Powerstone by Malcolm Archibald Read Free Book Online Page B

asked.
    Irene shook her head emphatically,
denying her own temptation. ‘Not ever, baby. I want that position more than
anything on earth.’ She had not mentioned the minor detail that he would not be
with her.
    They sat side by side on the couch
in the lounge, with their legs and shoulders comfortably touching and the Book
of World Art Treasures at their feet. ‘It’s a bit of a conundrum,’
Irene said, ‘much more difficult than any of the other tasks that she set.’ She
stood up and walked to the kitchen.
    ‘It is exactly what Ms Manning
intends it to be, it is the final and defining obstacle between you and your
dreams.’ Patrick lifted the remote control and flicked on the new television
that dominated one corner of the room. ‘You have to steal some great art
treasure that will add to the collection of one of the richest people in America . Sounds like quite a challenge,
Irene.’
    ‘The million dollars might help,’
Irene made two mugs of coffee and returned to Patrick’s side. ‘But I don’t know
anything about art theft. You have some shady friends; ask them where I start.’
    Patrick sipped the coffee. ‘I have
no shady friends,’ he denied, ‘I only have friends who are sometimes forced to
do shady things.’ He gave her the charming grin that highlighted his eyes, and
she snuggled closer.
    ‘My apologies. So ask your
oh-so-respectable friends where I should start.’
    ‘No need. I will answer for them.’
Patrick pulled her even closer. ‘We start by selecting something to steal,’ he
decided. ‘Then we work out how to do it.’
    ‘We?’ Irene’s conscience quailed
slightly. ‘You don’t have to get involved. If I fail, they’ll throw me in jail
and bury the key.’
    ‘And if we succeed, I’ll be with
the richest woman in America .’ Patrick’s blue eyes creased as
he grinned to her. ‘So what will we go for? The Mona Lisa ?’
    Irene killed her scruples; she had
to make her own rules. ‘That’s been done before.’
    ‘ The Scream ?’
    ‘Stolen a few years ago. The
Norwegians will be more careful next time.’
    ‘Michelangelo’s David ?’
    ‘Too difficult to transport. No,
no,’ Irene shook her head. ‘I’ll have to think of something even more
spectacular. I’ll have to think of something that has never been thought of
before; something that nobody would ever dream of stealing because it’s too
valuable. Something that makes the whole world sit up and take notice, so that
even Ms Manning is impressed.’
    Patrick put aside the remote
control. ‘Like robbing Fort Knox ?’
    ‘Yes, except the Fort Knox of art treasures.’
    ‘Let’s check the internet,’
Patrick said, rising on the last word. He had hardly glanced at the book.
    Irene looked over his shoulder as
he typed in World Art Treasures . ‘Seven million and sixty sites,’
she said. ‘Plenty choice then. Where do I start?’
    ‘At the beginning,’ Patrick said,
quietly. ‘Get a pen and paper, Irene, and start to take notes of site
addresses. We’ll pick the most valuable.’
    ‘And the most portable,’ Irene
added. ‘There’s no point trying to wrestle a forty foot slab of Aztec gold over
the Rio Grande ; the Border Guards might just
notice.’
    Patrick nodded and began to scroll
down the first page. ‘The Pyramid of Cheops, I don’t think so. Temple of Anada ? That’s bigger than Central Park . How about a nice Chinese head?’
    ‘No,’ Irene said, ‘it’s held in
the New York Metropolitan. Ms Manning was very specific that it had to be from
abroad.’
    ‘Jesus,’ Patrick checked the next
ten entries. ‘About half of these are held in the States. She makes things
difficult, doesn’t she?’ He spent a few more minutes scrolling down the list.
‘Here’s a nice site. The Melbourne Museum . That’s in Australia , so it’s all right if we rob it. How about some Aboriginal
Art? Or here are the Ashes: that’s some sort of sporting remains that the
Australians and Limeys play