Mrs. Pargeter's Point of Honour by Simon Brett Read Free Book Online Page A

mine.’
    â€˜And is it the same sort of destinations it’s always been?’
    â€˜Well, those continue to be popular – Costa del Sol, South America . . . Changes a bit according to which countries make extradition treaties, of course, but it’s steady business. Also doing a lot of work now with what used to be called the Eastern Bloc. That’s opening up a lot. Then Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, you know . . . Even starting to do quite a bit in China.’ Hamish Ramon Henriques smiled a complacent smile. ‘One of the unfailing rules of economics, you know – wherever capitalism goes, criminals will quickly follow. And if there’s one thing criminals are always going to need, it’s transport.’
    An unfocused mistiness had come into Mrs Pargeter’s eyes. The look frequently appeared there when ‘criminals’ were mentioned; it was almost as if she had an allergy to the word. ‘Well,’ she said vaguely, ‘I wouldn’t know about that.’
    HRH seemed to realize he had transgressed some invisible barrier between them. ‘No, of course not,’ he agreed hastily. ‘And no reason why you ever should.’ Moving the conversation on to safer ground, he asked, ‘Anyway, what can I do for you this bright and beautiful morning, Mrs Pargeter?’
    â€˜Well,’ she began tentatively, ‘I hope it’s not too much trouble . . .’
    â€˜Contradiction in terms! Positive oxymoron – the idea that anything I might undertake for you could be too much trouble. I and my entire staff are at your disposal for whatever you should require. Oh, Mrs Pargeter, when I think back to how much your husband did for me in the early days of my career—’
    â€˜Yes, yes.’ It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate this litany of thanks to the late Mr Pargeter; it was just that she had heard it so many times before. ‘What I need, HRH, is help in the transportation of some paintings.’
    â€˜And would these be paintings whose . . .’ he paused, selecting his words with punctilious discretion ‘whose provenance might be such that their transportation should not be . . . too public . . .?’
    â€˜Exactly.’ Mrs Pargeter appreciated his quick understanding of her problem.
    â€˜And may I ask which countries will be involved in the transportation of the paintings?’
    â€˜Quite a few. Certainly France, Germany and Spain. I think there might even be some that have to go back to the States. Maybe even Japan. Will that be a problem?’
    â€˜Good heavens, no,’ Hamish Ramon Henriques replied breezily. ‘Compared to other jobs I have undertaken . . . compared to Lord Lucan . . . compared to Shergar – never easy when you’re dealing with horseboxes . . . No, a few paintings will be nothing – whichever countries happen to be involved.’ He paused. ‘One thing you said, Mrs Pargeter . . .’
    â€˜Yes?’
    â€˜I didn’t mishear you saying that these paintings needed to “go back”?’
    â€˜Yes. They all need to go back to where they were—’ she corrected herself seamlessly, ‘to where they started from.’
    â€˜Fine.’
    HRH did not ask for further explanation, but Mrs Pargeter supplied it nonetheless. ‘You see, someone’s asked me to arrange it, and I’ve said I would. And with me . . . well, when I say I’m going to do something, it’s kind of a point of honour that I see it actually gets done.’
    â€˜I understand completely, Mrs Pargeter. It would be exactly the same in my own case.’ He emitted a fruity little chuckle. ‘Where would one be in business if one could not trust the good faith and the word of a gentleman?’
    â€˜My feeling entirely, HRH. So, going back to the paintings . . . have you done that kind of thing