier got up and pointed at the door. “Go find out what happened and bring that painting back. The gallery is in quite a panic.”

  “Thank you, Captain.” Pink’s expression conveyed a much deeper meaning to the simple statement.

  The captain huffed. “Just bring me answers. Or even better, bring that girl of yours to me so she can give me the answers.” He put his hands on his hips. “I don’t like this kind of thing happening in my city. Definitely not when it involves people working for me and with the department.” He waved to the door. “Go on. Get out of here.”

  It took a few minutes for Manny and the captain to agree on briefing times. Soon we were standing outside the police station in the chilly morning air. It was twenty-seven minutes after four and the streets were quiet. And dark. It would be more than two hours before the sky would begin to lighten.

  “Where to now?” Pink asked.

  Manny took his phone from his trouser pocket and swiped the screen. “Francine says she got a hold of Nikki’s boss and he’s waiting for us at the gallery.”

  I thought about this. “Phillip should come with us.”

  “Does Phillip insure...” He smiled when I nodded. “Then I think it’s a good idea.”

  Phillip Rousseau owned a high-end insurance company. Not only did he know Nikki’s boss, he also had a calming effect on people. Watching the tension in everyone’s bodies assured me that we would need a calming presence when we went to the scene of the crime.

  Chapter THREE

  “WE’RE HERE.” COLIN turned left into the street that housed the privately owned gallery where Nikki worked. The streetlights were still on, but the golden circles on the pavement would melt away when the star-bespeckled sky turned into a beautiful, cloudless spring morning.

  Colin parked his SUV in one of the many open parking spaces in front of the Chêne Gallery. He lifted his chin towards the stairs leading to the entrance. “Phillip’s already here.”

  My eyes jerked away from the nineteenth-century building to the lone man standing in front of it. As always, he was wearing a bespoke suit, this one a dark blue that matched his tailored cashmere coat. Seeing him sent a flood of emotion through my system.

  Manny had phoned him before we’d driven to the gallery. Phillip had been shocked to hear about Nikki’s disappearance and had insisted on joining us before Manny had even asked him. Manny had agreed, then sent Vinnie to meet up with Francine in our team room.

  I pressed my fist hard against my chest. The intense concern over Nikki’s wellbeing and whereabouts felt exacerbated by Phillip’s presence. I rubbed my chest a few times and focused on my breathing.

  Colin’s warm hand touched my forearm. “Jenny?”

  I inhaled deeply and held my breath for four seconds before I slowly exhaled. I didn’t look at him. If I were to see concern on his face, I would shut down and be of no use to Nikki. So I merely nodded and opened the SUV door.

  Phillip was already walking to us and stopped in front of me
as I closed the door behind me. “We’ll find her, Genevieve. She’s strong. She’ll fight. We’ll get her back.”

  “You don’t know that.” Yet everything in me wanted his words to be true.

  “I know that she’s strong and she’ll fight. I believe that we’ll get her back.” He glanced behind me at Pink walking towards us, Manny next to him.

  “We all believe that.” Pink stepped closer and shook Phillip’s hand. “You’re right. She’s strong.”

  I knew Nikki. I knew her strengths and her weaknesses. I deeply cared for her. I swallowed. I loved her. I had never experienced any maternal desires and didn’t consider Nikki a daughter. Our relationship was undefined. But the panic I was feeling at her disappearance bordered on physical pain.

  “Bloody right, that lass is strong.” Manny shook Phillip’s hand and turned to me. “Doc.”

  “Yes?”

  He lowered his chin and glared at me. “Is your head on straight?” He grunted when I inhaled. “Not literally, missy. I want to know if you’re in control or if you’re useless.”

  “Millard.” Colin’s warning tone was low as he stepped closer and put his shoulder in front of me, protecting me from Manny.

  “Not talking to you, thief.” Manny didn’t take his eyes off me. “Doc?”

  “I know what you are doing.” I blinked a few times to remove the moisture from my eyes. “And I resent that it is working.”

  “There are better ways to get you to focus, love.” Colin took my hand. “Millard doesn’t need to always be such an arsehole.”

  The corner of my mouth lifted and I squeezed Colin’s hand. “True. And I really resent that his method works, but”—I looked at Manny—“thank you.”

  Manny gave me a tight nod and turned around when the front door of the gallery opened with a loud groan. A man in his late fifties stood on the top step and waved at us. “Yoohoo!”

  “What on God’s green earth?” Manny leaned away from the building in front of us and shoved his hands in his trouser pockets. “What is that man wearing?”